stanford professor now in the spotlight, her fiery exchanges at today's impeachment hearing including one that has her apologizing. claims tonight that lyft knowingly let sex predators behind the wheel. the damning accusations for more than a dozen women. >> guns drawn after suspects run, a man in a bizarre costume. a car smashe into a home, a family of eight is looking for a place to live. and a gentle giant dies at the oakland zoo. both staff and animals are mourning the loss. credit card criminals target a shopping center. plus, what instagram is now doing to keep its youngest users safe. a lot to get to on this busy wednesday evening. if you don't impeach a president who has done what this president has done, then what you're saying is it's fine to go

ahead and do this again. >> this impeachment is not really about facts. the clock and the calendar not the facts. >> i would not speak about these things without reviewing the facts, so i'm insulted by the suggestion that has a law professor i don't care about those facts. i spent all of thanksgiving vacation reading these transcripts. i didn't, you know, i ate like a turkey that came to us in the mail that was already cooked. >> that's stanford law professor pamela karlan testifying at the house impeachment inquiry. her remarks lit up the hearing and much of social media. >> that as she made the case for impeachment taking on doug collins from georgia and at times turned today's hearing into a class on constitutional law. good evening. i'm kristen sze. >> and i'm dan ashley. karlan was one of four called to weigh in on the impeachment case against president trump specifically to help define what the constitution describes as high crimes and misdemeanors. >> abc 7 news reporter with more

on her testimony. liz? >> reporter: good evening. stanford law professor pamela karlan is known for progressive causes and she was certainly the breakout star. she did have some of the most fiery moments of the day there was one moment that some say went too far. it was stanford law professor pamela karlan that stole much of the spotlight. >> i spent all of thanksgiving vacation sitting there reading these transcripts. i didn't, you know, i ate like a turkey that came to us in the mail that was already cooked because i was spending my time doing this. >> reporter: karlan was one of four brought in to make the case for or against impeachment. in a moment that has gone viral she defended her knowledge of the inquiry after republican congressman doug collins suggested she wasn't read up on the proceedings. >> i would like to say to you, sir, that i read transcripts of every one of the witnesses who

appeared in the live hearing because i would not speak about these things without reviewing the facts, so i'm insulted by the suggestion as a law professor i don't care about those facts. >> reporter: so who is pamela karlan? for one, she's not so unknown. karlan is the co-director of stanford's supreme court litigation clinic. she has also argued nine cases before the supreme court. fellow law professor has known her for three decades. >> i think that much of the country saw today what pam karlan's lawsuit and university colleagues have known for decades which is that she is utterly brilliant. >> reporter: during today's hearing democrats applauded her fiery style and humor. >> so while the president can name his son barron she can't make him a barron. >> reporter: first lady melania trump tweet add minor should be kept out of politics and karlan should be ashamed.

>> reporter: and the president retweeted her. she has apologized for referencing him. and that she regrets it. she did add she wishes the president would apologize for things he says that are wrong. live in the newsroom liz kreutz, abc 7 news. police swarmed a san francisco neighborhood this afternoon looking for two wanted men. officers blocked off the area of 24th and folsom street during the manhunt. the men are accused of at least two crimes but officers won't give details. the pair may have committed more crimes as they tried to escape today possibly breaking into a home. officers caught up with him. he was taken away in an ambulance. lyft is facing yet another lawsuit over the alleged actions of its drivers. today a suit filed on behalf of 20 women who claimed they were

sexually assaulted and raped by lyft drivers, the second filed by the same firm in three months. reporter vic lee has the story. he had his hand down my pants and was groping and raping me. >> that night the lyft driver raped me while i was in the back seat of the car. >> the next thing i knew the driver was on top of me trying to put his tongue in my mouth. >> reporter: three of the 20 women suing lyft appeared before reporters saying they had been sexually assaulted by the ride share company's drivers. their lawyer, mike bomberger. >> the bottom line is that lyft does not take safety of their passenger seriously and never has. >> reporter: this is the second lawsuit filed against lyft since september by the law firm of bomberger. 14 individuals said in that suit they were also the victims of rape and sexual assaults by their drivers. since september lyft says it has

