GOOD MORNING.

THANKS SO MUCH

FOR BEING HERE.

I'M SAVANNAH

SELLERS,

JOE'S OFF TODAY,

BUT

CHRISTINE ROMANS IS GOING TO

JOIN US LATER IN THE HOUR.

WE

ARE GOING TO GET STARTED,

THOUGH,

WITH THE PRESIDENT'S

EFFORT TO ENERGIZE HIS BASE

AHEAD OF THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS.

SO

THE PRESIDENT WAS IN LAS

VEGAS YESTERDAY TO TOUT HIS

ECONOMIC POLICIES AND HIGHLIGHT

TAX CUTS.

BUT

POLLS SHOW VOTERS

ARE NOT HAPPY WITH HIS HANDLING

OF THE ECONOMY,

ESPECIALLY

RIGHT NOW WITH THE HIGH PRICES

FROM THE WAR IN IRAN.

PRESIDENT

TRUMP DID SAY, THOUGH, ONCE

AGAIN,

THAT A DEAL IS NEAR TO

REOPEN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ.

NBC NEWS CORRESPONDENT CHRIS

PALLONE JOINS US NOW WITH MORE

ON THIS.

CHRIS.

GOOD MORNING,

SAVANNAH.

>> GOOD MORNING TO YOU.

LESS

THAN THREE MONTHS TO GO UNTIL

THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS.

AND

PRESIDENT TRUMP'S MESSAGE FOR

VOTERS IS COMING INTO SHARPER

FOCUS.

THE PRESIDENT IS

BATTLING LOW POLL NUMBERS AS

REPUBLICANS TRY TO HANG ON TO

CONTROL OF THE HOUSE AND THE

SENATE.

PRESIDENT TRUMP

RETURNING FROM LAS VEGAS AFTER

TOUTING HIS ECONOMIC RECORD

THERE.

WITH THE FALL MIDTERM

ELECTIONS IN VIEW.

>> IN JUST 18 MONTHS,

WE'VE

TURNED THIS COUNTRY COMPLETELY

AROUND.

>>

THE PRESIDENT AND HIS PARTY

FACING HEADWINDS IN CONVINCING

VOTERS THINGS ARE AS ROSY AS HE

CLAIMS.

POLLS CONSISTENTLY

SHOWING AMERICANS GIVE THE

PRESIDENT LOW MARKS ON THE

ECONOMY AND THE WAR IN UKRAINE.

TRUMP, NOW SEIZING ON A TUG OF

WAR AMONG DEMOCRATS FOR

DIRECTION OF THAT PARTY BETWEEN

MODERATES AND PROGRESSIVES.

>> ABDUL EL-SAYED,

LOVELY

GENTLEMAN,

HE'S A MAN OF HATE.

>>

THE PRESIDENT TAKING AIM AT

THE LATEST PROGRESSIVE

DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY WINNER,

ABDUL EL-SAYED,

A MICHIGAN

DOCTOR RUNNING FOR SENATE ON A

PLATFORM OF MEDICARE FOR ALL

AND ABOLISHING ICE,

A CANDIDATE

TRUMP BASELESSLY CALLS A

COMMUNIST.

>> WE DO BETTER AGAINST THE

COMMUNISTS,

ACCORDING TO EVERY

POLL.

THE POLL SAYS WE DO

BETTER AGAINST THE COMMUNISTS.

SO

HE WON.

AND SO I THINK I'M

HAPPY.

>>

EL-SAYED HITTING BACK AT A

SOFT SPOT IN THE PRESIDENT'S

RECORD.

>> THIS IS A GUY WHO CAN'T EVEN

FOCUS ON OUR AFFORDABILITY.

HE'S MORE INTERESTED IN SAYING

MY NAME IN AN INTERESTING WAY,

OR CALLING ME A LOVELY

GENTLEMAN THAN HE IS INTERESTED

IN ACTUALLY SOLVING OUR

PROBLEMS.

>> AAA REPORTING THE AVERAGE

GAS PRICE IN THE U.S. NOW

TOPPING $4.08 A GALLON,

LARGELY BECAUSE OF THE IRAN

WAR, WHICH THE PRESIDENT

INSISTS IS NEARING AN END.

>> I'M NOT LOOKING TO KILL

PEOPLE AND TOTALLY OBLITERATE

EVERYTHING. AND THAT'S WHERE

WE WERE HEADED. AND THEY

WANTED TO NEGOTIATE. AND

WE'RE DOING THAT. AND IT

SEEMS TO BE WORKING OUT QUITE

WELL.

>> WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THIS

WILL BE DIFFERENT? BECAUSE

THEY TEND TO NEVER.

>> IT MAY BE. IT MAY NOT BE.

>> IRAN DENIES THERE ARE

ONGOING NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE

U.S. TO END THE WAR,

AND A

SPOKESPERSON FOR IRAN'S FOREIGN

MINISTRY SAYS NEGOTIATIONS WITH

OMAN OVER CONTROL OF THE STRAIT

OF HORMUZ ARE IN THEIR FINAL

STAGES.

IRAN INSISTS THE STRAIT

WILL NOT GO BACK TO BEING AN

OPEN INTERNATIONAL WATERWAY

LIKE IT WAS BEFORE THE WAR.

THE

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS

PREVIOUSLY RULED OUT ANY DEAL

THAT WOULD GIVE IRAN CONTROL

OVER THE STRAIT,

AND THE U.S.

NAVY STILL HAS A BLOCKADE ON

IRAN'S PORTS.

SAVANNAH, BACK TO

YOU.

>> ALL RIGHT, CHRIS, THANK YOU

SO MUCH.

WELL, OVER ON CAPITOL

HILL, DOCTOR FAUCI IS IN MORE

HOT WATER THIS MORNING.

IN JUST

A FEW HOURS, A SENATE COMMITTEE

IS SET TO VOTE ON WHETHER TO

HOLD ANTHONY FAUCI IN CONTEMPT

OF CONGRESS TODAY, AFTER HE

PLED THE FIFTH SEVERAL TIMES

DURING A HEARING LAST WEEK ON

HIS HANDLING OF THE COVID

OUTBREAK.

THIS COMES AS

FLORIDA'S ATTORNEY GENERAL

JOINED OTHERS IN LOUISIANA AND

WEST VIRGINIA YESTERDAY IN

ISSUING SUBPOENAS FOR RECORDS

FROM DOCTOR FAUCI.

THEY ALLEGE

DOCTOR FAUCI PROFITED FROM THE

RECOMMENDATIONS HE GAVE DURING

THE COVID PANDEMIC.

NBC NEWS

POLITICAL REPORTER MEGAN BRAND

JOINS US WITH MORE ON THIS AND

SOME OTHER HEADLINES FROM

WASHINGTON.

MEGAN, GOOD MORNING.

TO JUST START BY BREAKING DOWN

THESE REASONS FOR THE SUBPOENAS

AGAINST DOCTOR FAUCI.

>> GOOD MORNING SAVANNAH.

YEAH.

SO AS YOU MENTIONED, THERE WERE

THREE STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL

IN REPUBLICAN LED STATES IN

FLORIDA, WEST VIRGINIA AND

LOUISIANA WHO HAD ISSUED THESE

SUBPOENAS TO DOCTOR FAUCI

YESTERDAY, ARGUING THAT HE MADE

MONEY OFF OF THE WAY THAT HE

HAD ADVISED HANDLING OF COVID

19 DURING THE PANDEMIC, WHEN HE

WAS THE FACE IN MANY WAYS OF

THE U.S. RESPONSE TO COVID. SO

THE FLORIDA ATTORNEY GENERAL

HAD SAID IN A STATEMENT THAT

WAS RELEASED YESTERDAY THAT

THIS WAS RELATED TO AN OFFICIAL

INVESTIGATION INTO AWARDS,

PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES,

FINANCIAL INCENTIVES, GRANTS

AND COVID 19 GUIDANCE THAT

IMPACTED FLORIDA BUSINESSES AND

CONSUMERS. SO THE SUBPOENA HAD

ASKED DOCTOR FAUCI TO PROVIDE

DOCUMENTS RANGING FROM 2020

UNTIL NOW, BY THE END OF THE

MONTH, THINGS THAT INCLUDE

GRANTS OR BOOK DEALS THAT

DOCTOR FAUCI WAS CONSIDERED FOR

OR THAT HE RECEIVED. AND OF

COURSE, THIS ALL COMES RIGHT

BEFORE A SENATE COMMITTEE IS

GOING TO VOTE IN JUST A COUPLE

OF HOURS ON WHETHER TO HOLD

DOCTOR FAUCI IN CONTEMPT OF

CONGRESS. SAVANNAH.

