blayne alexander, nbc news, washington. >> all right, blayne. also at the u.s.itol tonight, noteworthy forin peopl ur viewing audience, president trump researched virginia governor ralph northam tonight, scott. >> yeah, it was really the local reference of most from prominence. let's hear first what the president said about virginia governor ralphtham. >> and then we had the case of ther goverf virginia where he stated he would execute a baby after birth. to defend the dignity of every person, i am asking congress to pass legislation to prohibit the late-term abortion of children who can feel pain in the mother's womb. >> and that was it. >> that was really the total of it. it needs a lot of context, though. that's in reference to a interview the governor game and our to wtop colleague talking about a late-term abortion bill being legislature.the the governor would say his comments were grossly mischaracterized and t nt bill longer pending. >> and we also want to note that president trump did not make any reference to the story aboutgo rnor northam that we're ta

back to you. >> thank you, blayne. blayne alexander reporting live for us this evening. >>> sensing another government shutdown on the horizon. localovernments and transit systems are planning ahead. s scott macfarlane joins us from the news room. this is not the thing we want to get good at. >> the metro board of directors meets thursday. we'll s ifhey consider an emergency policy to let federal workeride the rails and buses free. that would be similar to what they approved last month. in the meantime montgomery county is expected to pass a resolution tomorro allowing federal workers to ride free on buses during the shutdowns. they said the shutdown impacts tens of thousands of people in the county. >> this is definitely not a good time for montgomery county to have to address, you know, this particular challenge. >> a vote to make tha free ride resolution official is expected tomorrow afternoon in rockvi we'll keep you posted on metro and their board of directors on thursday. in thes nom, scott macfarlane news4. >> s

blayne alexander is standing by to break it all down for us. blayne? >> repor r: michael cohen worked for president trump for a decade. so over the course of this week, lawmakers will a lot from the president's former attorney, but the white house says that michael cohen has congress before, so there's noli reason to bee him now. michael cohen, the man who once declared he would tak a for president trump now prepared o tell all about his one-time boss. the president's former attorney giving three days of capitol hill testimony, the first one behind closed doors with the senate intelligence committee. >> this was the man who was in the room withonald trump at some of the most consequential times when he's running for president and after 's in office. >> reporter: public testimony comes tomorrow. a source tells nbc news, cohen is expected to discuss everythi from hush money payments to crimes the president committed while in office. >> what intend to keep focussed on is untangling t very complicated financial arrangement between donald trum and russia. >

blayne alexander, nbc news, washington. re>>> tonight, emergency rushed to free a driver who became pinned when his bus slammed in a utility pole. therash at the corner of rockville pik and cedar lane in bethesda caused long backu on th roads. look at that. chopper 4 found montgomery ununty police directing the traffic a the crash earlier tonight. we're told the driver was the only person on thatbus. >>> tonight chicago police are knocking down multiple reports that actor jussie smollett staged his own attack in response to his character being written off the hit show "empir" leon harris joins us now from the live desk now with a dramatic twists and turns in this saga, leon. jim, kind of hard to figure where this one's going pop schicago's top copd he has no evidence to support that the alleged attack was a hoax. those claims, though, picked up so much steam that the fox network released a statement saying that smollett was not being written off the "empire" ow. about an hour ago, nbc news confirmed the persons of intere in

nbc's blayne alexander has a lo at what we can expect. >> reporter: day one done. michael cohen leaving his closed-door testimony before the senate intelligence committee. >> i reall appreciate the opportunity that was given to me to clear t record and to tell the truth. >> reporter: cohen soon headed to prison, in part forng lyi to that committee during his last testimony. a source close to cohen tells began today's hearing with an apology. the committee' top democrat summarizing cohen's testimony with this. >> when this investigation started, i said it may be the st important thing i'm involved in ine my public lif in the senate, and nothing i haveh d today dissuades me from that view. >> reporter: republicans say cohen has lied before sois ther o reason to believe him now. the white house dismissing him as a disgraced felon and republican congrsman matt gaetz, an ally of president trump,g tweet to cohen, do your life and father-in-law know about yourds girlfri i wonder if she'll remain faithful when you're in sprison >> t is not witness tampering,nehis is witss

