Smiley over sexual allegations. Morgan spurlock confesses to his own inappropriate behavior. And salma hayek calls Harvey Weinstein a monster. The new statement from weinstein just ahead. Those stories plus a dramatic Armed Robbery at a donut shop. A worker shot in the neck. The suspect is on the run. The email that had these students exploding with joy. Bravo, charlie. After 15 incredible months, were saying goodbye to our puppy with a purpose, today, thursday, december 14th, 2017. Announcer from nbc news, this is today. Live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. Morning, everybody. Welcome to today. Thank you for joining us on a thursday morning. We have to say goodbye to charlie. Are you going to be all right . Charlie, come here. Come here. Come on you mean we cant do that anymore . You know what . What . Charlie is going somewhere for a good cause. Yes, he is. Stacy, his veteran he is going to be with. We cant wait to send him off in the style he deserves. Itll be a tearjerker day here. Yes. First, lets talk taxes. Charlie, your taxes arent going up. Heres the news out of washington. Including a new deal between republicans that could land their controversial tax bill on the president s desk next week. There is also growing fallout this morning over roy moores stinging defeat in alabama and his refusal, so far, to concede the race. Well talk about that and more with senatorelect doug jones in a moment. Well begin with nbc National Correspondent peter alexander. Hi, peter. Good morning. Reporter good morning to you. President trump vowing the u. S. Is on the verge of an economic miracle. If Congress Passes the bill next week, as expected, he says there will be more money in peoples paychecks beginning in february. Republicans reaching an agreement on this tax overall plan in principle. Democrats are blasting the entire process as a charade that disproportionally benefits the wealthiest americans. Americans will see lower taxes and bigger paychecks beginning in february. Reporter pivoting from a political defeat in alabama, President Trump taking an early victory lap on taxes. We want to give you, the american people, a giant tax cut for christmas. Reporter multiple gop sources familiar with the negotiations tell nbc news the highest earners will pay less. Their tax rate knocked down from nearly 40 to 37 . Up to 10,000 of state and property taxes can be deducted. The cap for mortgage interest deductions lowered to 750,000 from 1 million right now. The bill also repeals a key component of obamacare, the individual mandate. No longer penalizing people for not having health insurance. Potentially jeopardizing already fragile marketplaces. For businesses, a significant Corporate Tax cut, currently 35 . Dropping to 21 beginning next year. Democrats are calling on Senate Majority leader Mitch Mcconnell to hit the brakes on his tax bill until alabamas new senator is seated. Delay until doug jones gets here and can cast a vote. Jones, calling for his opponent, roy moore, to concede. Do the right thing, roy. It is time that we heal. Reporter moore still defiant, releasing this statement on youtube overnight. The battle rages on. In this race, we have not received the final count to include military and provisional ballots. This has been a very close race, and we are awaiting certification by the secretary of state. Reporter his stunning loss still reverberating. Alabamians didnt want somebody who dated 14yearold girls. Reporter some republicans relieved the democrat won the race. It was a great night for america. I couldnt be more happy. Reporter but not for President Trump. Not happy with the way it turned out. As the leader hof the party, i would have liked the seat. Reporter steve bannon campaigned for moore. Looked like a dishevelled drunk off the street. Reporter he wants to step up his fight against the establishment while crediting the democrats. You have to give the devil his due. There is no magic wand. You have to outwork people. If you get outworked, youre going to lose. Reporter here in washington, back on the russia investigation, the president s son, donald trump jr. , spending another nine hours behind closed doors wednesday. This time with senate investigators. His third interview on the hill. As he left, reporters asked whether he would be back or if he was done. Trump junior replied, you never know. Cold one out here. Tough to talk. Back to you. Thank you very much, peter. Senatorelect jones is with us this morning exclusively. Good morning to you. Thank you for having me. You havent been sworn in yet. Well get to that in a moment. Let me start with your opponent, roy moore, who has we just saw, hasnt yet conceded. I presume he hasnt called you this morning. He said they need to count provisional ballots, military ballots. If you could talk to him right now, what would you say . Well, i understand the frustration a little bit. It is a close race. Id say, look, it is time to move on. Every race is tough. Its bitter sometimes. I think this one was one that people of alabama have now spoken a little bit, and they decided to heal. I think our campaign has been about that. Its been about trying to find Common Ground and heal. I think hed do well to go ahead and lets get this behind us, so the people of alabama can get someone in there and start working for them. To be clear, you say it is close but there is no doubt in your mind what the result was tuesday night. No, theres no doubt in my mind. Okay. We learned at the numbers and weve had folks we feel confident in the outcome of this race. I dont need to tell you how extraordinary this victory was. You come from alabama, about as republican a state as there is. Forgive me for being so direct. Do you think the voters there voted for you or against roy moore . I think it was a combination. I think every election is a combination of your message as well as your opponents. In this race, theres no question, we had the wind at our back. We felt like our message was getting across. People were really responding to what we called the