James Comey Surrenders; Cost of Iran War Hits $25 Billion - What You Need to Know

[0:04] This is what you need to know now. [0:06] I'm still not afraid. [0:08] Former FBI chief James Comey expected to surrender to federal authorities after a new indictment. [0:14] Defense Secretary Pete Hegsett facing lawmakers on Capitol Hill for the first time since the war [0:19] in Iran broke out. New images in the White House Correspondents Dinner attack showing the alleged [0:24] suspect armed inside the Washington Hilton. Plus officials identify what they say is causing bright [0:30] orange water to flow in a West Virginia stream. And the emotional effort to save Timmy, the stranded [0:37] whale. We have much more of what you need to know now. I'm Rachel Scott from ABC News. It is Wednesday, [0:43] April 29th. This is what you need to know. Let's get right to the big story. Former FBI director [0:48] James Comey expected to self-surrender today after a federal indictment. The charges center on a 2025 [0:55] Instagram post showing 86-47 written in seashells. Prosecutors claim it was a threat against President [1:03] Trump. But legal experts say this will be a hard case for the Justice Department to win. [1:08] Of all the cases that have been brought and threatened against President Trump's enemies, [1:14] this one may be the weakest. This is going to be a ridiculously hard case for prosecutors to win. [1:22] Why? He has to have intended it to have been a threat for this to be a successful prosecution. [1:31] Comey's first indictment by the Justice Department for allegedly making a false statement to Congress [1:37] was thrown out on a technicality. Comey says he's still innocent and is not afraid. No court date has [1:43] been set for these new charges. The Supreme Court has struck down Louisiana's voting map in a major voting [1:50] rights case finding it an unconstitutional gerrymanderer. Devin Dwyer has more. [1:55] This decision came in a case out of Louisiana involving a court order drawing addition of a [2:02] second majority black district in that state because of the size of the state's population. And [2:07] the Supreme Court today in this decision said that the court violated the 14th Amendment by adding, [2:14] the state rather, violated the 14th Amendment by adding that district. They used race impermissibly, [2:20] consciously to add a second district to aid those voters. And they said that is simply not allowed [2:26] under our Constitution. A terror investigation is now underway in London after a knife attack [2:31] in a neighborhood with a large Jewish community. Police say two men, one in his 70s and another in his [2:37] 30s, were stabbed. Witnesses say the suspect was seen running with a knife attempting to stab members of [2:43] the public before being detained and handed over to police. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer [2:48] calling the incident deeply concerning. It comes amid a string of recent attacks targeting Jewish sites [2:53] in London. Newly released images show the suspect in the White House Correspondents' dinner attack [2:58] just moments before the incident played out Saturday night. Cole Allen appears to be armed with guns and [3:03] knives, wearing a black shirt and a red tie. Authorities say the pictures were taken from his hotel room [3:09] at the Washington Hilton where he's accused of firing a shotgun outside the ballroom where the [3:14] White House Correspondent Center was taking place. Prosecutors say the images are part of a detention memo [3:19] detailing what they described as a pre-planned and deliberate attack. Allen is scheduled to be in [3:24] court tomorrow. Security changes have been made in New York City where the royal couple visited [3:30] the 9-11 memorial today. It comes midway through a four-day trip for the king and the queen, [3:35] marking 250 years of American independence. Over on Capitol Hill, former Attorney General Pam Bondi [3:41] will now appear for a deposition on May 29. The appearance is part of a House oversight investigation [3:47] into the Justice Department's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case. Democrats had moved to pursue [3:52] contempt charges following her previous failure to show up. Ranking member Robert Garcia applauded the news. [3:59] Well, great news. Clearly we're being effective because it's interesting how it's only when we take [4:05] action and when we actually have to force Republicans to do anything, to call subpoenas, to get in front of [4:11] our committee, that they actually ever do anything. So I am so glad. The Department of Justice says Pam [4:15] Bondi was not required to appear at her previous deposition since she no longer serves as U.S. Attorney General. [4:22] And staying here in Washington, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is on Capitol Hill for a hearing [4:27] on the Pentagon's budget, but it comes as a