>> high school sports may never be the same. a ruling by a local athletic association said boys can plan the girls team, girls on the boys team if there transgender and identify with the sex other than they identify with. no doctors note or id necessary. check out this picture that has gotten senator al franken in turmoil. >> hail, not that funny. and the thanksgiving weather. it's going to be cold. on bill spadea, this is chasing news we have a chasing alert for you tonight.

the trial of senator bob menendez is over, at least this one for now. the jury is hung. they could not come to a verdict as far as his guilt are innocent. two jurors holding out's and he was guilty, ten saying he was not. they have been dismissed. now, what's going to happen next? will there be another trial or will this go away? diana has the story from the courthouse. >> senator bob menendez walked out of court a free man. not before hugging his family and defense team. the generic declaring a mistrial in the case. eleven weeks after the case began and after eight days of church liberation. he broke down in tears and thank those who stood beside him; think my sister and her husband.

the passages in the bible passages they would send me was of great strength. >> he was accused of accepting gifts. were. from day said the jury was deadlocked. they sent a note to the judge saying they were unwilling to move away from their convictions after reviewing all evidence. the judge interviewed them one-on-one and then came back telling us it was clear, this not come to an agreement. this is after prosecutors are sure partial. i can't for somebody else's opinion or to think a certain way you can't get mad over it, you have to respect it. >> the mistrial is a blow for

the justice department but will be a cloud over menendez as he seeks reelection. his advissors said that he could expect an e-mail whether he will seek reelection. >> i want to turn to ashley johnson who has a sidebar on this. a lot of public reaction including an endorsement of his reelection race even though he hasn't announced it from bill murphy. >> u.s. senator bob menendez like we've never seen before. at a news conference after the judge declared a mistrial he cried, laughed and chastises enemy. >> to those who are digging my political grave, i know you are

and i won't forget you. he wishes ran the best. he was accused of doing business favors for the wealthy ophthalmologist in exchange for 600,000 inland lavish trips. >> i wish my dear friend success. soon after the murphy expressed strong support saying he's a strong course for new jersey and i look forward to working with him to stand up against our people. should he decide to really seek reelection who had more full support. mitch mcconnell said the senate ethics committee should investigate. he said because of the seriousness, i'm calling on the ethics committee to investigate his actions which led to his indictment. >> thank you. let's bring in a guy who knows this from both sides of the courthouse. but as a former county prosecutor and defense attorney.

bob, how are you doing? >> i'm good. i'm chasing the news. >> here's the question. can he be retried? to think he will be retried? >> he can be retry. whether he will be is a prussic cutie decision. i was concerned with the evidence or lack thereof. it wasn't a direct evidence case. i was surprised and i could not imagine anything then a hung jury or not guilty. >> does it mean one juror didn't buy adderall? what is that mean? does it become public? >> it could be one juror more to say we have no unanimous decision. it's very hard to prove beyond a reasonablreasonable doubt. twelve jurors have to be convinced.

the unique thing i have never seen in 28 years from what i and stan from the reporting, the judge brought the jurors in with the attorneys present. so they probably have a good feel of where the jury was. >> let's bring in our panel. we have lawyers and political strategists. jeanette and bill. as a democrat, is this good or bad politically speaking? forget it bob is right and they don't try him again. he's clearly digging in and running again. the governor elect just endorsed him. >> if he's able to achieve the victim status i can see this change. if not he's upside down in the polls. we haven't seen a fresh bowl. it's too soon to tell. >> does he really become a victim a guy who wrote $60000 to cover private jet expenses?