Kitchen Table issues. Obviously, roy moore has his issues, with his record and all of the disturbing allegations. But thats okay. Im fine with that because if people in the state reject that kind of politics, i think it is a very good thing. I know that the president called you and you said he congratulated you. Again, you come from a republican state, a state that still has 48 approval for President Trump, which is higher than the national avenrage. Right. Are there areas you could work with President Trump . What would those be . I think we have to find any number of areas. I mean, im not going to rattle off right now, but ive told and ive consistently said this, even in the primary, that if the president has things on his agenda i think are good for the people of alabama, im absolutely going to work with there him. We have a great Defense Industry in alabama. Id like to see those federal dollars coming into the state. I can work with him on those issues. I can work with our delegation, all of whom i know, and especially senator shelby, who i have known for decades, ever since hes been a public servant. Real quickly because im out of time, you heard senator schumer, the democratic leader in the senate wants republicans to not vote on tax reform until you get there and can cast a vote. Do you agree . Do you think theyll wait . Ill let that play out. I really dont have a position on that. You know, with the holidays and everything going on, this is a big deal. I want it to be done right. Well see how it plays out. Alabama senatorelect doug jones, thank you for your time. Appreciate it. My pleasure. Thank you. Also this morning, there are new concerns over the health of arizona senator john mccain. Hes back in the hospital being treated for side effects related to his ongoing cancer therapy. Katie hunt is on capitol hill with the latest. Good morning. Reporter good morning to you. Senator john mccain has not voted here in the senate all week, as his battle with brain cancer is intensifying. Both he and his family are struggling with this devastating disease. Senator john mccain battling brain cancer. Doing just fine. Reporter hospitalized at walter reed this morning. His office saying in a statement, the treatment is for, quote, normal side effects of his ongoing cancer therapy. Adding, senator mccain looks forward to returning to work as soon as possible. The treatment is very difficult. John has kept his senatorial duties a a level thy ies at a l mind. Reporter mccain a war hero, held prisoner in vietnam. Now battling the same deadly brain cancer that killed joe bidens son, beau. I think about beau almost every day. I was told im sorry that this doesnt get easier. Look, one of the things that gave beau courage, my word, was john. Beau talked about your dads courage. Not about illness but about his courage. Reporter megan mccain accelerating her recent wedding after her dads diagnosis. We were at mayo clinic and my father had his scan. We got engaged because we decided to sort of celebrate life and celebrate being alive and all these things. Reporter her father walking her down the aisle last month, even with his injured foot in a boot. After his diagnosis, making an emotional tribute to the senate he served for three decades. Whether or not we are of the same party, we are not the president s ees suborbanats. Reporter mccain is a critical vote in the senate. He killed efforts to rid of obamacare. At this point, no word on when mccain might be returning to work. Hoda . Caskasie hunt, thanks. Newman, a white house aide and former kw eer apprentice contestant is on the way out. It was a dramatic departure from the white house. Hallie jackson has that story this morning. Good morning. Reporter good morning. You got that right. Apparently escorted off the grounds here, trying to get back into the residence to debate the terms of her exit. That is what we are told from one source close to the white house. With the white house official acknowledging the timing of ama departure was unexpected. All of it as one of the administrations famous faces says goodbye. Ive always been a big ama rosa fan, but youre fired. Reporter from the apprenti apprentice to the administration i want to thank my Television Star over here. Reporter now the exit. A white house spokesperson says newman is resigning, effective next month. Wishing her the best in future endeavors. A source close to the white house tells nbc news ama rosa was escorted off the grounds after trying to debate the terms of her departure. The secret service says their agents never removed her. Tweeting, our only involvement in this matter was to deactivate her pass. Ama rosa did not respond to our request for comment. There are sources very familiar with this departure who said she was let go, but there are also sources close to her saying shes telling people she left voluntarily. Reporter she was the president s most prominent africanamerican adviser in the west wing, traveling with him as recently as this weekend to a Civil Rights Museum in mississippi. A loyalist from the start. Every detractor will have to bow down to President Trump. Reporter officially, she worked in the communications department. I said, praise the lord, everybody. Unofficially, she struggled to shake her small screen reputation as a villain. Nobody knows what ama rosa does in the white house, other than piss people off. Really, monica . Reporter ama rosa, a reality show staple, known by her first name, took her husbands last name when she married this spring. Raising eyebrows by brienging hr 39person Wedding Party to the white house for photos. Now, fittingly for the tv star, departure drama. It is not clear why her pass has been deactivated. Jerez natiher resignation is noe until next month. The president is tweeting about her, thanking her for her service and wishing her continued success. Back to you. Hallie, thank you so much. We have breaking news from the entertainment and Business World this morning. Disney Just Announced it has reached a deal to buy most of 21st century fox. 