added more safety features. bomberger says they simply don't work. >> one of the reasons we know these don't work is because eight of the women that are part of this lawsuit had their incidents occur after these features were in play. >> reporter: the lawsuit asks the company to digitally record all rides. >> if an employee knows that their employer is watching them, they're not going to be committing crimes in the car. >> reporter: now lyft responded with a written statement that says in part we are relentless in our work to build safety into every aspect of our work. lyft says it has launched more than 15 safety features including criminal background, monitoring and in-app emergency assistance to make reporting easier. lawyer bomberger says expect more lawsuits to come. vic lee, abc 7 news. there are many ways to stay safe in your ride share. we have tips on all of that on our website, abc7news.com.

a family has been forced from their home this holiday season after a driver plowed into their garage. this happened on maria way in petaluma this morning. a woman drove her car into the side of the garage not far from the home's front. the car came to rest after entering the side yard. firefighters say the roads were wet but police are looking into what caused the woman to crash. eight people live in the home including three children. firefighters told them they couldn't stay in the home because the structural damage makes it unsafe. firefighters also told us about this incident a few weeks ago, a truck crashing into a house. the damage was not as significant in this case. police say rain may have been a factor in this crash. meteorologist sandy patel with what's happening now. we still have showers on live doppler 7. they're very light for the most part but in some places pockets of moderate showers. right now across highway 9 and 17.

it is wet. lighter showers on the peninsula and mountain view, tasman drive. also some very light returns. this system is now starting to make its push into the southern portion of the state dropping a lot of rain in southern california. scattered showers, little to no accumulation expected with light winds. there is a level 2 storm coming on friday. i'll be back with a closer look at that coming up. dozens of residents are voicing their frustration after falling victim to credit card fraud after shopping in their neighborhood. abc 7 news community journalist dustin dorsey is live in san jose. how much money are we talking about here? >> reporter: it may be the holiday season but is the time of year for credit card fraudsters. dozens are looking for answers

after being hit with hundreds of dollars in unauthorized charges. for some people in south san jose last-minute holiday shopping is on hold because their credit cards were compromised due to hundreds in fake charges. the last charges before the fake charges popped up were made at two unsuspecting locations. >> we shop a lot at the knob hill here and also there's a starbucks there. i saw kind of a common thread between people shopping at those locations. >> reporter: in fact there were double digit complaints from residents who shopped at this nob hill foods and then received calls of fraudulent charges, some in the $400 range made at safeways. >> frustrating because now we'll be delayed about a week and a half until i can get another card to use because my card has been deactivated and i think that happens for most people. once their number is known they have to deactivate their card.

it makes it real difficult. >> reporter: in a statement to abc 7 news chelsea minor with raley's said we have complete add review at nob hill in san jose and do not have reason to believe our system was compromised and added the store performs daily physical inspections. many are frustrated and want answers, robert weller hopes the issue can be used as a learning opportunity. >> i hope we can find out how it happened. the other thing i hope is we find a way to help people so they don't do this, to give them the opportunity to live better. >> reporter: got to love the holiday spirit. coming up on abc 7 news at 6:00 we speak with a tech expert to find the best practices to avoid card fraud. dustin dorsey, abc 7 news. >> dustin, thanks so much. bay area based ebay removes

certain infant sleepers from its website. why it's taking the action next. california drivers may have been ripped off. today's settlement with millions in penalties. the death of a beloved elephant in the oakland zoo. its brothers and sisters seem to feel the loss already. and the rain is back. and the rain is back. the worst is yet to come. ...6, 7, 8 and the rain is back. the worst is yet to come. ♪ ♪ ♪ big dreams start with small steps... ...but dedication can get you there. so just start small... start saving. easily set, track and control your goals right from the chase mobile® app. ♪ ♪ chase. make more of what's yours®.

mike bloomberg's created on tover 400,000 jobs.ue leader. as president, an opportunity economy that works for us. tax fairness -- where the wealthy pay their fair share. education .. affordable college and high skill vocational training so people can succeed in the new economy. economic security .. lower cost health care and affordable middle-class housing. proven leadership on jobs .. to build an economy where people don't just get by, they get ahead. i'm mike bloomberg and i approve this message. it looks like this. for heart failure look like? ♪ the beat goes on ♪ entresto is a heart failure pill that helps improve your hearts ability to pump blood to the body.