>> he's acting like a phoenix rising from the ashes. it's not really what happened. >> at least two jurors that he was guilty. >> and the democratic party is acting like he was acquitted. phil murphy is endorsing him. so there with him now, until they're not. >> does this send a message to voters who are not participating, is this a message like, that's politics. your friend of mine that it doesn't matter? >> that's why we have low voter turnout. politicians like bob menendez. he constantly flouts and continues to get away with it.

mistrial he said they do not think you should seek reelection. think the democratic party should listen. >> district in washington is republican led house got together and pass the bill for most americans is going to lower taxes. president trump has been talking about this since he started running for office. it's about time the tax code rules written in 1986 get changed. a lot of controversy in terms of what you can deduct. can everybody take advantage of the standard deduction? some say as high as 92% of folks in new jersey will see a benefit. i want to bring in our panel to break it down. >> the republicans were led locally by tom macarthur.

talks about what it means to people earning less than $1 million. i'm pretty confident just about everyone it's a huge tax relief. >> those who file standard was a big tax relief. screw for the economy and more jobs back that were lost overseas. the mixed bag when he talked about property tax. especially north jersey. your cap to 10%. >> to republicans steal the democrats under? this look like a true millionaire's tax. those making more will be hit by that top tax rate and lose their deductions, what do you think? >> there's a reason why only one house member voted it. it's an awful plan for new jersey. there are certain tax cuts that are permanent and on the

individual side their temporary. >> there's a lot of hype, but which is really crunch the numbers the senate plan sees people more money. >> this makes my head explode. i cannot decide whether i'm supposed to -- rich people are not. >> when has the new jersey chamber of commerce or what have they done to lower property taxes? like most other states if we didn't have ridiculous state taxes everybody would be cheering. we need to shift the discussion and stop blaming the other 45 states. >> i agree. do you think taxes will get lower under governor murphy? i don't think so. >> politicians and decisions are

a reflection of us. >> it's probably time for a couple of changes in the tax code. good job in the house today. coming up, more chasing news. high school sports may never be the same. i willing that could allow girls to play on the boys team, and boys on the girls team. and your weather. freezing cold. at least below normal. thanksgiving is round the corner. >> thanksgiving is only a week away. were keeping an eye on the forecast.

>> welcome back to chasing news. i am bill spadea. more show for you. including, put me in coach. i willing from a local athletic association could change high school sports forever. at least when it comes to girls and boys teams. first, let's check in with doug on the story of the picture that got senator al franken embroiled in a sexual harassment turmoil. >> new allegations of sexual misconduct on capitol hill. al franken of minnesota is being

accused of tv and radio personnel. she said two separate incidents took place in 2006 before he was a senator. least when she would classify as a sexual assault. >> he smashes lips against my face and stuck his tongue in my mouth so fast i pushed him off with my hands and i almost punched him. >> later she said he groped her but she was asleep. it was captured by a photographer on the plane. he admitted the allegations are true calling for an ethics investigation saying, i don't know what was in my head and i took that picture and it doesn't matter. there is no excuse. i look at it now feel disgusted. this comes as they grapple to new sexual allegations against more. >> the president is not weighing in on the calls for more to exit but they are talking about the

me to act. >> i'm glad woman on capitol hill are coming forward want to have hearing. >> republicans are looking at ways of expelling more if he wins. alabama voters head to the polls on december 12. >> let's turn to a story that could change high school sports in our area forever. what about transgender kids identifying as girls or boys and deciding which gender specific team they want to play for. no id or doctors not necessary. ashley has the story. >> transgender high school athletes have the choice of playing on any sports team for the sex they identify with without needed and updated per certificate, driver's license or doctors note. the new policy was approved wednesday by the new jersey

state athletic association. it went into effect immediately. larry white says simply put,. >> if i were to say i'm a transgender female, i'm a transgender female. >> so you can plan a girls team. >> you could plan a female team. >> they estimate their more than 13000 transgender students in new jersey schools k-12. >> we came to the decision because outgoing governor christie signed into law new guidelines for transgender student athletes and transgender people. our old policy became outdated. >> get tix? this means about a girl plays on the boys team that gets hurt.