52 billion megamerger will create an entertainment powerhouse. Disney acquires foxs tv and movie studios and its 30 stake in hulu. The Rupert Murdoch controlled company will keep its sports assets. Russian president putin is sounding off on a number of issues including scandals in his country and here in the u. S. This as he prepares to face an unlikely kp lly challenger in h election. Keir simmons is in moscow for us. Reporter good morning. President putin is still in the building here, into the fourth hour of answering questions from journalists. Dismissively describing the controversial over the american elections as spy fever. While in the audience, a woman who says she plans to take on putin in the russian elections. President trump weeks after an announcing he will run for reelection, facing more questions about russias intervention in americas democratic process. All of this has been invented, made up by people who are in a position to President Trump, he told journalists. With hopes of shedding a negative light on trump. He praised the u. S. President. Look at the markets, how theyve grown, putin said. I do think hope he wants to improve relations with russia. Listening in the audience, could this woman be russias next president . A former reality tv star, once called russias paris hilton, now a 36yearold mother who says shes ready to take on the controversial and powerful russian leader. Russian people are not stupid. They know that the system were living is undemocratic. My dream is to see this kremlin wall opened for all the people. Reporter she already has supporters. What do you think of the idea of a woman becoming president of russia . Yes. Reporter and detractors, who allege shes running with putins blessing to make the election look legitimate. A putin family friend, her father, was one of putins mentors. Are you president putins goddaughter . I am not. Reporter you can see why people would be suspicious. Some people say you are a kremlin stooge. They can say, and they will say whatever they like. I think they should judge actions. Reporter her Election Office run by young stars, using social media. She has 5. 4 million instagram followers. Her account mixing fashion with politics. Politics is not something boring. It is not only old men sitting in suits and discussing inflation. It is fashionable. Reporter this morning, putin denying russia used social media to influence americas election. They see our media as a threat, he said. Where did freedom of the press go . She had the opportunity to ask president putin a tough question. If youre in opposition in this country, it means youll be jailed ord kill jail ed or killed. What do you say to that . Shes unlikely to win the election. If putin does, hed be president until 2024. Itd mean he serves a term almost as long as joseph stalin. Keir, thank you very much. Seeing some snow out there. Beginning to look a lot like christmas it looks even more like christmas. Wow. Smartville, new york. Right there, right off of lake ontar ontario. You can see, video from our pal, simon brewer. Lot of folks trying to get through. A lot said, the heck with it, leave the car and head home. We have lakeeffect snow and light snow in new york city. Parts of new jersey and on into pennsylvania. This system is going to be pushing off pretty quickly. Snow showers this morning, slick roads. Got another system coming in, another clipper coming across. And the wind chills are going to be fairly brutal, in Single Digits to keens from cleveland, buffalo, down to baltimore, boston and burlington into the weekend. Not a lot more snow coming in here, but we are looking for maybe 1 to 2 inches, especially on the leeward side of the eastern deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa la la la la la la. Oh when you walk by every night talking sweet and looking fine. Tis the season to be jolly. Fa la la la la. Oohh. Im so into you. What fun it is to ride and sing a sleighing song tonight. Its just a sweet, sweet fantasy bab. Its time for the holidays. Holla back holla hey. Hurry in to old navy get up to 60 off the entire store with sleepwear from seven dollars and sweaters from ten dollars. At old navy. Good morning. Im bill henley. The snow that fell overnight doesnt have a chance. The temperatures warm up nicely. Melting conditions for philadelphia. Up to 36 and a breezy one for the suburbs. Those are drying breezes. Up to 37 degrees new jersey and at the shore the clouds will break for sunshine. 40s there. The cold spot will be the Lehigh Valley, but even with sunshine and 32 degrees, the snow will be melting and up to 38 for delaware. Have a great day. Thats your latest weather. Guys . Al, thanks. Coming up, the avalanche of new Sexual Misconduct allegations against powerful men in television and music. Plus, how Harvey Weinstein is responding this morning to disturbing accusations from oscar nominee salma hayek. And better than black friday . Why waiting to do your Holiday Shopping could actually pay off, and in a big way this year. First, this is today on nbc. Coming up, the post on facebook that led a couple who always wanted kids to adopt seven siblings. Well share their heartwarming story. Charlies dogs cant see color like we do. But they see you like its the first time, every time. They see a tough day a mile away. And things they cant unsee. They see life. And they see love. Every time they see you. Maybe dogs cant see color. But what they see is so much more. Dogs are more. Lets treat them that way. Milkbone. Doing more for dogs since 1908. That works for us. With capella universitys groundbreaking flexpath format, you set your own deadlines to fit your life. So you can live learn. Find out more about flexpath at capella. Edu. If you could see your cough, youd see all the sickness youre spreading. Robitussin cf max. Nothing lasts longer and treats more symptoms for your cough, cold and flu. elevator bell ringing robitussin cf max severe. Because its never just a cough. Robitussin cf max severe. 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