>> YEAH, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.

MEGAN. SO ON THAT VOTE TODAY,

WHAT ARE REPUBLICANS ARGUMENTS

FOR THAT? AND WHAT HAPPENS IF

THE VOTE DOES PASS.

>> SO REPUBLICANS ARE BASICALLY

BREAKING THIS DOWN IN TWO WAYS.

THEY'RE ARGUING THAT DOCTOR

FAUCI WAS NOT ABLE TO ASSERT

HIS FIFTH AMENDMENT PRIVILEGES.

ONE OF THOSE REASONS THAT THEY

ARGUE, IS BECAUSE DOCTOR FAUCI

HAD RECEIVED A PREEMPTIVE

PARDON FROM PRESIDENT BIDEN IN

THE FINAL HOURS OF PRESIDENT

BIDEN'S TERM. AND THEY ARGUE

THAT BECAUSE OF THAT, HE WAS

NOT ABLE TO ASSERT HIS FIFTH

AMENDMENT PRIVILEGES. NOW,

ANOTHER REASON AS WELL, THEY'RE

ARGUING, IS THAT BECAUSE DOCTOR

FAUCI HAD DELIVERED OPENING

STATEMENTS THAT THEY SAY ARE

RELEVANT TO THE SUBJECT MATTER,

THAT SENATORS THEN WENT TO GO

QUESTION HIM ON. THEY SAY THAT

THAT EFFECTIVELY WAIVED HIS

FIFTH AMENDMENT RIGHTS. NOW,

THAT IS UP FOR SOME LEGAL

DEBATE IN THE LEGAL COMMUNITY.

BUT I WANT TO I WANT TO POINT

YOU TO WHAT SENATOR RAND PAUL,

HE'S THE CHAIRMAN OF THE

COMMITTEE, HAD SAID IN A

STATEMENT. HE SAID, I ORDERED

HIM TO ANSWER AND WARNED HIM

ABOUT CONTEMPT, YET HE STILL

REFUSED. THAT IS OBSTRUCTION OF

A CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATION.

THE COMMITTEE WILL ACT

ACCORDINGLY. SO TODAY, THIS

NEEDS A SIMPLE MAJORITY TO PASS.

AND CHAIRMAN PAUL HAS SAID THAT

IF IT DOES PASS AS IT SEEMS, IT

IT MIGHT, BECAUSE REPUBLICANS

HAVE A MAJORITY ON THAT

COMMITTEE, THEN HE WOULD REFER

IT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.

NOW, IF THE DEPARTMENT OF

JUSTICE THEN DECIDES TO PURSUE

THIS CASE, THEN U.S. ATTORNEY

FOR D.C. JEANINE PIRRO WOULD

HAVE TO SECURE AN INDICTMENT

FROM A GRAND JURY.

>> SAVANNAH MEAGAN, I DO WANT

TO ASK YOU ABOUT A COUPLE OTHER

THINGS BEFORE I LET YOU GO. ONE,

THE FAA SAYS THAT THEY'RE

REVIEWING AN INCIDENT. THIS WAS

ON TUESDAY INVOLVING MARINE ONE.

THAT IS THE PRESIDENT'S

HELICOPTER. WHAT DO WE KNOW?

>> YEAH. SO FIRST THINGS FIRST,

SAVANNAH. THE FAA AND THE WHITE

HOUSE HAVE BOTH SAID THAT THE

PRESIDENT WAS NEVER IN ANY

DANGER DURING THIS INCIDENT.

THIS HAD STEMMED FROM WHEN

COMMERCIAL FLIGHTS WERE NOT

PAUSED BY REAGAN NATIONAL

AIRPORT, THE D.C. AREA AIRPORT,

WHEN MARINE ONE, WHICH HOLDS

THE PRESIDENT, WAS TAKING OFF.

YOU CAN SEE THAT ON YOUR SCREEN

NOW. THE FAA HAD CREATED MORE

FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS IN THE AREA

AFTER THAT DEADLY CRASH LAST

JANUARY, WHEN A MILITARY

HELICOPTER AND A FLIGHT HAD

COLLIDED, KILLING 67 PEOPLE.

AND NOW THE WHITE HOUSE HAD

RELEASED A STATEMENT ON THE

SITUATION YESTERDAY SAYING THAT

MARINE ONE FLIGHTS ARE PILOTED

BY SOME OF THE BEST AVIATORS IN

THE WORLD, AND AT NO POINT WAS

THE PRESIDENT IN HARM'S WAY.

>> SAVANNAH MEAGAN ONE OTHER

THING. HAVE WE LEARNED ANYTHING

MORE ABOUT THE MAN ARRESTED

OUTSIDE THE PRESIDENT'S GOLF

COURSE IN CALIFORNIA OVER THE

WEEKEND?

>> SO THE MAN WHO WAS ARRESTED,

HE WAS 38 YEAR OLD JANINE JOHN

TEAL. AND NOW INVESTIGATORS ARE

TURNING TO GET WARRANTS FOR

THINGS LIKE THE SUSPECT'S

DIGITAL DEVICES AND EMAILS TO

TRY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HIM.

BUT A FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT

OFFICIAL TOLD NBC THAT TEAL IS

A DISABLED VETERAN, AND THAT HE

IS DESCRIBED AS SOMEONE WHO HAS

PTSD AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES

AS WELL. RECORDS INDICATE THAT

THE MAN WHO WAS ARRESTED HAD

BEEN DEPLOYED TO IRAQ AND

AFGHANISTAN, AND THE SUSPECT

ALSO DOES NOT HAVE RECENT

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY, AND A COURT

APPEARANCE HAS NOT YET BEEN

SCHEDULED. SO WE'RE NOT SURE

YET WHEN WE WILL SEE HIM IN

COURT. SAVANNAH.

>> ALL RIGHT. MEGAN BRAND

COVERING QUITE A BIT FOR US

THIS MORNING. WE APPRECIATE IT.

THANKS, MEGAN. WELL, THE

ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR THE STATE

OF NEW MEXICO IS NOW SUING THE

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, ACCUSING

IT OF BLOCKING THE STATE FROM

INVESTIGATING SEX CRIMES AT

JEFFREY EPSTEIN'S ZORRO RANCH

NEAR SANTA FE.

AT LEAST TEN

WOMEN SAY EPSTEIN GROOMED OR

ABUSED THEM AT THE 10,000 ACRE

RANCH GOING BACK DECADES.

SOME

WERE TEENAGERS WHEN THEY SAY IT

HAPPENED.

RIGHT NOW, STATE

PROSECUTORS IN NEW MEXICO HAVE

THE ONLY ACTIVE CRIMINAL

INVESTIGATION OPEN INTO EPSTEIN.

BUT THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL

SAYS THE FEDS ARE STONEWALLING

THEM.

>> IT'S BEEN 173 DAYS SINCE WE

FIRST ASKED FOR UNREDACTED

ACCESS TO THE COMPLETE EPSTEIN

FILES,

AND WE STILL DON'T HAVE

THAT ACCESS.

DESPITE REPEATED

ASSURANCES FROM MR. BLANCHE,

JAY CLAYTON AND OTHERS THAT

THEY WOULD COOPERATE WITH THIS

INVESTIGATION

AND HELP US MOVE

THINGS FORWARD

SO WE COULD TRY

AND HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE

HERE IN NEW MEXICO.

>> NBC NEWS JUSTICE REPORTER

RYAN REILLY JOINS US NOW FROM

WASHINGTON, DC ON THIS.

