Arts allows us to do that. All that and more on tonights pbs wshour. Major funding forurhe pbs newshoas been provided by advice for life. Life wellplanned. Learn more at raymondjames. Com. Text night and day. Catch it on replay. Burning some fat. Ng shahe latest viral cat you can do the things you like to do with a wireless plan designed for you. With talk, text and data consumer cellular. Learn more at consumercellular. Tv babbel. A Language Program that teaches spanish, french, italian, german, and more. And with the ongoing support of these institutions this program sss made le by the corporation for public broadcasting. And by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. Thank you. Woodruff President Trump is claiming widespread support from black americans, and declaring himself, the least racist person in the world. That came today, as he defended his attacks on elijah cummings, the baltimore congressman leading investigations of mr. Trump. The president befo an event in virginia that black lawmakers boycotted. As his helopter roared, he sisted its voters that count. They are hay as hell. So you may have a couple of politicians boycott but its all a fix. Its all a fix. Anthe fact is african amer people love the job im doing cause im working for them, imo working for the politicians. Woodruff in fact, a recent gallup poll found only 8 of African Americans support mr. Trump. Meanwhile, he was briefly heckled in jamestown today, at the event marking the start of selfgovernment in ameri in 1619. The first african slaves arrived that same year. For their part, black Virginia State legislators gathered in richmond, where a slave jail once stood. One tearfully urged spectators to reclaim the nations soul. The number of central americangr ts crossing mexico to the u. S. Border has dropped nearlye 40 siy. The Mexican Government announced today the nuer fell to 87,000 in july. Ud, the American Civil Liberties union sa. Officials have separated mrae than 900 m children from their families since a federal judge curtailed ye practice lar. Well get details, later in the program. Se tle woman had her initial Court Appearance today in a huge data breach at capital one financial. Paige thompson allegacked credit card applications from more than 100 million people. The data included credit scores, Bank Balances and soci security numbers. Capital one says it is unlikely fthe data was actually us fraud. It appears north korea has carried out new missile launches, for the second time in less than a week. South korea reports the north fired multiple, unidentifieds projectito the sea, early on wednesday. North Koreas Kim Jong un agreed last month to revive talks on scrapping his nuclear program. Prodemocracy protesters in hong kong have clashed with police again tonight after 44 people were charged with rioting on sunday. Hundreds swarmed a Police Station where the accused were being held, and police in riot gear fired pepper spray to try to disperse the crowd. Earlier, demonstrators blocked subway train doors, disrg ting the mornsh hour. Still, some of the commuters supported the effort. translated this is what the movement is trying t achieve. The government is not addressing thproblems in our society, such as political issues, Police Violence and suspected triad gangs. That is why now hongkongers have no choice but use different creative approaches to remind people what is happening here. W druff the protesters have demanded an independent investigation of Police Actions but vernment in Mainland China blamed the west again today for stoking the protests. In afghanistan, a United Nations report finds that afnd nato forces have killed more civilians this year than the taliban has. More than 700 people have died in afghan and Coalition Military operations including air strikes and night raids on militant hideouts. Taliban attacks have killed 531 civilians. The u. S. And the taliban are currently holding talks on a peace settlement. Back in this country, President Trump warned china not to delay a trade deal, waiting to see if he will be reelected next year. He said he will be much tougher after the ection. The two countries resumed trade ta shanghai today. California will mandate that lepresident ial candidates e their tax returns to qualify for the states primary ballot. No democratic govgavin newsom signed the new law today. It is aimed at presirumps refusal to rease his returns. Newsom said states have a legal and moral duty to ensure that the nations wouldbe leaders meet minimal standards. D, on wall street today the Dow Jones Industrial average lost 23 points to ose at 27,198. The nasdaq fell 19 points,nd the s p 500 slipped seven. Still to ce on the newshour how Sexual Assault allegations aimed at the top of u. S. Military command raise questions on how they are investigated. Whats on the line for the democratic president ial candidates squaring off in tonights debate. Second chances for young adults caught up in the juvenile justice stem. And much more. Woodruff the confirmation hearing for general john hyten, who is the far general nominated to be one of the highest positions in the u. S. Military, was upended today when an active duty colonel again accused general hyten of Sexual Assault and lying to the Senate Immediately outside the hearing. William brangham has the story. We just had a fourstar general get front of the American People