tonight breaking news. the republican tax bill just revealed. at the last minute two crucial no votes flipped to yes. from your health care to your mortgage. how much will middle class families really save or will the rich come out on top. also, two new storms. a winter blast, snow and ice making for dangerous driving. president trump rashing out on the russia investigation and we ask will he pardon michael flynn. that as he slams the fbi just moments before he walked through their door. active shooter on the streets of a major american city. the high speed chase.

wheel. multiple people in the line of fire. just in, time for the holidays. record breaking packages in the mail. will they arrive on time? and what happens when the delivery man give and take? save the date. the royal wedding is set. good evening and thank you for joining us on this busy friday night. i'm cecilia vega in for david. president trump is on the verge of his first major legislative victory. the tax cuts that he promises will be rocket fuel for the economy clearing major last minute hurdles. two senators say they are now on board. a big smile from kevin brady, the man driving that plan through capitol hill. but the ink isn't dry. the plan only published a short time ago. what does it mean for all those deductions? so many families claim?

abc's mary bruce starts us off with the details just coming in. >> reporter: behind this closed door today, republicans sealed the biggest overhaul to the nation's tax code in a generation. now, they have a final bill and they say they have the votes. >> i'm confident at the end of the day the senate will approve this. >> reporter: and tonight senators are falling in line. just yesterday senator marco rubio said he was a no that the child tax credit had to be more more jgenerous to get hs vote. >> i want to support tax reform, it's important for the country, but i think this needs to be part of it. >> reporter: today, republicans gave him what he wanted -- allowing families to claim up to $1,400 dollars per child -- rubio is now a yes. senator bob corker is also now on board. in the past, he said he'd never support a bill that adds to the debt. >> it's not going happen. never, never going to happen. never, ever, ever. >> reporter: this plan is predicted to add $1.5 trillion to the debt.

but today corker announced he's voting for it anyway, saying, "the question becomes is our country better off with or without this piece of legislation. i think we are better off with it." >> reporter: the final bill slashes the corporate tax rate from 35 to 21 percent, a big win for big business. for individuals, it lowers the top tax rate from 39 down to 37 percent, a big win for the wealthy. but it limits the new mortgage deduction to $750,000. republic senators say their priority is tax relief for the middle class. >> overall, the benefits will go primarily to people in the middle class. >> reporter: what does the middle class get from the bill? well, it doubles the standard deduction. you can still deduct interest on your current mortgage but people will only be able to deduct $10,000 combined from their state and local income and property taxes. it eliminates the obamacare individual mandate which could leave 13 million more americans uninsured in the next

the middle class could up paying more. offeve seen the criticism of this bill, why do you think the wealthiest need another tax cut? well, that's exactly wrong. this delivers and prioritizes middle class tax relief. >> and so middle class americans who might be afraid they will see their taxes go up under this? >> well, they won't. they're gonna see their taxes cut. >> and mary joins us life from capitol hill. this tax bill was released but congress still thinks they can vote by early next week? >> reporter: this bill is over 1,000 pages. they won't have a lot of time. the house plans to vote on tuesday followed shortly after by the senate. republicans are hoping to have a bill on the president's desk next week. >> we will be following. thank you. next to at this hour those two winter storms moving in. a round of lake-effect snow heading across to new york state expected to bring up to 14 inches in some spots. that second storm arriving in philly, baltimore and right here in new york city just in time

brace yourself, there will be strong arctic temperatures again tonight. abc's senior meteorologist is outside tracking it all. hey rob. >> reporter: as you mentioned this is a poorly timed accumulating snow event for new york city. backing up towards the george washington bridge. jersey has seen accumulating snows along that thoroughfare. it will take a couple of hours. this is an ambitious coastal low but it's running out of real estate as it pushes to the east. one to three inches but enough to slick up the roads and strong squalls through the great lakes as well. 6 to 12 inches in the favorite spots and more cold air. windchills tomorrow in the teens. warming up on sunday but next week the northern tiers will see cold and snow. >> we turn next to president trump making a visit to the fbi

