Who is our person of the week. Good evening and its great to have you with us on a friday night. We end the week with the breaking headline from the white house. President trump demanding the resignation of tom price, the secretary of health and Human Services is out. Hell be replaced at midnight tonight comes after Spending Hundreds of thousands of dollars of your money on luxury jets and that list of Cabinet Members under fire for spending is growing. Epa chief scott pruitt. Treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin, interior secretary ryan zinke and Top Republicans are demanding an investigation and mary bruce on how much of your money taxpayer dollars has been spent and the questions now mounting tonight. Reporter as he boarded Air Force One tonight, it sounded like the president had made up his mind about Health Secretary tom price. Im disappointed in him. Hes a good man, but im disappointed in him. Reporter just minutes
before, abcs jon karl asked the president if price was going to last. Youll make a decision about whether or not to fire price today . Probably sometime today. Im not happy, okay . Reporter by the time the Air Force One landed price was out. A senior white house source tells abc news the president asked the secretary to resign and he did. Price took more than two dozen trips on private jets. We have heard concerns. I have heard the criticisms. Clearly we werent sensitive to the taxpayer which is why ive taken the actions ive taken. Reporter those flights cost taxpayers more than 400,000. Price promised to personally reimburse the government, but only for the cost of his own seat just 52,000. Hes paying back 52,000 and the planes cost 400,000. Is that enough . No, thats unacceptable. No, that would be unacceptable. Reporter tonight, five Cabinet Secretaries are now under fire for expensive Travel Habits to the tune of more than 625,000. Today, interior secretary ryan zinke, defiant amid revelations he spent more than 15,000 on three private flights. Before we get started, id just like to address, in the words of general schwarzkof, a little bs on travel. Reporter zinke says he didnt have a choice. No commercial options existed to meet the promulgated schedule. Reporter also now under the microscope, Veterans Affairs secretary david shulkin. The Washington Post reporting taxpayers paid for his wife to fly to europe on an official trip, where they took in the sights and attended wimbledon. Just one month earlier, shulkin issued a memo telling employees to review their own travel procedures, writing, i expect this will result in decreased Employee Travel and generate savings. Investigations are already underway into two other Cabinet Secretaries for their Travel Habits e. P. A. Administrator scott pruitt who was under
scrutiny for installing a 25,000 phone booth in his office and Steve Mnuchin accused of taking costly flights. Including that trip to kentucky where he and his wife viewed the eclipse. Mary we wanted to show viewers at home because theres been enormous turnover. Among the names on the list from left to right, tom price, steve bannon, michael flynn, Reince Priebus among others out of this administration. Some republicans have demanded an investigation into the spending here . Reporter republicans and democrats on the hill are demanding a full accounting of administration travel and the president s Budget Director sent out guidelines on the appropriate use of government and private aircraft. David. Mary bruce back on the story. Thank you. In the meantime the white house dealing with the growing humanitarian crisis in puerto rico. The acting Homeland Security chief under fire for calling the response a quote, good news
story while the mayor of san juan went on live tv and took on the Trump Administration saying it is a life or death situation on the ground. Even the Three Star General on the ground there says more help is needed tonight. Heres abcs chief White House Correspondent jonathan karl. Reporter amidst growing frustration in puerto rico, a moment of anguish played out on National Television today as the mayor of san juan listened to acting Homeland Security secretary elaine duke praise the federal response. I am very satisfied. It is really a good news story in terms of our ability to reach people and the limited number of deaths that have taken place in such a devastating hurricane. Well, maybe from where shes standing its a good news story. When youre drinking from a creek, its not a good news story. When you dont have food for a baby, its not a good news story. Im sorry, that really upsets me and frustrates me. Dammit, this is not a good news story. This is a people are dying story. Its a lifeordeath story. Reporter we asked President Trump about dukes comments. Was elaine duke wrong to say that puerto rico was a good news story . Well, i havent heard what she said. I can tell you this, we have done an incredible job considering theres absolutely nothing to work with. Reporter the administration has been beefing up the militarys role, a threestar general now on the ground supervising the federal response. But today that general said it was not enough, and promised to bring in more resources. We will not rest, however, until the people of puerto rico are safe. These are great people. Reporter but the president is also raising questions about whether the federal government should pay to rebuild puerto rico. He has repeatedly brought up the islands large debt, tweeting this morning, Big Decisions will have to be made as to the cost of its rebuilding the government of puerto rico will have to work with us to