hi, blayne. >> reporter: doreen, hello to you. michael cohen worked for president trump for a decade. so certainly over the course of this week lawmakers will hear a lot frothe president's former attorney but the white house said that cohen has lied to congress before so no reason to believe him now. michael co wn the man once declared he would take bullet for president trump now prepared to tell all. the president's former attorney giving threeitays of c hill testimony, the first one behind closed doors with the senate intelligence tee. >> this was the man in the room with donald trump at some of the moston cquential times when he's r aning for president after he's in office. >> reporter: public testimony comesmo toow. a source tells nbc news he's expected to discuss everything from hush money payments to crimes cohen said the president committed while in office. >> what i tintend keep focussed on is untangling the complicated financialar ngements between donald trump and russia. >> reporter: but republicans eager todiscredit coh

for more on this we go to nbc's blayne alexander. >> reporter: at this church in birmingham, alabama, now there is another piece to this routine. how many of you have guns on you? >> mine's in my purse. >> reporter: these three and other members make up the church's volunteer security team. armed every sunday with a prayer and a plan. >> let's do this. >> reporter: after 30 years in law enforcement, jeff rush leads the team. but not everyone is as experienced. during the week derek walker works as a warehouse manager. what was it that made you raise your hand and say, i will do this, i'll volunteer for this? >> the people that i care about, which is my church family, i want to protect them. >> reporter: they believe keeping parishioners safe from potential attacks is a ministry, and they are not alone. according to the faith-based security network, more than 1,000 places of worship across the country have launched volunteer security teams over the past decade. which is why companies like ozark shoot don't shoot solutions now offer specialized training using real glocks in real churche

blayne alexander has rdetails.rtsfield-jackson airport, every night a special pickup. but without this te would end up in the trash. >> in this country we waste 72 billion pounds of perfectly good food every year. is is enough food to fill an spire football stadium at least once a day, every da j >> reportemine crow is putting that wasted food to good use. in 2017, she created gooder, an atlanta-based company helping to combat hunger. gooder drivers make thes rou every night, picking up food that otherwise would be thrown out at the end of the day. wh kind of food do we have? >> mediterranean food, occasional salads and sandwiches, then soul food. >> soul >> yeah, good for the soul. >> reporter: it's then tak to no nonprofits across the city, delivered straight to those wst need it mo. places like the covenant house whichs ser as many as 80 young people every night. >> the variety of food that our youth receive is so important because much of their life they've experienced food insecurity. >> hunger is not an issue

j blayne alexandns us to break it down. >> reporter: we've learned that that jge has just ordered roger stone banned him from making any public statements about this case. she said he does pose a danger if he's released under conditions without any sort of modifications. so roger stone now unable to make any sort of publicen stat about his case. this comes amid a flurry ofod activity as there are growing signs that special counsel's robert mueller's investigation is almost finished. with growing signs, special counsel rob t mueller would wrap his investigationay any now into possible collusion between the trump campaign and russia. all eyes will soon shift to attorney general, william barr, who will decide, how much, if any, of that report will be made public. >> we might see arr flu of activity in the next few days or couples. of week >> keep walking. >> reporter: the president's long-time political adviser, grger stone, who was charged with lying to cons and witness taering, ordered back in court by a federal judge after stone posted an instagram picture showing that jud alongside an

blayne alexander is tracking it all for . what's the latest? >> reporter: the latest is we have guida te when not expect this report. but still growing signs are showingnshat special c robert mueller is winding down this investigation. so really all of washington o a pi needles awaiting that report. remember, there is no guarantee thathat report will ever actually be made public. the wayte house downplg the upcoming report from special counsel robert mueller, who is believed to be wrapping up his russia investigation. >> there was no collusion, there was no obstruction, there was no anything. that's the nice part. and everybody knows it's a hoax. it's one of the greatest hoaxes ever perpetrated on this country. i look forward to seeing the report. if it's an honest report, it'll say that. >> reporter: president trump pecting vindication while leaving it up to william bwhr ether public.e the report something to the demanded by law, but could be demanded by >> i can't imagine that congress, in some extent a bipartisan way, doesn't demand everythi