critical moment in the war with Iran. [4:31] Jay O'Brien is following it all. Rachel, a fiery hearing with Secretary Pete Hegseth, [4:35] as well as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs and a top Pentagon budget official. [4:39] And Democrats on that panel asking pointed questions. One of them from the top Democrat [4:43] on the House Armed Services Committee, Adam Smith, was what was the overall cost to date of this conflict [4:48] with Iran, to which that top Pentagon budget official said, so far to date, it's cost the U.S. taxpayer [4:53] $25 billion. Additionally, Adam Smith going back and forth with Hegseth on the administration's [5:00] justification for this conflict with Iran. Hegseth said it was the nuclear capabilities [5:04] of Iran that posed a threat to the American people. Smith said, but the administration [5:09] last summer, in June, conducted airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and at the time said [5:14] that Iran's nuclear capabilities had been obliterated. So how did Iran pose an imminent threat, [5:20] Smith asked, if its nuclear capabilities had been obliterated last June? Hegseth said Iran [5:26] still had nuclear ambitions. Worth pointing out here, Rachel, as of the end of this week, [5:30] this conflict with Iran will have gone on for 60 days. And there are even some Republicans up here [5:34] on Capitol Hill saying that there should be a vote to authorize this conflict in Iran. So far, [5:39] there's been no successful vote up here on Capitol Hill to authorize the administration's use of force [5:44] in that country. Meanwhile, the Pentagon has officially asked Congress to rename the Department [5:49] of Defense to the Department of War. The rebrand could cost up to $125 million to replace signs [5:56] and letterheads and make other additional changes. Turning now to the weather, a widespread severe [6:02] storm threat impacting millions. A powerful system sweeping from the South to the Midwest, [6:08] bringing damaging winds, hail and possible tornadoes. In Texas, a possible tornado hit mineral wells, [6:14] damaging homes, flattening buildings and sending at least two people to the hospital. [6:18] And in Arkansas, a tree crashing through a woman's home during heavy storms. She was inside at the [6:24] time, but thankfully she was not injured. NASA is not slowing down after the success of Artemis 2, [6:30] now preparing for what's next. Artemis 3. A massive section of the rocket has arrived at the Kennedy [6:36] Space Center after a 900-mile journey from New Orleans. The section will carry the fuel for the [6:42] powerful engines. The next mission will test docking, which is scheduled for later next year. [6:48] The goal is for Artemis 4 to put people on the moon in 2028. And we have much more of what you need [6:53] to know. Stay with us. Here's your daily briefing. Other big stories we are following on ABC News. [7:09] Elon Musk is back on the stand today, squaring off against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman. Musk claims [7:15] that the company, now valued at more than $850 billion, betrayed its original vision of staying [7:21] as a nonprofit. On the stand yesterday, Musk saying, quote, it's not okay to steal a charity. [7:26] But OpenAI lawyers told jurors there was never a promise to remain a nonprofit, arguing that Elon [7:31] Musk is trying to undercut the company to benefit his own AI venture. Musk is seeking billions of [7:36] dollars in damages and what's Altman removed from the board. Overseas, police arrested 22 Buddhist monks [7:43] at an airport in Asia accused of hiding 240 pounds of cannabis in their luggage. The monks were [7:50] returning from Sri Lanka from vacation in Thailand. Police say that the pot was concealed inside fake [7:56] walls in those suitcases. And a strange sight in West Virginia, bright orange water flowing down a stream. [8:04] Take a look at this. State experts believe it is caused by iron related to runoff from an abandoned [8:10] cold mine. Officials say there is no indication of any impact on the local water system at this time. [8:17] And new today, a new study is showing just how little sleep we are all getting. The CDC reports on [8:22] average, 30% of adults are sleeping less than seven hours a night. 13% need sleep aids to fall asleep. [8:29] And about half of them use prescription medications. And finally, before you go, [8:35] good news about the effort to save a humpback whale. Timmy the whale has been stranded in Germany for [8:41] weeks. Rescuers finally got him onto a specially designed barge yesterday. And Timmy started his [8:46] trip to the Atlantic Ocean. Experts are hopeful that he will fully recover. Love the excitement there. [8:53] And that's what you need to know for breaking news and live updates throughout the day. Check out [8:56] ABC News streaming on Disney Plus. New episodes streaming every day on Disney Plus.