academy in virginia tdays after saying the agency was in tatters. but nothing but praise for the men and women of law enforcement. he had an intriguing answer today when our team asked would he pardon michael flynn? here's david right. >> reporter: today the president would not rule out pardoning his former national security advisor who recently pled guilty to lying to the fbi. and is now cooperating with the special counsel. >> would you consider a pardon for michael flynn? >> i don't want to talk about pardons for michael flynn yet. we will see what happens. let's see. >> reporter: trump made it crystal clear to abc's jon karl and other reporters gathered to see him off that he has no use for robert mueller's probe into russian meddling. >> they are spending millions and millions of dollars and there's absolutely no collusion. i did not make a phone call to russia. i have nothing to do with russia. everybody knows it. >> reporter: president trump has been lambasting the fbi, "its reputation is in tatters, worst

he was especially vexed by text messages sent during the campaign by one of the agents later picked by the special counsel to be on his team in those texts, the agent called trump "an idiot" and said hillary clinton should win "100,000,000 to 0." mueller fired the agent over the summer as soon as he learned about the messages. but that doesn't satisfy president. >> it's a shame what happened with the fbi. it's very sad when you look at those documents, and how they have done that is really disgraceful. >> reporter: moments later, there he was at the fbi academy in quantico, virginia. all smiles. sitting next to him, attorney general jeff sessions who has himself been feeling the president's wrath for recusing himself from the russia probe. >> i have the honor to introduce someone who supports law enforcement officers, just as he

>> reporter: and in quantico, the president didn't utter one word of criticism of either jeff sessions or the fbi. >> i have so many friends that are police officers. so many people in the fbi. these are great, great people. >> david you're learning that president trump's lawyers are expected to meet with special counsel robert mueller and his team? >> reporter: that's right. this would be a rare sitdown for the two sides. the president's private lawyers are hoping to get an update on where the investigation into possible collusion stands hoping to get a sense that that investigation might be drawing to a close but it's not at all clear whether robert mueller will give them that reassurance. thanks. the confirmation hearing going viral. one of president trump's nominees for federal judge questioned about his experience admitting he has ever actually tried a

just went downhill from there. here's david kerley. >> have any of you not tried a case to verdict in a courtroom? >> reporter: it is the viral video viewed roughly 5 million times. a nominee to become one of the country's top jurists, a federal judge. have you ever tried a jury trial? >> i have not. >> civil? >> no. >> criminal? >> no. >> bench? >> no. >> state or federal court? >> i have not. >> reporter: mathew petersen, a lawyer who serves on the federal election commission nominated by president trump struggled under questioning from a republican senator. >> ok. have you ever argued a motion in state court? >> i have not. >> have you ever argued a motion in federal court? >> no. >> reporter: this encounter just a day before the senate and the president reached a landmark 12 federal circuit court judges confirmed the most in the first year of any president proclaimed the republican chair. >> c

daubert standard is? >> senator kennedy i don't have that readily at my disposal. >> do you know what a motion in limine is? >> yes, i haven't, again my background is not in litigation. >> reporter: while that was a republican questioning the nominee the white house stands behind the nominee and says "it's not surprising the president's political opponents and some members of the media keep trying to distract" from the record number of confirmations. the questioner louisiana republican senator john kennedy says he supports the president was just doing his job but has not responded to our question of whether he will vote to confirm the nominee he questioned. >> david, thank you. next to the high speed police chase through baltimore. a suspect wanted for a deadly shooting spree racing through the streets. police say he targeted victims

here's abc's gio benitez. >> reporter: tonight a chaotic car chase. watch as this car turns on to a side street. then a parking lot, looping back around narrowly avoiding a police car head-on and turning around going the wrong way on a one-way street. >> nine police cars following directly behind this car. >> reporter: police believe that driver was involved in a shooting where one man died. one man shooting at five people including a officer. two people hit. the man's girlfriend pulling him out of the car. people finding a handgun and rifle in the car. >> if we let this guy go, just imagine the damage and the destruction of life that would have ensued. i'm glad he's in a pair of handcuffs. >> reporter: aside from the two people shot, one police officer was also seriously injured in the