blayne alexander is tracking it all tay. north korea's leader is not walking away empty-handed, saying?what people are >> reporter: officially this was good for kim jong-un because having such a big meeting with president trump really raises kim'se prof on the world stage. for president trump there was no win on denuclearization but experts sayt could have been worse. president trump headed home ahead of schedule his talks with m jong-un fallingapart. >> sometimes you have to walk. and this was just one of those times. >> reporter: the president leaving the tableliterally. a planned lunch scrapped. president trump said the regime ed to at least partial denuclearization. but in exchange. >> basically they wanted the sanctions lifted in their entirety. that.e cn't do >> reporter: president trump not getting anything from kim but not promising anything either. enough to draw praise from even some of the president's harshest critics. >> reporte >> it's good the president did not give him anything for the little he was proposing.

. >> blayne alexander tracking the story for us. u tell about this development. >> reporter: getting more guidance as to when we shouldxp nott that report to come down, but still all of washington really remains on pins and needles, waiting for this mueller report t remember, there is still no guarantee that this will ever actually be made public.hi thete house down playing the upcoming report from special counl robert mueller. who is believed to be wrapping up his russia investigation. >> n there waso collusion. there was no obstruction. there was no anything. that's the nice part. and everybody knows it's a ax. it's one of the greatest hoaxes ever perpetrated on this country. i look forward to seein this report. if it's an honest rept it'll say that. mp reporter: president tru ipecting vindication while leavingt up to william barr, his new attorney general, to decide whether to make the report gblic. somethot required by law but could be demanded by congress. i can't imagine a scenario where congress doesn't demand virtuallyth eve

our blayne alexander has the latest. >> reporter: today growing signs special counsel m robertller is winding down his russia investigation and could set the report to new attorney general willia barr as early as next week, renewinghe questions wther that report will be made public. today president trump taking a new swipe at fired actin director andrew mccabe. >> i think andrew mccabe has made a fool out of himself the last couple of days. he is a sgced man. >> reporter: it comes as mccabe in a series of media to promote his new book revealed he opened a counterli intnce investigation into president trump saying he thought it was possible the president was working foria ru >> do you believe he's a national security threat? >> i think what he's doing and what he's saying is makinghis country less safe, that's right. >> reporter: mccabe was fired for allegedly lying about his interactions with the media. >> what he was trying to do was ible, and he was caught. i'm very proud to say we caught him. >> reporter: president trump also angrily lashing out at "the neamyork times." ng the news

blayne, alexand, nbc news washington. >> local house members grilling the president's long time fixer in a nationally televised setting. scott macfarlane continues our team coverage talking to those leaders down on the hill. reporter: congressman jamie raskin tol me what he heard sounded like a crime against d c democry. as michael cohen raised his hand eainside thering room, cameras, crews and spectators jammed the rayburn office building outside. even the overflow viewing room required a seat reservation. on this stage democrats defended the sr witness against criticism mr. cohen has already lied to congress. >> our colleagues are not upset because you lied to congress for the presint. they're upset because you've stopped lying to congress for the president. >> reporter: inside this massive room of reporters is congressma conally of northern virginia. it is local members of congress getting a bright spotlight today. we e dntuallyked inside the scrum to ask this. does any of thi feel a little bit like a spectacle? >> well, i think the republicans are trying a to make it look that way

. >> blayne alexander live for us this morning. >>> the maryland senate prident say he is having goods and bad days as he continues chemotherapy for stage 4 prostate cancer. the cancer has detametastasized his spine and pell vvic area. he says he is t getti best treatment in the world at johns hopkins. the democrat is entering his 33rd year aes senate ent. >>> a unique percentage leave program is shrinking. theill and melinda gates foundation, used to give moms and dls a f year of full paid leave. now, that policy is changing to six giving employees a year has caused disruptions in daily operations. but included in the leave, the foundation will give a $20,000 stipened for new parents returning to work for child carn and famids. >>> if you were hoping for casinos in virginia, you may have to wait a while. a committee has changed a bill to allow areas to vote on cas o casinos as early as november. >>> well, by next year, you could be placing super bowl bets in the district. if the caps and wizards owner has his way, capital one arena will be open for betting in april. >>heeporter: the