RYAN.

GOOD MORNING.

SO WHAT EXACTLY

DOES NEW MEXICO WANT

AND HOW

ARE THEY THE ONLY JURISDICTION

WITH AN ACTIVE CRIMINAL

INVESTIGATION?

>> YEAH.

WELL, THE STATUTE OF

LIMITATIONS FACTORS PLAY A

MAJOR ROLE HERE.

AND OBVIOUSLY

THE FACT THAT JEFFREY EPSTEIN

IS DEAD ALSO COMPLICATES IT.

RIGHT.

BECAUSE YOU'RE MAYBE

LOOKING FOR ASSOCIATES,

SOMEONE

WHO COULD ACTUALLY, CHARGE.

BUT

WHAT NEW MEXICO WOULD WANT HERE

WOULD BE THOSE UNREDACTED FILES

THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO PIECE

TOGETHER MORE OF THIS

INVESTIGATION

AND TO FILL IN

SOME OF THE BLANKS HERE.

AND,

YOU KNOW,

THIS HAS BEEN THIS

ONGOING EFFORT

AND REALLY

COMING OUT OF NEW MEXICO THAT

WE'VE SEEN,

AS YOU SAID,

SORT

OF THE ONLY ONGOING SORT OF

CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION RELATED

TO THIS.

AND BASICALLY THEY'RE

TRYING TO PUSH FORWARD SOME NEW

ANSWERS FROM THE JUSTICE

DEPARTMENT.

>> HOW IS THE JUSTICE

DEPARTMENT RESPONDING?

RYAN.

>> YEAH.

SO DOJ SAID IN A

STATEMENT THAT THERE'S NO

LAWFUL BASIS TO JUSTIFY

SWEEPING DISCLOSURES OF THIS

VICTIM IDENTIFYING INFORMATION.

AND THEY'RE BASICALLY SAYING

THAT THEY CAN'T PROVIDE THIS,

THAT THERE'S THESE BINDING

COURT ORDERS THAT PREVENT THEM

FROM BEING ABLE TO GIVE OVER

MORE INFORMATION.

THEY HAVEN'T

FORMALLY RESPONDED TO THE

LAWSUIT YET,

BUT WE SHOULD SEE

IT'S GOING TO ALL OF THIS IS

GOING TO PLAY OUT IN FEDERAL

GOING TO PLAY OUT IN FEDERAL

COURT

FILED THIS LAWSUIT TO

BEGIN WITH.

>> SAVANNAH RYAN, WHAT ARE

EPSTEIN'S SURVIVORS SAYING

ABOUT THIS?

>> YEAH, SO THEY ARE ENCOURAGED

BY THIS INVESTIGATION IN NEW

MEXICO.

AND OBVIOUSLY, SOME OF

THEM HAVE BEEN CRITICAL OF THE

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF TODD

BLANCHE, IN PARTICULAR ABOUT

HANDLING OF THESE FILES.

AND THEY WOULD LIKE THEIR

CONTRASTING THE ACTION THAT

THEY SAW.

THEY'RE SAYING THAT

UNLIKE ACTING AG TODD BLANCHE

AG TORREZ IS REQUESTING

EVIDENCE FOR THE PURPOSE OF

ACTUALLY PURSUING JUSTICE.

SO

SUPPORTIVE OF THIS

INVESTIGATION MOVING FORWARD.

AND THERE'S BEEN SOME

DISAPPOINTMENT FROM THEM ABOUT

HOW THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT

HANDLED ALL OF THIS.

>> RYAN REILLY, THANK YOU VERY

MUCH.

WELL, A DANGEROUS,

RAPIDLY SPREADING SALMONELLA

OUTBREAK HAS NOW BEEN DETECTED

IN 27 STATES.

FEDERAL HEALTH

OFFICIALS ARE INVESTIGATING IT.

IT'S BEING LINKED TO JALAPENO

PEPPERS.

AND NOW TWO OF THE

NATION'S MOST POPULAR MEXICAN

RESTAURANT CHAINS ARE

RESPONDING BY REMOVING

JALAPENOS FROM HUNDREDS OF

THEIR LOCATIONS.

NBC NEWS

CORRESPONDENT ANNE THOMPSON HAS

MORE.

>> THE ISSUE OF TAINTED

JALAPENOS IS MUCH BIGGER THAN

JUST MINNESOTA AND CHIPOTLE,

THE CDC SAYING.

27 STATES NOW

REPORTING SALMONELLA CASES

RELATED TO THE PEPPERS

MINNESOTA, COLORADO AND

ILLINOIS TOPPING THE LIST.

MORE

THAN 300 PEOPLE SICKENED, 36

HOSPITALIZED.

NOW, ANOTHER FAST

FOOD CHAIN, QDOBA, SAYS IT'S

REMOVED JALAPENOS FROM ITS

RESTAURANTS, SAYING FOOD SAFETY

IS OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY.

CHIPOTLE DID THE SAME AFTER

MINNESOTA OFFICIALS TRACED MANY

OF THEIR SALMONELLA CASES TO A

LOT OF PEPPERS USED BY THE

CHAIN,

CHIPOTLE SAID IT

REPLACED THE SUSPECT JALAPENOS

WITH ONES FROM DIFFERENT

GROWERS.

HOW DO PEPPERS GET

SALMONELLA?

>> TYPICALLY THROUGH A VARIETY

OF WAYS, BUT MOST LIKELY

CONTAMINATED WATER THAT IS USED

TO IRRIGATE OR COME INTO

CONTACT WITH THAT FOOD?

>> UNLIKE THE LETTUCE LINKED

CYCLOSPORIASIS TRIGGERED BY A

PARASITE, SALMONELLA IS A

BACTERIA THAT CAUSES FEVER,

STOMACH CRAMPS, AND DIARRHEA

SYMPTOMS.

MOST PEOPLE DEVELOP

THEM WITHIN 8 TO 72 HOURS OF EATING

THE BAD FOOD.

THESE HIGH

PROFILE OUTBREAKS, INVOLVING

THREE POPULAR FAST FOOD CHAINS

TACO BELL FOR THE LETTUCE,

CHIPOTLE, AND QDOBA FOR THE

JALAPENOS HAVE SOME CONCERNED

ABOUT OUR NATION'S FOOD SUPPLY.

>> WE HAVE TO REMIND OURSELVES

THAT OUR FOOD SUPPLY IS FAIRLY

SAFE,

BUT THINGS HAPPEN,

ACCIDENTS HAPPEN,

AND

CONTAMINATION CERTAINLY CAN

HAPPEN AT ANY POINT IN THE FOOD

SUPPLY.

>> ANNE THOMPSON, NBC NEWS.

>> WELL, IN THE MIDST OF THAT

OUTBREAK,

THERE'S A NEW LEADER

TAKING THE HELM AT THE CDC THIS

MORNING.

YESTERDAY, THE SENATE

CONFIRMED DOCTOR ERICA SCHWARTZ

TO BE THE NEWEST DIRECTOR,

MAKING HER THE AGENCY'S FIRST

PERMANENT DIRECTOR IN ALMOST A

YEAR.

THE 51 TO 44 VOTE IN THE

REPUBLICAN CONTROLLED SENATE

WAS LARGELY SPLIT ALONG PARTY

LINES.

FOR MORE ON THIS, LET'S

WELCOME IN NBC NEWS HEALTH

REPORTER ARIA BENDIX.

ARIA,

GOOD MORNING.

ALWAYS GREAT TO

HAVE YOU.

SO FIRST, JUST TELL

US ABOUT DOCTOR SCHWARTZ'S

BACKGROUND.

>> YEAH.

SO SHE HAS THE

CREDENTIALS TO FIT THIS ROLE.

SHE WAS THE DEPUTY SURGEON

GENERAL ACTUALLY UNDER THE

FIRST TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.