don't take entresto if pregnant; it can cause harm or death to an unborn baby. ♪la-di-la-di-dah don't take entresto with an ace inhibitor or aliskiren, or if you've had angioedema with an ace or arb. the most serious side effects are angioedema, low blood pressure, kidney problems, or high blood potassium. ask your doctor about entresto. ♪the beat goes on yeah! very sad news from the oakland zoo. a 50-year-old matriarch of their african elephant herd has died. zoo officials say she was known for her kindness and gentle ways. abc 7 news anchor aaron aaron has more. >> reporter: we're not experts on elephant body language but it looks like these residents of the oakland zoo have lost their

best friend. >> she was a great el fanlephal. >> reporter: she is talking about the grand dam. m'dunda died at age 50, an incredibly long life. national geographic says the median life span for elephants in captivity is just 17 years. >> she's the oldest of the four. she was the sweetest of the elephants, too. she had a great disposition and was just gentle around their handlers. >> reporter: m'dunda arrived from san diego. zoo keepers found her on the ground and unresponsive yesterday and pronounced her dead. veterinarians said she had passed her daily and bi-weekly health checks. >> she was real healthy. she was even healthy at the end. she wasn't sick. >> reporter: but at her advancd age there are a long list of ailments that could be fatal including heart attack. >> we sent her to university of

davis school of medicine and will do a necropsy on her. >> reporter: the zoo is now left with just three african elephants. females lisa and donna and male osh. they plan to seek a replacement but they're not that easy to find. at the oakland zoo, aaron thomas. >> will be missed, 50 years. autoparts makers will pay california millions of dollars as part of several legal settlements. >> ebay is removing all inclined infant sleepers from the site. 7 on your side's michael finney? >> this will save lives. inclined sleepers are those that recline a baby between about 10 and 30 degrees. now that can increase the risk of suffocation. 73 deaths linked to products in this category. some incline sleepers have even been recalled like the fischer price rock and play sleeper. ebay says it will be removing all incline sleepers, not just

the recalled ones. consumer reports experts say ebay's ban will save lives and other retailers should follow along. today attorney general javier bacerra has a settlement that stems from a decades old investigation into antitrust violations. he says the parts makers suppress competition by conspiring to fix prices in carmakers requests for bids. >> those bids and prices affected many vehicles both foreign and domestic models. and created a less xet marketplace and higher prices for consumers. >> california's largest settlement was with a corporation that admitted no

onoing ctn lawsuits, they are moving forward. you still have time to file a claim and seek payment. information about that is on our website. check it out, abc7news.com. >> very good. thank you, mike. time to turn our attention to the weather forecast. i feel like i'm dressing to match live doppler 7 or something. >> there's a lot of green on the radar tonight. we still have showers, dan and kristen. tomorrow you'll get a break if you are not fond of the weather but we do need the rain. you will notice where it is wet. moderate showers right now in the santa cruz mountains around lexington hills, as we take you around the peninsula and the east bay to mountain view. palo alto area we are seeing spotty returns into milpitas. in the north bay we are still seeing light showers right around guerneville, river road, windsor. so hang on to those umbrellas. temperatures right now in the 50s. winter weather advisory until

9:00 p.m. tonight for the sierra where they are expecting a few inches of snow. i checked blue canyon and it is actually not snowing there so it's higher elevation snow, the snow levels have risen. the exploratorium showing you a lot of clouds as we look to san francisco. showers end late tonight, mainly dry tomorrow but clouds will linger and then a level 2 storm arrives on friday. this is a light system. it's a 1. scattered showers with little or no accumulation. light winds expected. at 6:00 tonight pockets of showers. that theme continues 7:00 and into 8:00 p.m. before the system starts toround 10:00, 11:00 tonight and we get a short break as i mentioned. first thing in the morning temperatures in the 30s to 50s. there will be some fog around in addition to the clouds and then in the afternoon mostly cloudy day. numbers in the 50s, 60s. don't be surprised if you see a sprinkle or two but we're not expecting any real rain rain. a sprinkle here and there