." >> blayne alexander is live in washington for us. the president is speaking out about his intelligence chiefs. >> marcus and laura, a lot to cover in this wide-ranging interview he did overnight with the "new york times." first let's talk about the border situation. congress has a bipartisan committee working to find some sort of compromise when it comes to border security but if they cannot reach a deal within two weeks, then we could be headed toward another shutdown. this morning president trump further digging in on his demand for a border wall telling the "new york times" overnight a bipartisan committee is a waste of time. >> if you don't have a wall, they're all wasting their time. it's just politics. >> there's not going to be any wall money in the legislation. >> reporter: democrats offering billions of dollars for border enhancements but no wall but the president telling "the times" he will likely bypass congress all together and declare a national emergency to get money to build the wall. >> i've set the table. i've set th

. >> blayne alexander tracking negotiations for us. any progress to report today? >> reporter: this certainlyso ds very familiar because we've been in the situation quite recentlyhe talks all but stalled on capitol hill. key negotiators trying to make some sortf last dit effort at an agreement. the president is taking his border wall argument down to the border hoping tose his first political rally of the year to boost his argument. on capitol hill, a last-ditch efrt to revive border security talks that have all but flat li lined. talks stalled over border wall funding and now a new issue. democrats demanding a limit t the number of beds in immigrant detention centers. >> the debate over beds is not really a debate over beds.it how we handle amnesty applications. >> it would force i.c.e. to priorityize arresting violent criminals over those who overstayed the visa >> that means when somebody is arrested for domortic violence exual assault of a minor, that i.c.e. won't be able to come pick them up. >> reporter: president trump punting a blame for a shutdown on democ

ature comes at a >> blayne, can you explain what happened today? >> it was a dramatic moment on the senate floor. ader mcconnell came and spoke before the body and recapped a conversation he had with the president saying the president will sign the bill but he will declareer a national ncy at the same time. this is something democrats have omised to fight and some republicans are split on this. today theenate beginning with a simple player. >> let's pray that the president will have the wisdom to sign the bill so the government doesn't shutdown. >> reporter: congress poised to pass a bipartisan bill averting another government shutdown tomorrow. after a morning of uncertainly thiseport from top senate republican mitch mcconnell. >> i had an opportunity to speak with president trump, and he -- i uld say toll my colleagues, he's prepared to sign the hebill. will also be iuing a national emergency declaration at the same time. >> this is how the people expect to function, not by tweets but by reasonable reality-based compromise. n reporter: that bill

news4 blayne alexander reports. >> reporter: president trump further digging in on his demand for a border wall telling the "new york times" overnight a bipartisan committee working to reach a deal on border security is a waste of time. >> if you don't have awall, they're all just wasting their time. it's just politics. >> there's notoing to beny wall money in the legislation. >> reporter: democrats offering billions of dlars for border enhancements, but no wall, but the president telling the "times" he will likely bypass llcongressogether and declare a national emergency toed get money for the wall. he's standing his ground on a different frontnsting that his intelligence chiefs did not contradict him but- rather - >> they say they were totally misquoted and taken out of context. >> reporter: but during a stunning hearing, leaders breaking from the president in their assessment of everything from russia to north kor to isis. >> we have won against isis. >> reporter: not so says the cia director gina haspel. >> they still command thousands of fighters in iraq and syria. >> reporter: missin

blayne alexander joins us with the latest now. >> reporte some people already saying they're ready to take it to court. president trump says he's not doing it for political reasons. democrats are c iling a fake national emergency and all of this will likely be tied up in h courts for monto come.in an off script news conference stretching nearly an hotr, presidenp announcing his national e to funnel money toward his board border wall. >> it's an invasion. we have an invasion of drugs and criminals coming into our countey. >> reporr: calling it aris while at the same time undercutting the urgency. >> i didn't need tout do it i'd rather do it faster. >> reporter: the president signing an executive order sure to face immediate challenges. p >> we'llsibly get a bad ruling, then another bad ruling, hopefullyphen end in the supreme court and get a fair shake. >> reporter: the two top democrs in congressalling it vowing to use d every remedy to fight it. the plan would allocateli $8 b for the wall, the president moving $3.5 billion tion the military constr budget another $2.5 bim ion fe penta