>> i imagine there two cases of boys wanting to plan girls teams just because they want to they think it's a fun thing. i think at the end of the day it's a serious thing we want to make sure that everyone has the ability to be themselves and be confident in a learning environment the policy states that any member school may appeal the eligibility of a transgender student on the grounds the students participation would adversely affect competition or safety. >> thank you. let's bring back our panel to break it down. i'm joined by olivia, good to have you here. and jeanette hoffman. buster with you.

in my opinion it seems to be an overly politically correct move by the scholastic association. they built a an exception so the schools could challenge a kid and it seems they accomplish nothing. >> it's a solution in search of a problem. c harmony. >> i have a problem with it in the sense. we are literally dissolving gender specific sports. i think you have a physical reason why boys and girls to play the same sports on the same team because somebody could get hurt. >> i am okay with the role. i don't think they had in mind to solve the problem, i think they are thinking about the groups that have to get surgery to do it and go to more extreme measures.

i'm thinking about that segment that the ones that could easily show documentation. >> i was so afraid of it, you don't have to show your id to vote,. >> i think it is bizarre that they said you don't need documentation. i don't think you're going to have a bunch of boys going out to join the girls soccer team. i think it will be few and far between. i think it will have a big impact. >> they've open the door to the first lawsuit when a school stands up and does challenge somebody. we will be right back. >> if not for that wind and study showers, thursday would have been nice. we hit 16 part of the area. things go downhill on friday. things go downhill to the middle of the weekend. it will be a little bit breezy for tonight and friday.

keepsakes chilly. the quote that will bring us rain and then went on call there. temperatures will plummet on sunday setting us up for a cold start and finish for the thanksgiving week. the monitors are going to dip into the low 30s. as the wind picks up you'll feel it. the wind chill will be in the 20s. mostly clear skies and dry conditions. friday high temperature around 50. once again, we will see sunshine and stage right. saturday clouding up and a chance for showers. fairly mild with highs in the upper 50s or 60s. then changeover days sunday. chance for rain in the morning and temperatures falling into the 40s.

monday high in the 40s. grab the winter coat. >> more coming up. including

>> welcome back to chasing this, i am bill spadea. more show and headlines coming up. including a police officer injured as a house explodes, all caught on his body camera. >> a teen who escaped in a detention center has been cut. michael was one of four teens who overpowered a corrections officer early wednesday morning and drove off in the car. sideswipe in a vehicle and crashing into a home. he was caught with a handgun in his possession. he's charge for the 2016 murder. please body cam catching a fiery explosion in southern

california. officers responding to a gas smell. -- die from injuries. it's not clear what caused the blasts. in a new career builder survey said more people are calling out six even though they're not. 40% said they called in sick when they were. of 5%. 43% of employees caught employees line about being sick by checking social media. 26% have fire someone for use in a fake excuse. >> it strangers return and wonder woman makes a cut in the hollywood nation. >> ratner has been dropped from wonder woman to do to sexual harassment allegations. the revealed on the today show.

claiming the involvement ended before reports said that she quit the film if he was on board. kim kardashian is making serious -- from her new of perfumes. she banked $10 million in the first day of her fragrance online only launch. only 300,000 bottles were made with no plans to restock. during the rock johnson is a proud dad. his daughter has the name to golden globe ambassador. it entitled ms. golden globe announced by the hollywood foreign press on wednesday. the first trailer for the strangers. night has been released. the sequel to the 2008 for filth also family tormented by three massacre paths honorable path to

visit relatives. >> we are on our way to the first big tax reform package that will actually lower taxes for middle-class and lower-class families across the country. especially in our area. all the propaganda misinformation, none of it worked. these guys got the job done. your taxes are going to go down. now it's a covenant on the senate and the president to make it happen. so get the number of your senator call him and say pass the tax package. we deserve a break in the middle of working class. we haven't had one for decades. that's all for tonight. i hope you enjoy the show. see you tomorrow live from center city in

philadelphia this is fox 29 news at 11:00. the list continues to grow. new sexual assault claims against sylvester stallone and he's not the only one. thank you for joining us. i'm lucy noland. senator al franken democrat from minnesota is under fire. sylvester stallone denies report in the daily mail. a woman claims stallone forced her to have sex and perform a sex act on him and his bodyguard in nope 86 when is he was 16 years old. she did file a police report at the time. nothing came of it. and this picture is now leading to a call for senate ethics investigation showing right there the then comedian al franken groping a sleeping woman on the way home from u.s.o. tour in afghanistan. in woman is an la radio host and says franken's actions went further during rehearsal for a exit on their