AND

THEN SHE HAS A RECORD OF PUBLIC

SERVICE GOING BACK THROUGHOUT

HER CAREER, A NAVY PHYSICIAN, A

CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER IN THE

COAST GUARD. SO THERE'S REALLY

NO QUESTION ABOUT HER RESUME AT

HER CONFIRMATION HEARING, THE

QUESTIONS WERE MORE ALONG THE

LINES OF, WOULD SHE BE ABLE TO

STAND UP TO SECRETARY KENNEDY

IF HE ENCOURAGED HER TO GO

AGAINST SCIENTIFIC TRUTH AND

QUESTION VACCINE SAFETY?

>> AND HOW WERE HER RESPONSES

ON THAT? BECAUSE THERE WAS SOME

CONCERN ABOUT IS SHE DISTANCING

HERSELF ENOUGH FROM THAT? LIKE,

WHAT DO YOU THINK HER

LEADERSHIP MEANS IN THAT REGARD?

>> SO I THINK MANY EXPERTS WERE

So I think many experts were

hoping she would more emphatically

denounce some of the scientific

misinformation we've seen from

this administration and particularly

from the health secretary.

SECRETARY. WE HAVE A STATEMENT

FROM AN ADVOCACY GROUP THAT'S

MADE UP OF FORMER CDC OFFICIALS.

THEY SAID THEY WERE HOPING FOR

MORE CLEAR COMMITMENTS ABOUT

HOW SHE WOULD PROTECT CDC FROM

POLITICAL PRESSURE. THEY FOUND

HER STATEMENTS OFTEN VAGUE. SHE

DID DODGE QUESTIONS FREQUENTLY

AT THE HEARING, BUT SHE WAS

CLEAR ON ONE THING THAT

VACCINES ARE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE.

SO I THINK SOME EXPERTS ARE

APPROACHING HER TENURE WITH

SOME CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM. SHE'S

WELL-LIKED BY HER COLLEAGUES.

AGAIN, SHE HAS THIS RECORD OF

PUBLIC SERVICE, AND THEY'RE

HOPING THAT PRIVATELY SHE MIGHT

BE ABLE TO RESIST SOME OF THAT

POLITICAL PRESSURE.

>> OKAY. AND IT'S THERE'S A LOT

GOING ON. I MEAN, WE WERE JUST

I mean, we were just talking about

a new salmonella outbreak,

a cyclospora outbreak that we've

been talking about for quite a

while now that has sickened over

10,000 people in this country at

least.

THIS COUNTRY, AT LEAST. ALSO,

BY THE WAY, DON'T FORGET ABOUT

MEASLES ONGOING CRISIS IN THIS

COUNTRY. I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT

TO STEP INTO THIS JOB. JUST HOW

IMPORTANT WILL THESE FIRST FEW

MONTHS COINCIDING WITH THINGS

LIKE THAT BE FOR HER SORT OF

FUTURE IN THE ROLE, FOR THE

PERCEPTION FROM THE PUBLIC OF

HER IN THE ROLE?

>> YEAH. SHE HAS, AS YOU

MENTIONED, SOME BIG TESTS AHEAD.

I THINK CONGRESS AND QUITE

FRANKLY, THE PUBLIC IS GOING TO

BE WATCHING CLOSELY TO SEE HOW

SHE PERFORMS FOR MEASLES IN

PARTICULAR. WE'LL SEE HOW

EMPHATICALLY SHE SORT OF

RECOMMENDS THE MMR VACCINE. I'M

WATCHING THAT VERY CLOSELY. AND

THEN HOW SHE ADDRESSES, REALLY,

THESE GROWING RATES OF VACCINE

HESITANCY IN THIS COUNTRY. AT

HER CONFIRMATION HEARING, SHE

SAID SHE ESSENTIALLY WANTS TO

BE THIS BRIDGE BETWEEN VACCINE

SKEPTICS AND MAINSTREAM

MEDICINE. THAT'S A TOUGH FEAT

UNDER ANY ADMINISTRATION, BUT

PARTICULARLY THIS ONE, I THINK

EXPERTS ARE WILLING TO GIVE HER

THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT AND

SEE HOW SHE DOES THERE.

>> NO KIDDING. ALL RIGHT. THANK

YOU SO MUCH. WE WANT TO BRING

YOU AN UPDATE ON THOSE HISTORIC

WILDFIRES BURNING IN WASHINGTON

STATE. NOW, WHILE PROGRESS IS

BEING MADE IN FIGHTING THEM,

INVESTIGATORS NOW BELIEVE ALL

THREE FIRES THAT HAVE DESTROYED

HUNDREDS OF HOMES NEAR SPOKANE

WERE CAUSED BY HUMANS. AND

WHETHER THEY WERE STARTED

INTENTIONALLY IS STILL UNDER

INVESTIGATION. NBC NEWS

NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT MORGAN

CHESKY HAS THE LATEST.

>> AIR AND GROUND CREWS

FIGHTING FOR EVERY INCH IN A

FIERY BATTLE. AS ONE OF

WASHINGTON'S MOST DESTRUCTIVE

WILDFIRES EVER RAGES ON.

>> AND EVERYTHING I CAN TO SAVE

>> EVERYTHING I CAN TO SAVE MY HOUSE.

MY LLAMAS, HOUSES ARE GONE.

GONE.

>> THE RACE FOR CONTAINMENT

CREEPING FORWARD.

>> OUR FIRE TEAMS RIGHT NOW ARE

WORKING ON ESTABLISHING FIRE

LINES AROUND ALL OF THESE FIRE

ZONES.

>> PROGRESS HERE LARGELY

DEPENDENT UPON THE WIND.

BUT AN

EMERGING HEAT WAVE NOW BRINGS

NEW RISK.

>> WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF

INTERIOR HEAT,

AND EVEN A

LITTLE GUSTS CAN GRAB AN EMBER

AND THROW IT.

>> HOLLYWOOD STAR AND SPOKANE

NATIVE SYDNEY SWEENEY WAS BACK

HOME HELPING WITH COMMUNITY

RELIEF EFFORTS.

MORE THAN 1500

FIREFIGHTERS ARE ON THE GROUND

TAKING ON THE THREE FIRES THAT

OFFICIALS NOW BELIEVE WERE ALL

HUMAN CAUSED.

WE BELIEVE THAT

TO BE INTENTIONAL.

>> THAT'S WHY IT'S UNDER

INVESTIGATION.

THERE WAS

CLEARLY NO LIGHTNING IN THE

AREA,

SO IT'S A HUMAN CAUSED

FIRE.

BUT TO BE DETERMINED

WHETHER IT WAS ACCIDENTAL.

>> KORNACKI, THE MAN CHARGED

WITH STARTING THE MOST

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE IS DUE IN

COURT TO ENTER A PLEA.

AUTHORITIES CREDITING WITNESSES

IN CATCHING HIM.

>> MY DAUGHTER WAS SITTING ON

THE PORCH OUT THERE

AND SHE

SAYS THERE'S A FIRE.

SO I RAN

OUT AND LOOKED AND SAW A COLUMN

OF SMOKE RISING EXACTLY WHERE

THAT INDIVIDUAL WAS STANDING AT.

>> THE SPOKANE FIRES HAVE NOW

BURNED MORE THAN 10,000 ACRES,

WITH FIRE OFFICIALS TELLING US

FULL CONTAINMENT COULD TAKE

WEEKS.

WE'LL SEND IT BACK.

>> TO YOU.

MORGAN, THANK YOU

VERY MUCH.

WELL, FOR MORE ON

THE FIRE AND THE HEAT THREAT

ACROSS MUCH OF THE PACIFIC

NORTHWEST,

LET'S BRING IN OUR

ANGIE LASSMAN.

HEY, ANGIE.

GOOD

MORNING.

>> HI THERE.

SAVANNAH.

GOOD

MORNING TO YOU.

NOT MUCH OF A CHANGE WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE

SAME KIND OF INGREDIENTS THAT

WE'VE BEEN WATCHING OVER THE

PAST COUPLE OF DAYS FOR THE

FIRE ISSUES ACROSS THE WEST.

HERE'S THOSE AIR QUALITY ALERTS

THAT YOU CAN SEE ALL THE FIRES

BURNING SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED

ACROSS THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

AND ACROSS THE GREAT BASIN.