tonight all of them are recovering. >> good news. thank you. let's turn to the massive fire in california. the thomas fire. surging again jumping over containment lines. crews bracing for another dangerous weekend. and now they are also mourning the loss of one of their own. here's abc's senior national correspondent matt gutman. >> reporter: tonight, the thomas fire north of los angeles is roaring backing to life chewing through 3,000 acres, infernos spawning new evacuations in the town of fillmore. we were there as it exploded overnight. when you see this palm tree burn, what's incredible is just the sheer size of those embers and this how a fire like this jumps over containment lines. the numbers as staggering as the flames. the fourth largest fire in california history as staggering as the flames nearly four hundred square miles scorched.

their homes. firefighter cory iverson. killed in the line of duty. a gofundme page set up to raise money for the 8 year veteran's pregnant wife and young daughter. for the 8,300 firefighters on the front lines there's no giving up. >> is the team pretty burnt out? no, it's what we train for, it's what we do. they come up there help us, we come down here and help them. pretty simple. >> reporter: the winds are expected to pick back up again this weekend. one reason firefighters expect to be battling these flames until after the new year. >> they cannot just catch a break. thank you. another hollywood icon facing a growing number of accusers, more than half a dozen women accusing actor dustin hoffman of sexual misconduct. the actors lawyer calls the allegations defamatory falsehoo falsehoods. here's linsey davis. >> reporter: an onslaught of allegations tonight against a hollywood legend. more than half a dozen women,

time, now claim academy award winner dustin hoffman sexually harassed or assaulted them. >> mrs. robinson, you're trying to seduce me. >> reporter: the 80-year-old star of film classics like "the graduate" facing new accusations dating back decades. explosive reports by the hollywood reporter and variety. >> at the time these stories took place dustin hoffman was one of the biggest actors working if not the biggest actor working. >> reporter: two women tell variety hoffman assaulted them while he was filming the movie "ishtar." and kathryn rossetter seen here with hoffman in a death of a salesman alleges repeated assaults during a broad way revival. she says. i felt his hand up under my slip on the inside of my thighs. she also shared this photo with the hollywood reporter. . cory thomas says

himself to her at a hotel when she was just 16. and another woman telling the hollywood reporter he pleasured himself in front of her when she was 15 years old. two weeks ago comedian john oliver confronted hoffman about allegations he made advances on a then 17-year-old intern in 1985. >> do you believe the stuff that you read. i believe what she wrote yes. why? >> because there's no point in her lying. >> well, there is a point in her not bringing this up for 40 years. oh, dustin. >> so we have not yet heard from hoffman on this. >> the lawyer did call these allegations defamatory falsehoods. we reached out to dustin hoffman, did not hear back, but he has denied previous allegations. let's turn to a grand jury out with harsh words for penn state after the death of a fraternity pledge.

timothy piazza died. members waiting 12 hours to get help. 26 of those members facing charges. the grand jury report accuses penn state add straiters of a shocking apathy to the dangers of excessive drinking. the university responding the report doesn't recognize the reform initiatives they are already putting in place. much more ahead on "world news tonight" this friday. the massive pileup. major crash covering a quarter mile of the highway. plus the warnings for a record two billion packages delivered this holiday season. and the delivery person accused of stealing the very packages he delivered. plus, we have got a date. prince harry, meghan markle. wait for that invite. it's in the mail. david. what's going on? oh hey! ♪ that's it? yeah. ♪ everybody two seconds! ♪