blayne alexander here to break it down for us. >> reporter: pins and needles, everybody waiting any day now is the report from when we could understand that special counsel robert mueller has completed his investigation. with growing signs special counsel robert mueller could wrap his investigation now into possible collusion between the ignay and campa russia, all eyes will soon shift to attorney general william rr, who will decide, how much if any of that reporma will be public. >> we might see a flurry of activity in the next few days or couple weeks. >> rorter: the president's long-time political adviser, roger stone, who was charged with lying to congress and witness tampering, today silenced by aederal judge ter posting an instagram cture now deleted showing that judge alongside an image of cross-hairs. >> we have this man having essentially threatened a federal judge. he's clearly an impulsive person. >> reporter: the outspoken stone now banned by the judge from making ata publicments about his case. he can use social media for posts like this one, mad this morning, soliciting mo

answer the on a border wa are what precipitated the longest government shutdown in history.s joinings blayne alexander, she's joining us live outside the capitol with a loserser lcl at what the president is expect to say. >> reporter: we know according to the white house the president has been preparing for this did a run through yesterday, another one expected today before he comes here to the capitol. we know the theme, according to the white house, is choosing greatness. ident trump we're told is going to be striking an opmistic tone aboutunity. that's notable given the audience he is going to beki sp to tonight, even though this is his second state of the union address, tonight's audience willew look somhat different. for president trump tonight a new political realy, a divided congress with democrats controlling the house. the white house promising a optimistic state of the union address. >> he's calling for bipartisan and unity. and more compromise and cooperation and less divisiveness. >> reporter: but the president also expected tim touch on gration and a border wall. today the white

. >>> blayne alexander, thank you. >>> today was the first of several days of tribute to former michigan congressman, john john dingle. dingle was the longest serving member of congress, representing part ohis state for more than five decades. among those in attendance former vice president joe biden. he said dingle was one of the few colleagues he didn't just respect but looked up to. >> i admire almost e worked with, but a few i looked up to, that i knew were b wter than at what they did. i knew they were more successful at what they set out to do than i was. and john dingle was that man. >> many lawmakers were on a plane headed to michigan for the service but got turned around for the bad weather. on thursday there will be ase ice here in washington. >>> students at cool ij high school had to evacuate their building after a bomb. thre d.c. police said someone thrcal in a bombthreat. the police went and swept the building and said they found nothing and students were able to return to school to their day. >>> a disturbing case of racism at a rockvilleigschool. derrick ward tells us abo

thank you, blayne. >>> this week the supreme court will hear arguments to determine whether a 40 footross in bladensburg is a war memorl or a violation of the separation of church and state. the peace cro was built in 1925 as a tbute to local men who died during world war i, it sits at the intersection of bla densburg road and baltimore avenue. local families, businesses and the american legion paid for the memorial, but it sits on land owned by the state. an atheist o anization filed the lawsuit. arguments begin on wednesday. >>>ue firefighters rea couple out of their burning home this morning in laurel. the man was trapped in a bedroom, the wom was found unconscious in another room reinside. botheing treated for injuries from breathing in smoke. a firefighter was injured during te rescue. investigators s fire started in the kitchen. >>> the winds were a challenge to firefighters battling flames at a row house this morning. no one w injured but several animals had to be rescued. one cat, however, did not survive. >>> new developments in a tragic story. police say a mother was drunk w

blayne alexander joins us now. >> reporter: it's clear the president is not hpy with the deal, he's said as much. ilt most importantly he has not said he not sign it. keep in mind this deal gives the president less money f his border wall than the offer before the shutdown. but this time around the presidents he will likely take a different path and keep the government. op on capitol hill a deal to avert a government shutdown at the end of the week. but is president trump sold? >> the answer is no. i'm not. i'm not happy. but am i happy with where we're going? i'm thrilled. >> reporter: the dea includes nearly $1.4 billion for border fenci fencing, not a concrete wall and allows 55 miles of new fencing. it gives 1.7 billion to homeland security. >> i'm hoping he'll find the agreement acceptable and he'll sign it. >> reporter: president trump said he wants to add things to the deal. it's a far cry from the $5.7 billion he demanded. his conservative allies laying on the pressure. >> any republican that supports thisbage compromise, you have to explain -- >> but both parties agree another s