THOSE ARE GOING TO BE ONGOING

TODAY.

WE STILL HAVE PLENTY OF

SMOKE THAT IS GOING TO DRIFT

ACROSS THOSE REGIONS,

LEAVING

US WITH AIR QUALITY ISSUES FOR

A LOT OF FOLKS,

AGAIN, FOCUSED

MAINLY ACROSS THE PACIFIC

NORTHWEST,

WHERE WE'VE BEEN

SEEING THOSE AIR QUALITY ISSUES

FOR DAYS AND DAYS.

NOW, THAT

DOESN'T CHANGE TODAY.

WE'RE

ALSO GOING TO SEE OUR

TEMPERATURES KIND OF SURGING

OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.

73 MILLION PEOPLE UNDER THESE

HEAT ALERTS.

MOST OF IT IS

STRETCHED ACROSS THE WEST, SALT

LAKE CITY TO RENO, DOWN THROUGH

LOS ANGELES. PHOENIX,

ALBUQUERQUE INCLUDED OKLAHOMA

CITY AS WELL. INCLUDED IN THESE

HEAT ALERTS AS WE GEAR UP FOR

WARMER THAN NORMAL TEMPERATURES

YET AGAIN, YET AGAIN IN SOME OF

THOSE AREAS. LAS VEGAS AT 111

99 FOR SALT LAKE CITY, EL PASO,

YOU TOP OUT AT 101 TODAY. THESE

TEMPERATURES, OF COURSE, ABOVE

WHERE THEY SHOULD BE FOR THIS

TIME OF YEAR. AND IT'S NOT

GETTING ANY BETTER AS WE LOOK

TO TOMORROW. BOISE, SALT LAKE

CITY 100 PLUS MEDFORD 104. THAT

TEMPERATURE MORE THAN TEN

DEGREES ABOVE WHERE THEY SHOULD

BE FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. SO

NOT, OF COURSE, HELPING WITH

THAT INTENSE HEAT AND ALL OF

THE FIRE CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE

ACROSS THAT REGION WILL STILL

REMAIN HOT WELL INTO THE

WEEKEND AND INTO OUR UPCOMING

WORKWEEK, 100 DEGREES ACROSS

THE BOARD FOR SATURDAY AND

SUNDAY IN SALT LAKE CITY. AND

WE ONLY IMPROVE A LITTLE BIT

WITH A HIGH OF 98 DEGREES ON

MONDAY. SO YOU GET THE PICTURE.

IT'S GOING TO BE WARM OUT

ACROSS THE WEST. WE'RE ALSO

GOING TO SEE SOME CHANGES

ACROSS PARTS OF THE NORTHEAST,

SPECIFICALLY IN THE

MID-ATLANTIC, WHERE WE'VE KIND

OF BEEN ENJOYING MILDER, MORE

COMFORTABLE CONDITIONS. WE HAD

LOWER HUMIDITY KIND OF WORK

INTO THIS REGION THANKS TO THAT,

THIS FRONT THAT HAS BEEN KIND

OF HANGING AROUND THAT FRONT

MIGRATES A LITTLE BIT FARTHER

TO THE NORTH. THAT ALLOWS US TO

SEE SOME OF THIS HUMIDITY BEING

PUMPED IN BY THIS HIGH THAT'S

SITTING ACROSS PARTS OF THE

ATLANTIC. THAT IS REALLY GOING

TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE WHEN IT

COMES TO THE LATER PARTS OF OUR

WORKWEEK. BUT EVEN TODAY,

YOU'LL NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE.

PHILADELPHIA HEADS TO 91

DEGREES, WILL FEEL LIKE 102.

WE'VE GOT NEW YORK CITY AT 89,

BUT LOOK AT THAT HEAT INDEX

VALUE 99 DEGREES FARTHER DOWN

THE COAST, NORFOLK, WASHINGTON,

D.C. YOU WILL FEEL LIKE 100

PLUS THROUGH THE DAY TODAY. AND

THAT CONTINUES AS WE GET EVEN

INTO TOMORROW. BUT WE'LL GET A

LITTLE BIT OF RELIEF ON THE

BACK END OF THE WEEKEND. SO

HIGH 90S FRIDAY IN NEW YORK

CITY, 94 IS GOING TO FEEL A

WHOLE LOT BETTER BY SUNDAY. AND

WE'LL SEE THAT HUMIDITY LEVEL

KIND OF GRADUALLY DROP ACROSS

THIS REGION AS WE GET THROUGH

OUR WEEKEND. ONE NOTE, WE'VE

GOT A COUPLE OF AREAS OF

POTENTIAL STRONG TO SEVERE

STORMS TODAY.

WIND GUSTS ARE

GOING TO BE OUR MAIN THREAT

THAT CENTERED ACROSS PARTS OF

SPRINGFIELD.

AND WE'LL SEE SOME

GENERAL THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS

PARTS OF THE NORTHEAST.

WASHINGTON, D.C. UP THROUGH

UNION WILL BE INCLUDED IN THAT.

AND THAT'S PART OF THIS KIND OF

BROADER SYSTEM THAT'S SLIDING

TO THE EAST AND LEAVING US WITH

SOME SHOWERS AND SOME

GOOD MORNING.

THANKS SO MUCH

FOR BEING HERE.

I'M SAVANNAH

SELLERS,

JOE'S OFF TODAY,

BUT

CHRISTINE ROMANS IS GOING TO

JOIN US LATER IN THE HOUR.

WE

ARE GOING TO GET STARTED,

THOUGH,

WITH THE PRESIDENT'S

EFFORT TO ENERGIZE HIS BASE

AHEAD OF THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS.

SO

THE PRESIDENT WAS IN LAS

VEGAS YESTERDAY TO TOUT HIS

ECONOMIC POLICIES AND HIGHLIGHT

TAX CUTS.

BUT

POLLS SHOW VOTERS

ARE NOT HAPPY WITH HIS HANDLING

OF THE ECONOMY,

ESPECIALLY

RIGHT NOW WITH THE HIGH PRICES

FROM THE WAR IN IRAN.

PRESIDENT

TRUMP DID SAY, THOUGH, ONCE

AGAIN,

THAT A DEAL IS NEAR TO

REOPEN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ.

NBC NEWS CORRESPONDENT CHRIS

PALLONE JOINS US NOW WITH MORE

ON THIS.

CHRIS.

GOOD MORNING,

SAVANNAH.

>> GOOD MORNING TO YOU.

LESS

THAN THREE MONTHS TO GO UNTIL

THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS.

AND

PRESIDENT TRUMP'S MESSAGE FOR

VOTERS IS COMING INTO SHARPER

FOCUS.

THE PRESIDENT IS

BATTLING LOW POLL NUMBERS AS

REPUBLICANS TRY TO HANG ON TO

CONTROL OF THE HOUSE AND THE

SENATE.

PRESIDENT TRUMP

RETURNING FROM LAS VEGAS AFTER

TOUTING HIS ECONOMIC RECORD

THERE.

WITH THE FALL MIDTERM

ELECTIONS IN VIEW.

>> IN JUST 18 MONTHS,

WE'VE

TURNED THIS COUNTRY COMPLETELY

AROUND.

>>

THE PRESIDENT AND HIS PARTY

FACING HEADWINDS IN CONVINCING

VOTERS THINGS ARE AS ROSY AS HE

CLAIMS.

POLLS CONSISTENTLY

SHOWING AMERICANS GIVE THE

PRESIDENT LOW MARKS ON THE

ECONOMY AND THE WAR IN UKRAINE.

TRUMP, NOW SEIZING ON A TUG OF

WAR AMONG DEMOCRATS FOR

DIRECTION OF THAT PARTY BETWEEN

MODERATES AND PROGRESSIVES.

>> ABDUL EL-SAYED,

LOVELY

GENTLEMAN,

HE'S A MAN OF HATE.