determine how this massive Rebuilding Effort will end up being one of the biggest ever will be funded. Jon karl with us live from the white house. The president still plans to visit puerto rico on tuesday . Reporter he plans to go to puerto rico tuesday to get a firsthand look. The white house is very sensitive to criticism that the federal response has been inadequate including one senator who said this could be trumps katrina. I can tell you david that officials here are determined not to repeat the mistakes that president bush made during the katrina disaster. Jon, thanks. So much of puerto rico is still hard to reach. Nearly 3. 5 million citizens live there. Roads and bridges are out. And abcs eva pilgrim making her way to one town where people have to hold on to a wire to cross rushes waters just to check on their homes. Eva is from san juan again tonight. Reporter tonight nine days after Hurricane Maria ravaged puerto rico, nearby communities are unreachable. We journeyed southwest of san juan, along roads caked with debris, finally arriving at the town of morovis. This used to be part of a bridge that has completely collapsed in the force of Hurricane Maria. This town now completely isolated. Families forced to make a whiteknuckle crossing with only a wire to hold on to. Reporter you dont really have a choice . No, we dont have no choice. We just gotta do it. Reporter Making The Trek Home with what few groceries he could find. Chicken. He says after maria hit he carried his father across the rapids, desperate to get him lifesaving dialysis treatment. I had to do it or he was going to die. Reporter with residents all across the u. S. Territory sweltering in long lines for everything from gas to cash, the
threestar general Jeffrey Buchanan now in puerto rico to help lead the recovery efforts. Youve suffered a tremendous devastation, and were there with you. This recovery is going to take a very long time. Reporter more than 10,000 federal, civilian, and Military Personnel are on the island. Eva pilgrim with us. We heard the general say more help is needed and the u. S. Navy hospital ship the comfort is on the way. How long will it take to get there . Reporter the comfort took off from the naval base and expected to arrive here in puerto rico sometime next week. David. Eva pilgrim with us tonight. Thank you. To make matters worse another major threat facing the people of puerto rico. Another tropical system is headed their way, flash flood watches up for this weekend. Lets get to rob marciano who have spent many days in puerto rico. This is incredible. Its not a hurricane but it will bring heavy rain. Its not going to take much to flood that island. We have another Tropical Wave near florida. Lets zoom to puerto rico. Flash flood watches up through we could see two, three, four inches of rain and that may cause Flash Flooding as it drifts off to the rest and the radar is down by maria. The radar is up and working for florida. Theyre going to need it here in the next couple days as this wave drifts north wood. 40 chance of development especially for the east coast of florida. Four five inches of rain through the weekend and nasty weather in through next week. Thank you. In other news tonight, the new developments in the deadly shooting in a Tennessee Church. The gunman in custody. What investigators now say they have discovered in his car. Abcs pierre thomas. Reporter tonight was a Tennessee Church shooting for racially motivated retaliation for another church massacre. Police found a note in the car of a black man charged in a Chapel Mass Shooting referencing the 2015 murderous rampage of white supremacist
dylan roof in charleston south carolina. Roof executed nine black parishioners in cold blood because of race. Emanuel samson is charged with walking into the Tennessee Church. Trying to murder members of the mixed congregation. Mass casualty incident. The shooting ended a white woman fatally shot and six wounded. Possible six victims. The suspect is down. Reporter tonight the fbis investigating a shooting as a possible hate crime. Sources tell abc news the note found in samsons car is one of the reasons why an civil rights investigation was launched so quickly. New surveillance from the take down of a star Football PlayerMichael Bennett. Bennett accused the police of Excessive Force and racial profiling. Heres Kenneth Moton with the images. Reporter tonight, new video shedding light on this now infamous takedown of a star nfl player. Seattle seahawks Defensive EndMichael Bennett at a Las Vegas Casino last month. Seen here in a video obtained by tmz sports, accusing officers of racial profiling, pointing guns and using Excessive Force. Tonight police releasing Body Cam Footage saying they found no evidence of Excessive Force and the officers will not be charged. Its evident they acted appropriately. Reporter police now say they were responding to reports of an active