blayne alexander joins us now to break it down for us. >> reporter: we will be seeing an interesting split screen this week, a lot of focus on what michael cohen has to say to ha congress and wt his former boss, president trump has to say to north korea's leader. president trump headed for vietnam meeting with north korea's kim jong-un for round 2 of denuclearization >>talks. think we'll have a very tremendous summit. we want denuclearization. >> reporter: the p sounding optimistic despite u.s. intelligence officials saying there have been no steps from north korea to b scalek its nuclear weapons program since june whichummit last president trump called a success. >> he wrote me beautiful letters. and they're great letters. we fell in love. >> reporter: as the presidentep ares for hisalks in vietnam, back in washington h former attorney and fixer michael cohen gearing up for talks of his own. three days of capitolonill test both private and public. >> i think michael cohen poses a far greater definitely reputational risk to the president than robert mueller does right now given all t

thank you, blayne. >>> and one thing not included in the governmentunng bill that the president did sign today was back pay for federal contractors affected by the last shutdown. the president and some republicans resisted it because it had never been done bethre. exact number of contractors n avgted i clear but it's estimated at 1.2 million. >>> a drug kingpin who ranofne he most violent and largest drug trafficking operations in our htory could be getting a reduced center. he was at the center of the d.c. crack epidemic. authorities say he continued to run that dg ring after going to prison in 1989 but prosecutors want h sentence reduced because they say edmonds has cooperated and provided information that busted major drug operations and closed cold case murders and led to >>> some civil rights groups are coming to the man charged with trying to kill a police officer. the man claims he's a victim of police brutality. but advocates are calling the sea deal unjust. they he was falsely accused in the first place. tracee wilkins is working this story. one you will only see on news4. >> re

>> all right, thanks, blayne. >>> we've some more breaking news just in. releasing an anticipated list oe priests who credibly accused of sexually abusing minor under mounting pressure dioceses around the country have been releasing similar lists. according to "the washington post" at least two t of the priests in the arlington dioceses have been charged criminally. all of the 16 priests onli the have either been removed from the public ministry are deceased. the bishop released a statement today are reading,quote, for victims and survivors of sexual abuse by members of the clergy i remain open to meeting with you and hearingour stories. to see a complete list go to the nbc washington app. >>> remember the video of the group of catholic schoolboys and a native-american elder on thes stf the lincoln memorial? new today a third party as investigationound those boys did not stigate that altercation. >> reporter: guvington tholic's bishops say the findings, quote, exonerate our students so they can move onhe with lives, end quote. the students were in town for

our team coverage starts now with blayne alexander. >> reporter: do a

. >> but we're going to start with blayne alexander to get a at the highlights from today's hearing. >> reporter: michael cohen today apologized repeatedly. e appeared tearful at times, and he said he was somebody who was a good person but just mesmerized by president trump and spent ten years trying to protect him. but republicans say that michael cohen is just a liar and a criminal trying to save himself. today michael cohen, the president's former attorney and fixer testifying before the hoe oversight committee says he regrets the ten years he spent working for president trum >> i am ashamed because i know what mr. trump is. he is a racist. he is a con man, a he is a cheat. >> reporter: cohen saying president trump knewis litical advisor roger stone was in contact with wikileakshe during 2016 campaign about the release of hacked democratic party e-mails and that the president embraced the idea. >> mr. trump responded byo stating the effect, wouldn't that be great. >> reporter: cohen said he threatened people or entities at least 500 times while working for the president, and that

. >> blayne alexander. thank you. >>> on monday, two men were shot to death in a car. and two teens are in jail. the two men were in a car that crashed into several parked cars in montgomery county. now, investigators believe their deaths were part of a drug deal gone wrong. police say hunt and barnett met one of the men and were trying to buy marijuana. hunt is charged with two counts of murder and barnett is facing a drug crge. >>> if you were hoping for casinos in virginia, you have to wait a little longer. a state committee changed the law. it calls for a casino study and aot on the establishments by 2020. >>> by next year, you could be placing super bowl bets here in the district. if the caps and wizards owner has his way, capital one arena will be open for betting in april. >> reporter: the owner of the wizards and the capitals pointed to april for when sports bet willing be available inside his capital one arena. >> my expectation is that there will be built a very, ve high-end, world-class restaurant called the sports book. there will be televisions showing gam