>>

THE PRESIDENT TAKING AIM AT

THE LATEST PROGRESSIVE

DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY WINNER,

ABDUL EL-SAYED,

A MICHIGAN

DOCTOR RUNNING FOR SENATE ON A

PLATFORM OF MEDICARE FOR ALL

AND ABOLISHING ICE,

A CANDIDATE

TRUMP BASELESSLY CALLS A

COMMUNIST.

>> WE DO BETTER AGAINST THE

COMMUNISTS,

ACCORDING TO EVERY

POLL.

THE POLL SAYS WE DO

BETTER AGAINST THE COMMUNISTS.

SO

HE WON.

AND SO I THINK I'M

HAPPY.

>>

EL-SAYED HITTING BACK AT A

SOFT SPOT IN THE PRESIDENT'S

RECORD.

>> THIS IS A GUY WHO CAN'T EVEN

FOCUS ON OUR AFFORDABILITY.

HE'S MORE INTERESTED IN SAYING

MY NAME IN AN INTERESTING WAY,

OR CALLING ME A LOVELY

GENTLEMAN THAN HE IS INTERESTED

IN ACTUALLY SOLVING OUR

PROBLEMS.

>> AAA REPORTING THE AVERAGE

GAS PRICE IN THE U.S. NOW

TOPPING $4.08 A GALLON,

LARGELY BECAUSE OF THE IRAN

WAR, WHICH THE PRESIDENT

INSISTS IS NEARING AN END.

>> I'M NOT LOOKING TO KILL

PEOPLE AND TOTALLY OBLITERATE

EVERYTHING. AND THAT'S WHERE

WE WERE HEADED. AND THEY

WANTED TO NEGOTIATE. AND

WE'RE DOING THAT. AND IT

SEEMS TO BE WORKING OUT QUITE

WELL.

>> WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THIS

WILL BE DIFFERENT? BECAUSE

THEY TEND TO NEVER.

>> IT MAY BE. IT MAY NOT BE.

>> IRAN DENIES THERE ARE

ONGOING NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE

U.S. TO END THE WAR,

AND A

SPOKESPERSON FOR IRAN'S FOREIGN

MINISTRY SAYS NEGOTIATIONS WITH

OMAN OVER CONTROL OF THE STRAIT

OF HORMUZ ARE IN THEIR FINAL

STAGES.

IRAN INSISTS THE STRAIT

WILL NOT GO BACK TO BEING AN

OPEN INTERNATIONAL WATERWAY

LIKE IT WAS BEFORE THE WAR.

THE

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS

PREVIOUSLY RULED OUT ANY DEAL

THAT WOULD GIVE IRAN CONTROL

OVER THE STRAIT,

AND THE U.S.

NAVY STILL HAS A BLOCKADE ON

IRAN'S PORTS.

SAVANNAH, BACK TO

YOU.

>> ALL RIGHT, CHRIS, THANK YOU

SO MUCH.

WELL, OVER ON CAPITOL

HILL, DOCTOR FAUCI IS IN MORE

HOT WATER THIS MORNING.

IN JUST

A FEW HOURS, A SENATE COMMITTEE

IS SET TO VOTE ON WHETHER TO

HOLD ANTHONY FAUCI IN CONTEMPT

OF CONGRESS TODAY, AFTER HE

PLED THE FIFTH SEVERAL TIMES

DURING A HEARING LAST WEEK ON

HIS HANDLING OF THE COVID

OUTBREAK.

THIS COMES AS

FLORIDA'S ATTORNEY GENERAL

JOINED OTHERS IN LOUISIANA AND

WEST VIRGINIA YESTERDAY IN

ISSUING SUBPOENAS FOR RECORDS

FROM DOCTOR FAUCI.

THEY ALLEGE

DOCTOR FAUCI PROFITED FROM THE

RECOMMENDATIONS HE GAVE DURING

THE COVID PANDEMIC.

NBC NEWS

POLITICAL REPORTER MEGAN BRAND

JOINS US WITH MORE ON THIS AND

SOME OTHER HEADLINES FROM

WASHINGTON.

MEGAN, GOOD MORNING.

TO JUST START BY BREAKING DOWN

THESE REASONS FOR THE SUBPOENAS

AGAINST DOCTOR FAUCI.

>> GOOD MORNING SAVANNAH.

YEAH.

SO AS YOU MENTIONED, THERE WERE

THREE STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL

IN REPUBLICAN LED STATES IN

FLORIDA, WEST VIRGINIA AND

LOUISIANA WHO HAD ISSUED THESE

SUBPOENAS TO DOCTOR FAUCI

YESTERDAY, ARGUING THAT HE MADE

MONEY OFF OF THE WAY THAT HE

HAD ADVISED HANDLING OF COVID

19 DURING THE PANDEMIC, WHEN HE

WAS THE FACE IN MANY WAYS OF

THE U.S. RESPONSE TO COVID. SO

THE FLORIDA ATTORNEY GENERAL

HAD SAID IN A STATEMENT THAT

WAS RELEASED YESTERDAY THAT

THIS WAS RELATED TO AN OFFICIAL

INVESTIGATION INTO AWARDS,

PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES,

FINANCIAL INCENTIVES, GRANTS

AND COVID 19 GUIDANCE THAT

IMPACTED FLORIDA BUSINESSES AND

CONSUMERS. SO THE SUBPOENA HAD

ASKED DOCTOR FAUCI TO PROVIDE

DOCUMENTS RANGING FROM 2020

UNTIL NOW, BY THE END OF THE

MONTH, THINGS THAT INCLUDE

GRANTS OR BOOK DEALS THAT

DOCTOR FAUCI WAS CONSIDERED FOR

OR THAT HE RECEIVED. AND OF

COURSE, THIS ALL COMES RIGHT

BEFORE A SENATE COMMITTEE IS

GOING TO VOTE IN JUST A COUPLE

OF HOURS ON WHETHER TO HOLD

DOCTOR FAUCI IN CONTEMPT OF

CONGRESS. SAVANNAH.

>> YEAH, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.

MEGAN. SO ON THAT VOTE TODAY,

WHAT ARE REPUBLICANS ARGUMENTS

FOR THAT? AND WHAT HAPPENS IF

THE VOTE DOES PASS.

>> SO REPUBLICANS ARE BASICALLY

BREAKING THIS DOWN IN TWO WAYS.

THEY'RE ARGUING THAT DOCTOR

FAUCI WAS NOT ABLE TO ASSERT

HIS FIFTH AMENDMENT PRIVILEGES.

ONE OF THOSE REASONS THAT THEY

ARGUE, IS BECAUSE DOCTOR FAUCI

HAD RECEIVED A PREEMPTIVE

PARDON FROM PRESIDENT BIDEN IN

THE FINAL HOURS OF PRESIDENT

BIDEN'S TERM. AND THEY ARGUE

THAT BECAUSE OF THAT, HE WAS

NOT ABLE TO ASSERT HIS FIFTH

AMENDMENT PRIVILEGES. NOW,

ANOTHER REASON AS WELL, THEY'RE

ARGUING, IS THAT BECAUSE DOCTOR

FAUCI HAD DELIVERED OPENING

STATEMENTS THAT THEY SAY ARE

RELEVANT TO THE SUBJECT MATTER,

THAT SENATORS THEN WENT TO GO

QUESTION HIM ON. THEY SAY THAT

THAT EFFECTIVELY WAIVED HIS

FIFTH AMENDMENT RIGHTS. NOW,

THAT IS UP FOR SOME LEGAL

DEBATE IN THE LEGAL COMMUNITY.

BUT I WANT TO I WANT TO POINT

YOU TO WHAT SENATOR RAND PAUL,

HE'S THE CHAIRMAN OF THE

COMMITTEE, HAD SAID IN A

STATEMENT. HE SAID, I ORDERED

HIM TO ANSWER AND WARNED HIM

ABOUT CONTEMPT, YET HE STILL

REFUSED. THAT IS OBSTRUCTION OF

A CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATION.

THE COMMITTEE WILL ACT

ACCORDINGLY. SO TODAY, THIS

NEEDS A SIMPLE MAJORITY TO PASS.