and in open testimony in front of the Senate Armed Services committee, and enmake false official stat, under oath. He lied about sexually assaulting me. Brangham an unprecedented accusation. Ti duty army colonel Kathryn Spletstoser alleged general john hyten, the air force general tapped by president ump to be the pentagons second in llmmand, lied to the senate today about sexuay assaulting her in 2017. She spoke to reporters immediately after hytens confirmation hearing, where he again categorically denied her allegations. Spletstoser alleged that during a 2017 conference in california, hyten came to her hotel room, kissed, touched, aai pressed up t her until he ejaculated. She says he was infatuated with her and uched her inappropriately several times before. The air force investigated the allegati for several months, and found insufficient evidence to support any finding of misconduct against general hyten. Spletstoser said there was sufficient evidence to charge hyten. Since the allethtions emerged, Senate Armed ServicesCommittee Conducted its own investigation. The truth is that general hyten is innocent of these charges. Brangham both republicans and democrats today praised the committees handling of the probe. Thank you to chairman inhofe anranking member reed for conducting a very thorough, and a very fair inquiry. The fact this has been such an exhaustive, extensive, professional investigationes speaks vol brangham there was also bipartisan agreement that hyten was innocent of thcharges. Perhaps most notably, from arizonas republican senator martha mcsally. Shes an air force veteran, and revealed this year she was raped by a superior officer years ago. I didnt take coming to this conclusion lightly. I knew the message it could sena to sexual t survivors, who havent seen all the information w the case that i have. The process i junessed was strong, fair, and investigators turned over every rock to seek justice. S brangham notably, two of the democratic senatwhove been itical of how this investigation unfolded, Kristin Gillibrand and Elizabeth Warren, were both absent because of their democratic president ial debate. Throughout the heang, as he has since the allegations emerged, general hyten denied the charges. It has been a painful time for me and my family, but i want to state to you and to the American People in the strongest possible terms that these allegations are false. Brangham but spletstoser, who was in the room for his hearings, said hyten was lying, and his confirmation will deter assault victims from coming forward. This moving forwards tells everybody, every Sexual Assault survivor, victim, whatever you want to call them, that theyed ot bother to report. They wont be taken seriously. Despite having a flawless record, they will always be quesoned, theyll be the one investigated, they wont see justice. And hey, in the end, Senior Officers are allowed to sexually assault people, and well just give them a promion instead. Brangham the Armed Services committee does not intmad to public its report on their findings on the allegations. Theyre poised to approve hytens nomination. Brangham for more on todays hearing and what it says about the way the military investigates Sexual Assault in the ranks, we get two views. Retired colonel Don Christensen had a 23year career as a lawyer in the air force and has prosecuted many Sexual Assault cases. Hes now president of protect our defeers, an Advocacy Organization that defends Sexual Assault victims in the military. And retired lt. Col. Rachel vanlandingham haa 20year career in the air force as a lawyer and has also prosecuted Sexual Assault cases. Shes now a professor of law at southwestern law school. Thank you both for being here. Don christensen,d love to start with you frst. You represent an Advocacy Organization that looks out for people in the services that ve been assaulted or harassed. What do you make of these allegations and what u make of the investigation that was done into these alegations . Well, the allegations are extremely troubng. Colonel saspletstosereen consist. She has made herself available to the senate, osi, the m it was incredible that she talked to the media right afterward. There are no inconsies in what she has said. The investigation itself seemed to be rushed, but the thing to remember about a sex assiglt inveion in Something Like this, and we heard the senate say there is no corroboration, she never said anybody else was in t room. As wih most Sexual Assaults, there is no one else in the room. I dont know what they wanfor corroboration. Do they think general hyten was stupid enough to send an email and say, hey, sorry i sexually assaulted you. Yang braorngham profewhat do you make of this in. Well, neither of us have scene or read the investigation. We have only seen what has been released in the meddia an has been articulated by the senators from the Senate Armed Services committee, but investigations are contention actual, so it would only be rushed if there had been quite a bit of evidence to uncover, anit does noseem to be the case in this situation. There was, in fact, what this case and wt this situation thlls me is that no one is above the law. Even a fourstar general in the United States air force when serious credible allegations of Sexual Assault are lodged agnst him or her is going to be investigated and is going to be investigated quite