shooter and this is bennett crouching down. Heading for the exit. They yell at him to stop thinking he could be the suspect. Bennett continues to run. The officers tell bennett they are looking for the suspect. What am i being arrested for . What am i being arrested for . Earlier this month bennett told Byron Pitts He was terrified and thought he was going to die. What did he say to you . When he had the gun to your head . Well blow your [ bleep ] head off if you move. Reporter as for that claim that officers pointed a gun at bennett, and racially profiled him, authorities tonight saying they also found no evidence of that. David. Thank you. Next here a forceful message from the superintendent of the u. S. Air force academy after five black candidates woke up to messages saying go home. And called them a racial epithet. Grab your phones. I want you to videotape this so that you have it. If youre outraged by those words than youre in the right place. If you cant treat someone with dignity and respect you need to get out. Tonight the superintendent says he will continue to investigate this. New u. S. Action against cuba Warning Americans not to visit there and ordering more than half of its staff to return home. After those mysterious attacks. Abcs Martha Raddatz with what shes learned. Reporter the mystery is so deep, the Health Effects so serious, that tonight the State Department is ordering all nonessential Embassy Personnel and all families to leave cuba, and is urging all americans to avoid
travel to cuba. The state Department Also suspending all routine visas to the u. S. Issued in cuba. Very bad things happening in cuba. Very bad things. Reporter these strange attacks including sonic harassment, began late last year, more than 20 diplomats targeted in their homes and havana hotels. Reports of permanent hearing loss, confusion, loss of balance, and mild traumatic brain injury. One victim reportedly jolted from bed by a blaring, grinding noise, but just a few feet from the bed silence. It was like passing through an invisible wall with an invisible assailant. We dont know who is responsible. We dont know what is responsible. Reporter Officials Say they cant rule out that cuba, russia, or some other third party is behind the attacks. Today jetblue responded to the Travel Warning saying they would waive any changed fees or cancellation fees if customers have any hesitation about visiting the island. But so far no tourists have been targeted in these mysterious attacks. Martha raddatz who continues to follow the mystery in cuba. Still much more on world news tonight. This friday the Police Officer killed and another officer saved by his Bulletproof Vest after a suspect opens fire. After being pulled over. Where this played out and the manhunt. O. J. Simpson set to walk free monday. Where is simpson headed . What we are learning tonight. Listen to this. New york to shanghai in 39 minutes . Would you take the trip in this new vehicle . Well be right back. Minutes . Would you take the trip in this new vehicle . Well be right back. Including tuberculosis. Serious, sometimes fatal infections, lymphoma and other cancers have happened. Dont start xeljanz if you have an infection. Tears in the stomach or intestines, low Blood Cell Counts and higher liver tests and cholesterol levels have happened. Your doctor should perform blood tests before you start and while taking xeljanz, and monitor certain liver tests. Tell your doctor if you were in a region where fungal infections are common and if you have had tb, hepatitis b or c, or are prone to infections. Xeljanz can reduce the symptoms of ra, even without methotrexate, and is also available in a oncedaily pill. Ask about xeljanz xr. Next tonight o. J. Simpson set to walk free after his final weekend in a las vegas prison and tonight the breaking headline is florida now trying to keep simpson from coming there. Heres abcs Senior National correspondent matt gutman. Reporter Tonight Prison Officials guarding the details of o. J. Simpsons release like a state secret. I did my time. I tried to be helpful to everybody. Bracing an onslaught of paparazzi the minute he walks free. The media following you. Another person vowing to hound a free o. J. Simpson, fred goldman. What would that picture look like . Disgust. Goldman who won a judgment against simpson for the murder of his son says simpson owes him 60 million. It might as well be 6 billion. Simpsons lawyer scoffing at the notion on gma today. Hes been in prison for the last nine years. And the nfl pension, untouchable. David, simpson said he wants to move to florida to be near his children, but complicating that is the paperwork to get him there still has not been filed and now the Florida Attorney general weighing in saying she objects to his relocation there. David. Matt gutman on this for us. When we come back, new details about the officer shot and killed. A mother and fiveyear veteran and the manhunt. And the second officer who survived because of his Bulletproof Vest. More news ahead. His Bulletproof Vest. More news ahead. Unpredictable Abdominal Pain or discomfort and diarrhea. I tried Lifestyle Changes and overthecounter treatments, but my symptoms keep coming back. It turns out i have Irritable Bowel Syndrome with diarrhea