AND CHAIRMAN PAUL HAS SAID THAT

IF IT DOES PASS AS IT SEEMS, IT

IT MIGHT, BECAUSE REPUBLICANS

HAVE A MAJORITY ON THAT

COMMITTEE, THEN HE WOULD REFER

IT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.

NOW, IF THE DEPARTMENT OF

JUSTICE THEN DECIDES TO PURSUE

THIS CASE, THEN U.S. ATTORNEY

FOR D.C. JEANINE PIRRO WOULD

HAVE TO SECURE AN INDICTMENT

FROM A GRAND JURY.

>> SAVANNAH MEAGAN, I DO WANT

TO ASK YOU ABOUT A COUPLE OTHER

THINGS BEFORE I LET YOU GO. ONE,

THE FAA SAYS THAT THEY'RE

REVIEWING AN INCIDENT. THIS WAS

ON TUESDAY INVOLVING MARINE ONE.

THAT IS THE PRESIDENT'S

HELICOPTER. WHAT DO WE KNOW?

>> YEAH. SO FIRST THINGS FIRST,

SAVANNAH. THE FAA AND THE WHITE

HOUSE HAVE BOTH SAID THAT THE

PRESIDENT WAS NEVER IN ANY

DANGER DURING THIS INCIDENT.

THIS HAD STEMMED FROM WHEN

COMMERCIAL FLIGHTS WERE NOT

PAUSED BY REAGAN NATIONAL

AIRPORT, THE D.C. AREA AIRPORT,

WHEN MARINE ONE, WHICH HOLDS

THE PRESIDENT, WAS TAKING OFF.

YOU CAN SEE THAT ON YOUR SCREEN

NOW. THE FAA HAD CREATED MORE

FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS IN THE AREA

AFTER THAT DEADLY CRASH LAST

JANUARY, WHEN A MILITARY

HELICOPTER AND A FLIGHT HAD

COLLIDED, KILLING 67 PEOPLE.

AND NOW THE WHITE HOUSE HAD

RELEASED A STATEMENT ON THE

SITUATION YESTERDAY SAYING THAT

MARINE ONE FLIGHTS ARE PILOTED

BY SOME OF THE BEST AVIATORS IN

THE WORLD, AND AT NO POINT WAS

THE PRESIDENT IN HARM'S WAY.

>> SAVANNAH MEAGAN ONE OTHER

THING. HAVE WE LEARNED ANYTHING

MORE ABOUT THE MAN ARRESTED

OUTSIDE THE PRESIDENT'S GOLF

COURSE IN CALIFORNIA OVER THE

WEEKEND?

>> SO THE MAN WHO WAS ARRESTED,

HE WAS 38 YEAR OLD JANINE JOHN

TEAL. AND NOW INVESTIGATORS ARE

TURNING TO GET WARRANTS FOR

THINGS LIKE THE SUSPECT'S

DIGITAL DEVICES AND EMAILS TO

TRY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HIM.

BUT A FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT

OFFICIAL TOLD NBC THAT TEAL IS

A DISABLED VETERAN, AND THAT HE

IS DESCRIBED AS SOMEONE WHO HAS

PTSD AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES

AS WELL. RECORDS INDICATE THAT

THE MAN WHO WAS ARRESTED HAD

BEEN DEPLOYED TO IRAQ AND

AFGHANISTAN, AND THE SUSPECT

ALSO DOES NOT HAVE RECENT

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY, AND A COURT

APPEARANCE HAS NOT YET BEEN

SCHEDULED. SO WE'RE NOT SURE

YET WHEN WE WILL SEE HIM IN

COURT. SAVANNAH.

>> ALL RIGHT. MEGAN BRAND

COVERING QUITE A BIT FOR US

THIS MORNING. WE APPRECIATE IT.

THANKS, MEGAN. WELL, THE

ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR THE STATE

OF NEW MEXICO IS NOW SUING THE

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, ACCUSING

IT OF BLOCKING THE STATE FROM

INVESTIGATING SEX CRIMES AT

JEFFREY EPSTEIN'S ZORRO RANCH

NEAR SANTA FE.

AT LEAST TEN

WOMEN SAY EPSTEIN GROOMED OR

ABUSED THEM AT THE 10,000 ACRE

RANCH GOING BACK DECADES.

SOME

WERE TEENAGERS WHEN THEY SAY IT

HAPPENED.

RIGHT NOW, STATE

PROSECUTORS IN NEW MEXICO HAVE

THE ONLY ACTIVE CRIMINAL

INVESTIGATION OPEN INTO EPSTEIN.

BUT THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL

SAYS THE FEDS ARE STONEWALLING

THEM.

>> IT'S BEEN 173 DAYS SINCE WE

FIRST ASKED FOR UNREDACTED

ACCESS TO THE COMPLETE EPSTEIN

FILES,

AND WE STILL DON'T HAVE

THAT ACCESS.

DESPITE REPEATED

ASSURANCES FROM MR. BLANCHE,

JAY CLAYTON AND OTHERS THAT

THEY WOULD COOPERATE WITH THIS

INVESTIGATION

AND HELP US MOVE

THINGS FORWARD

SO WE COULD TRY

AND HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE

HERE IN NEW MEXICO.

>> NBC NEWS JUSTICE REPORTER

RYAN REILLY JOINS US NOW FROM

WASHINGTON, DC ON THIS.

RYAN.

GOOD MORNING.

SO WHAT EXACTLY

DOES NEW MEXICO WANT

AND HOW

ARE THEY THE ONLY JURISDICTION

WITH AN ACTIVE CRIMINAL

INVESTIGATION?

>> YEAH.

WELL, THE STATUTE OF

LIMITATIONS FACTORS PLAY A

MAJOR ROLE HERE.

AND OBVIOUSLY

THE FACT THAT JEFFREY EPSTEIN

IS DEAD ALSO COMPLICATES IT.

RIGHT.

BECAUSE YOU'RE MAYBE

LOOKING FOR ASSOCIATES,

SOMEONE

WHO COULD ACTUALLY, CHARGE.

BUT

WHAT NEW MEXICO WOULD WANT HERE

WOULD BE THOSE UNREDACTED FILES

THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO PIECE

TOGETHER MORE OF THIS

INVESTIGATION

AND TO FILL IN

SOME OF THE BLANKS HERE.

AND,

YOU KNOW,

THIS HAS BEEN THIS

ONGOING EFFORT

AND REALLY

COMING OUT OF NEW MEXICO THAT

WE'VE SEEN,

AS YOU SAID,

SORT

OF THE ONLY ONGOING SORT OF

CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION RELATED

TO THIS.

AND BASICALLY THEY'RE

TRYING TO PUSH FORWARD SOME NEW

ANSWERS FROM THE JUSTICE

DEPARTMENT.

>> HOW IS THE JUSTICE

DEPARTMENT RESPONDING?

RYAN.

>> YEAH.

SO DOJ SAID IN A

STATEMENT THAT THERE'S NO

LAWFUL BASIS TO JUSTIFY

SWEEPING DISCLOSURES OF THIS

VICTIM IDENTIFYING INFORMATION.

AND THEY'RE BASICALLY SAYING

THAT THEY CAN'T PROVIDE THIS,

THAT THERE'S THESE BINDING

COURT ORDERS THAT PREVENT THEM

FROM BEING ABLE TO GIVE OVER

MORE INFORMATION.

THEY HAVEN'T

FORMALLY RESPONDED TO THE

LAWSUIT YET,

BUT WE SHOULD SEE

IT'S GOING TO ALL OF THIS IS

GOING TO PLAY OUT IN FEDERAL

GOING TO PLAY OUT IN FEDERAL

COURT

FILED THIS LAWSUIT TO

BEGIN WITH.

>> SAVANNAH RYAN, WHAT ARE

EPSTEIN'S SURVIVORS SAYING

ABOUT THIS?

>> YEAH, SO THEY ARE ENCOURAGED

BY THIS INVESTIGATION IN NEW

MEXICO.

AND OBVIOUSLY, SOME OF

THEM HAVE BEEN CRITICAL OF THE

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF TODD

BLANCHE, IN PARTICULAR ABOUT

HANDLING OF THESE FILES.