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same person stealing them? here's clayton sandell. >> reporter: in st. pete beach, florida, the delivery man giveth. >> ups! >> reporter: and a little later, that same delivery man, taketh away. watch again. at 5:37 p.m. tuesday police say ups driver jason mohn leaves a package for jovita acute-parker on her porch. $1,000 iphone x inside. but he's back stuffing that same box under his shirt and taking off wearing the same clothes minus that ups vest. >> stupidest thief ever. >> reporter: police caught up with mohn and delivered him to jail, charging him with grand theft. upon notification of his arrest ups immediately terminated his employment. with a record 2 billion packages being delivered this holiday season. in arizona, cameras caught this woman disguising herself as a postal carrier

deliveries. that imposter still on the run. you can fight this. you can pick up your package and shop for groceries. >> a one-two punch. the close call for a chopper crew. the medical helicopter landing in flames and the major wreck on an american highway. emergency crews on the scene. she's nationally recognized for her compassion and care. he spent decades fighting to give families a second chance.

but to help others, they first had to protect themselves. i have afib. even for a nurse, it's complicated... and it puts me at higher risk of stroke. that would be devastating. i had to learn all i could to help protect myself. once i got the facts, my doctor and i chose xarelto®. xarelto®... to help keep me protected. once-daily xarelto®, a latest-generation blood thinner... ...significantly lowers the risk of stroke in people with afib not caused by a heart valve problem. it has similar effectiveness to warfarin. xarelto® works differently. warfarin interferes with at least 6 blood-clotting factors. xarelto® is selective, targeting just one critical factor interacting with less of your body's natural blood-clotting function. for afib patients well-managed on warfarin, there is limited information on how xarelto® compares in reducing the risk of stroke. don't stop taking xarelto® without talking to your doctor, as this may increase risk of stroke. while taking, you may bruise more easily, or take longer for bleeding to stop. it may increase your risk of bleeding if you take certain medicines. xarelto® can cause serious, and in rare cases, fatal bleeding.

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choppchop er fire under investigation. the patient and crew did manage to escape but that helicopter as you can see was seriously damaged. save the day. the invitation is in the mail. well, a girl can dream. kensing on the palace says the royal wedding will take place on may 19th. the ceremony will be held at st. george's chapel. the couple will spend christmas with queen elizabeth and the royal family. when we come back families revealing their biggest christmas surprise. america strong. you don't want to miss it. when you brush or floss you may have gum problems and could be on the journey to much worse. help stop the journey of gum disease. try parodontax toothpaste. ♪ i even accept i have a higher risk of stroke as far as i used to. due to afib, a type of irregular heartbeat

valve problem. but no matter where i ride, i go for my best. so if there's something better than warfarin, i'll go for that too. eliquis. eliquis reduced the risk of stroke better than warfarin, plus had less major bleeding than warfarin. eliquis had both. don't stop taking eliquis unless your doctor tells you to, as stopping increases your risk of having a stroke. eliquis can cause serious and in rare cases fatal bleeding. don't take eliquis if you have an artificial heart valve or abnormal bleeding. while taking eliquis, you may bruise more easily... ...and it may take longer than usual for any bleeding to stop. seek immediate medical care for sudden signs of bleeding, like unusual bruising. eliquis may increase your bleeding risk if you take certain medicines. tell your doctor about all planned medical or dental procedures. i'm still going for my best. and for eliquis. ask your doctor about eliquis. ♪ let's get the lady of the house back on her feet. and help her feel more strength and energy in just two weeks.

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finally tonight, america strong and home for the holidays. here's steve osunsami. >> reporter: it's both irresistible joy and answered prayers. soldiers who are suddenly home for christmas. in san diego jordan hall and her sister weren't expecting to see their mother home from the navy until february. >> this christmas she's not going to be home. >> jordan, look. >> reporter: but here she is. >> ah! >> reporter: at their elementary school bringing them all to tears. >> this has been a really hard deployment. it's really good to be home. >> i love you guys! >> you're gng

direction! >> reporter: everyone but the two children in the blindfolds were in on this surprise. their father has been away in afghanistan for nearly a year. at fort knocks kevin house surprised his daughter at her day care. >> love you. >> i love you, too. >> reporter: hello world. and happy holidays. steve osunsami, abc news, atlanta. happy holidays. thank you for watching on this friday night. for david and all of us here have a wonderful weekend. good night.

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