perhaps. friday's system, this one is not as strong as last weekend's storm and it's not going to last as long. 5:00 a.m. you're still fine. clouds, maybe a light shower in the north bay. but it's really more of a late afternoon/evening event. it will start to bring in moderate to heavy rain, mountain snow. even a possibility of thunderstorms with the system along with gusty winds that we're expecting. a few lingering showers and then the system will wind down. winter storm watch posted for friday afternoon through sunday afternoon. above 5,500 feet expecting heavy snow possibility, 1 to 3 feet. higher peaks. make sure you have your chains. there is your break tomorrow. level 2. it's a moderate strength storm. wet and windy friday. rain, breezy on saturday. i would say lingering showers if you want to get out the second half of sunday is a better day to get out and do outdoor activities. the weekend system will be a 1 friday through sunday.

it's one storm. that's what i was trying to say. tuesday and wednesday there's a slight chance of a few showers but that is not defindefinitive. not a completely dry forecast. >> it gets drier in a few days. >> at least by monday. >> thanks, sandhya. big designs for an empty lot. this could rival the sales force tower next. then at 5:30 on world news with david muir -- tonight a pivotal moment as the impeachment inquiry moves to the house judiciary committee. >> the impeachment hoax is going nowhere. >> with a report now public what do americans think and what's next? you know when you go to ross for a few gifts and realize... oh yeah! you should've gotten a cart? that's yes for less. get gifts for everyone on your list and save 20 to 60 percent off department store prices. at ross. yes for less.

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approximately 2:30 local time there due to the ongoing security incident access to the base is now closed. we're going to bring you any updates as we get them here and on our website and mobile app. instagram is getting tougher about its age requirement. it will ask new users to input their actual birth date when they sign up. the facebook owned company previously only asked those signing up if they were at least 13 years old. officials say they're making the change in the hope of making it safer for younger users. the change will not affect existing users. supreme court justices today appeared skeptical of a bid by santa clara based intel to avoid a lawsuit. a former employee claims retirement plans made risky investments that cost hundreds of millions of dollars. the case is really about the fine print. justice also decide whether the employee had real knowledge, if

he was given documents but didn't read them. the court's decision could affect the deadlines workers face when taking action over their retirement plans. a new skyscraper could be coming and it could be a story taller than sales force tower. the tower is being designed by the same drone view 7 shows the lot along howard street. the design includes a sky bridge to the near by transit center. the planning commission will review it. pretty as a picture. >> an old p

coming up on abc 7 news at 6:00 a deep dive into the topic of housing. the bay area's crazy high housing prices could level off. is that a good thing? we'll explain the reasoning so you can judge for yourself. california's statewide rent control bill takes effect next

year. it should protect tenants. some say they're suffering now because of it. plus, golden shovels in the groundbreaking of a development some say should be the gold standard for future bay area housing. all that and much more in half an hour on abc 7 news at 6:00. we'll see you then. tonight an iconic park in san francisco's north beach neighborhood reopened today. >> sky 7 shows the new and improved washington square park. the park closed six months ago to replace a drainage system. >> in its place the park got weather sensing irrigation, drought tolerant landscaping, accessible pathways and a play area, too. >> it cost $3 million and is expected to save 2 million gallons of water each year. >> that's great. we appreciate your time as always. i'm dan ashley. >> and i'm kristen sze. for all of us here, thanks for joining us. >> join us again at 6:00. we'll see you then. when it comes to health coverage,

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tonight, the historic showdown on capitol hill. the impeachment inquiry takes a dramatic new turn today. the witnesses, constitutional law scholars. they're asked, was the president's conduct impeachable? they do not hold back. and the scholar who said the democrats are rushing this. and the moment one witness brings up the president's youngest son. did she cross the line? terry moran with the explosive testimony from the hill tonight. president trump on his way back this evening from his trip overseas, cutting the trip short, lashing out at the inquiry, and the other headline tonight, taking aim at canadian prime minister justin trudeau. what trudeau was caught on mic saying about president trump. the breaking headline tonight involving thousands of u.s. troops. are they being sent to the middle east? and the new headline. a u.s. warship seizing iranian missile parts at sea. mart