AND THEY WOULD LIKE THEIR

CONTRASTING THE ACTION THAT

THEY SAW.

THEY'RE SAYING THAT

UNLIKE ACTING AG TODD BLANCHE

AG TORREZ IS REQUESTING

EVIDENCE FOR THE PURPOSE OF

ACTUALLY PURSUING JUSTICE.

SO

SUPPORTIVE OF THIS

INVESTIGATION MOVING FORWARD.

AND THERE'S BEEN SOME

DISAPPOINTMENT FROM THEM ABOUT

HOW THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT

HANDLED ALL OF THIS.

>> RYAN REILLY, THANK YOU VERY

MUCH.

WELL, A DANGEROUS,

RAPIDLY SPREADING SALMONELLA

OUTBREAK HAS NOW BEEN DETECTED

IN 27 STATES.

FEDERAL HEALTH

OFFICIALS ARE INVESTIGATING IT.

IT'S BEING LINKED TO JALAPENO

PEPPERS.

AND NOW TWO OF THE

NATION'S MOST POPULAR MEXICAN

RESTAURANT CHAINS ARE

RESPONDING BY REMOVING

JALAPENOS FROM HUNDREDS OF

THEIR LOCATIONS.

NBC NEWS

CORRESPONDENT ANNE THOMPSON HAS

MORE.

>> THE ISSUE OF TAINTED

JALAPENOS IS MUCH BIGGER THAN

JUST MINNESOTA AND CHIPOTLE,

THE CDC SAYING.

27 STATES NOW

REPORTING SALMONELLA CASES

RELATED TO THE PEPPERS

MINNESOTA, COLORADO AND

ILLINOIS TOPPING THE LIST.

MORE

THAN 300 PEOPLE SICKENED, 36

HOSPITALIZED.

NOW, ANOTHER FAST

FOOD CHAIN, QDOBA, SAYS IT'S

REMOVED JALAPENOS FROM ITS

RESTAURANTS, SAYING FOOD SAFETY

IS OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY.

CHIPOTLE DID THE SAME AFTER

MINNESOTA OFFICIALS TRACED MANY

OF THEIR SALMONELLA CASES TO A

LOT OF PEPPERS USED BY THE

CHAIN,

CHIPOTLE SAID IT

REPLACED THE SUSPECT JALAPENOS

WITH ONES FROM DIFFERENT

GROWERS.

HOW DO PEPPERS GET

SALMONELLA?

>> TYPICALLY THROUGH A VARIETY

OF WAYS, BUT MOST LIKELY

CONTAMINATED WATER THAT IS USED

TO IRRIGATE OR COME INTO

CONTACT WITH THAT FOOD?

>> UNLIKE THE LETTUCE LINKED

CYCLOSPORIASIS TRIGGERED BY A

PARASITE, SALMONELLA IS A

BACTERIA THAT CAUSES FEVER,

STOMACH CRAMPS, AND DIARRHEA

SYMPTOMS.

MOST PEOPLE DEVELOP

THEM WITHIN 8 TO 72 HOURS OF EATING

THE BAD FOOD.

THESE HIGH

PROFILE OUTBREAKS, INVOLVING

THREE POPULAR FAST FOOD CHAINS

TACO BELL FOR THE LETTUCE,

CHIPOTLE, AND QDOBA FOR THE

JALAPENOS HAVE SOME CONCERNED

ABOUT OUR NATION'S FOOD SUPPLY.

>> WE HAVE TO REMIND OURSELVES

THAT OUR FOOD SUPPLY IS FAIRLY

SAFE,

BUT THINGS HAPPEN,

ACCIDENTS HAPPEN,

AND

CONTAMINATION CERTAINLY CAN

HAPPEN AT ANY POINT IN THE FOOD

SUPPLY.

>> ANNE THOMPSON, NBC NEWS.

>> WELL, IN THE MIDST OF THAT

OUTBREAK,

THERE'S A NEW LEADER

TAKING THE HELM AT THE CDC THIS

MORNING.

YESTERDAY, THE SENATE

CONFIRMED DOCTOR ERICA SCHWARTZ

TO BE THE NEWEST DIRECTOR,

MAKING HER THE AGENCY'S FIRST

PERMANENT DIRECTOR IN ALMOST A

YEAR.

THE 51 TO 44 VOTE IN THE

REPUBLICAN CONTROLLED SENATE

WAS LARGELY SPLIT ALONG PARTY

LINES.

FOR MORE ON THIS, LET'S

WELCOME IN NBC NEWS HEALTH

REPORTER ARIA BENDIX.

ARIA,

GOOD MORNING.

ALWAYS GREAT TO

HAVE YOU.

SO FIRST, JUST TELL

US ABOUT DOCTOR SCHWARTZ'S

BACKGROUND.

>> YEAH.

SO SHE HAS THE

CREDENTIALS TO FIT THIS ROLE.

SHE WAS THE DEPUTY SURGEON

GENERAL ACTUALLY UNDER THE

FIRST TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.

AND

THEN SHE HAS A RECORD OF PUBLIC

SERVICE GOING BACK THROUGHOUT

HER CAREER, A NAVY PHYSICIAN, A

CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER IN THE

COAST GUARD. SO THERE'S REALLY

NO QUESTION ABOUT HER RESUME AT

HER CONFIRMATION HEARING, THE

QUESTIONS WERE MORE ALONG THE

LINES OF, WOULD SHE BE ABLE TO

STAND UP TO SECRETARY KENNEDY

IF HE ENCOURAGED HER TO GO

AGAINST SCIENTIFIC TRUTH AND

QUESTION VACCINE SAFETY?

>> AND HOW WERE HER RESPONSES

ON THAT? BECAUSE THERE WAS SOME

CONCERN ABOUT IS SHE DISTANCING

HERSELF ENOUGH FROM THAT? LIKE,

WHAT DO YOU THINK HER

LEADERSHIP MEANS IN THAT REGARD?

>> SO I THINK MANY EXPERTS WERE

So I think many experts were

hoping she would more emphatically

denounce some of the scientific

misinformation we've seen from

this administration and particularly

from the health secretary.

SECRETARY. WE HAVE A STATEMENT

FROM AN ADVOCACY GROUP THAT'S

MADE UP OF FORMER CDC OFFICIALS.

THEY SAID THEY WERE HOPING FOR

MORE CLEAR COMMITMENTS ABOUT

HOW SHE WOULD PROTECT CDC FROM

POLITICAL PRESSURE. THEY FOUND

HER STATEMENTS OFTEN VAGUE. SHE

DID DODGE QUESTIONS FREQUENTLY

AT THE HEARING, BUT SHE WAS

CLEAR ON ONE THING THAT

VACCINES ARE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE.

SO I THINK SOME EXPERTS ARE

APPROACHING HER TENURE WITH

SOME CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM. SHE'S

WELL-LIKED BY HER COLLEAGUES.

AGAIN, SHE HAS THIS RECORD OF

PUBLIC SERVICE, AND THEY'RE

HOPING THAT PRIVATELY SHE MIGHT

BE ABLE TO RESIST SOME OF THAT

POLITICAL PRESSURE.

>> OKAY. AND IT'S THERE'S A LOT

GOING ON. I MEAN, WE WERE JUST

I mean, we were just talking about

a new salmonella outbreak,

a cyclospora outbreak that we've

been talking about for quite a

while now that has sickened over

10,000 people in this country at

least.

THIS COUNTRY, AT LEAST. ALSO,

BY THE WAY, DON'T FORGET ABOUT

MEASLES ONGOING CRISIS IN THIS

COUNTRY. I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT

TO STEP INTO THIS JOB. JUST HOW

IMPORTANT WILL THESE FIRST FEW

MONTHS COINCIDING WITH THINGS

LIKE THAT BE FOR HER SORT OF

FUTURE IN THE ROLE, FOR THE

PERCEPTION FROM THE PUBLIC OF

HER IN THE ROLE?

>> YEAH. SHE HAS, AS YOU

MENTIONED, SOME BIG TESTS AHEAD.