thoroughly. There have, in fact, been two investigation, as well there should be, both the air force office of snecialestigation, and then as we just heard on that clip, the senatArmed ServicesCommittee Conducted their own investigation. So i have been able to ascertain from the news reports that there were over 50 winesses interviewed, and thousands of pages of documents. So im not rely quite sue what hasnt been done here. I dont know what else can actually be done torroborate an accusation in which there is simply no other evidence to suort it. Brangham Don Christensen, lets pick up on this. Professor vanlandingham believes this was sufficient and there was an appropriatest ination. I know some questions have been raised as to whether its appropriate to have a fourstar general, which is general hytens rank, be investigated officers who are inferior to him, not diectly under hi rank, but who are clearly below rank. Do you think thats appropriate . Well, theres definitely a perception problem in this case. I believe general hyten was the second or third mo senior general in the entire United States air force at the time of tithe investi. And there are only about 13 fourstar generals in the r force. If there was going to be anr investigation rception issues, it would have been much better off if one of the other servicto criminal investi had looked at this. But the thing to remember about investigations from the o. S. I. , contrary to wha the air for and the department of defense keep spinning this with, the investigators do not reach a conclusion whether or not these allegations are true. All they do is uncover facts and get ints and track down evidence. They do not make a suggestion. They dont reach a conclusion. So it would be muh better to go off to somebody else, but lets remember, he was not cleared by an investigation. He was cleared by a fellow general officer. Brangham profe vanlandingham, what do you make of this . This wasnt a true exoneration. This was sily then ting to gather the facts, and we still dont necessarily knowhat all at evidence is saying . Well, we do have professional the air force doesave professional investigators and fact finders, and don is absolutely correct th they reach factual conclusion, not legal conclusions. Ose leg conclusions, however, where i disagree with don is thf conclusions whether or not a crime was committed or whether any kid adverse administrative action was warranted by the actuala evidence made by a senior officer in the United States air force, senior to general hyten, as well as was made by the Senate Armed Services committee indi so the investigators themselves werent reaching those conclusions, and they shouldnin be reathose conclusions. If there was any doubt regarding ther the comprehensiveness of the investigation or appeseara of partiality, the Senate Armed Services committee could have easily had the lead investigator come speak with them, and to the best of my knowledge, they did not. Instead they have the victim, the colonel herself, they spoket with heo assess hered cribility to ensure they were didoing their dueigence. Rangham Don Christensen, colonel splesstoser says if th general gets this promotion, this will mean other survivors wont come forward. I absolutely agree with that. Approximately 75 to 80 of people are who are sexually wntulted in the militar come forward and report it because they fear ret ialiati the military. What has happened to her today is a classic of example of blaming the victim, smearing the victim. It sent a terribly negative messageto the force that evn when credible evidence is brought forward that a gentle officer will still be promoted after sexually assaulting someone. Brangham professor vanlandingham, same qu to you. If hyten is confirmed, does this cae a Chilling Effect . This does not cause a Chilling Effect. In fact, it sends a message that all allegations of Sexual Assault will be taken seriously, even if you are a four star or a major or even if youre a staff sergeant. In fact, tha individual who accuses someone of Sexual Assault is invited to cgress and gets to sit down with senators to discuss their complaint. Thats not if thats not something being taken seriously, i dont know what is brangham professor rache vanlandingham and Don Christensen, thank you very much. Have a yet day. Woodruff as we reported earlier, the American Civil Liberties union says the Trump Administration has continued to separate Migrant Children from their parents at the southwest border, amna nawaz has our report. Nawaz judy, lee gelernt is the lead attorney for the American Civil Liberties uon, representing the separated families, and can tell us moou todays court filing. Welcome back to ths news hour. Leart with that number. The exact number is 911 children. You have identified in this court filing as having been separated from their families bejune 28th of last year and june 29th of this year. Start with that. How did you arrive at that number . Whats that based on . Thats right. Thats not a number that we discovered on our own. We would have no way of doing that. Those are numbers the Court Ordered the government to give us, and the lattes numbers we got from the government are1 91. We have an excel spreadsheet that shows the separations. They have been going up monthly. The shocking thing about this is the government is clg this theyre doing this for the c