New York Gov. David Paterson (D) is offering state help to the developers of the proposed “Ground Zero Mosque” if they agree to move it further from the Trade Center complex.
Our reporters have been in contact with rescue authorities and various other sources on the ground in Alaska through the morning getting the very latest updates on what’s happening on the ground at the plane crash involving fmr. Sen. Stevens and others. They’re filing moment to moment updates in updates at the bottom of this story. To find out the very latest, click here.
We’re not certain to what purpose. But embattled Rep. Charlie Rangel was given an hour of speaking time on the floor of the House about 15 minutes ago. And is talking about the shortcoming of the Ethics charges against him. We’re monitoring. You can watch live here.
Another poll confirms what I noted yesterday. A bare majority of New Yorkers (city, not state) oppose the Mosque and Community Center project near Ground Zero. But a similarly bare majority of people in Manhattan support it.
As noted, this is not terribly surprising given the differing politics of the different boroughs.
The Alaska Air National Guard tells TPM that they are not able to evacuate the survivors at this time. “The weather is still pretty bad out there,” a spox says. So they are treating the injured on the scene until they can get them to hospitals. Current weather in the vicinity is rainy and in the upper 40s.
Alaska TV station KTUU is reporting that Ted Stevens died in last evening’s plane crash. They are citing Dave Dittman, a former Stevens aide and longtime family friend.
Late Update: We just obtained a statement from Dittman, in which he stresses that the news he received was not confirmed:
Dave received a call last night and was told that Senator Stevens had perished in a plane crash. That has not been confirmed. That is just what he was told. In the meantime he has talked with close friends of the family and it has not been confirmed to them either. And as recent as 8:50 AK time this morning it still had not been confirmed.
From the Fairbanks News-Miner:
The Alaska National Guard arrived at the crash scene this morning and is providing medical support to the victims, who are expected to be transported to Dillingham. A U.S. Coast Guard C-130 will be available to take victims in need of serious medical attention to Anchorage.
An Alaska Air National Guard spox is on Fox now saying rescuers arrived about an hour ago.
A plane full of VIPs going down in Alaska recalls, of course, the 1972 plane crash that killed House Majority Leader Hale Boggs and Rep. Nick Begich. The subsequent histories of both men’s heirs are well known. Boggs’ wife Lindy succeeded him in Congress and held that seat for another 18 years after his death. Of the Boggs’ children, the best known in DC political circles are lobbyist Tommy Boggs and NPR’s Cokie Roberts. Begich was succeeded by Don Young, who still holds the seat. Begich’s son Mark defeated Ted Stevens in 2008 and is now the junior senator from Alaska.
A preliminary report from the FAA lists eight passengers on board, of which 5 were killed and one seriously injured. The condition of the remaining 2 passengers is listed as unknown. But CNN is reporting that, according to the FAA in Alaska, two survivors had serious injuries and two had minor injuries.
Late Update: OK, Rachel Slajda just got off the phone with an understandably frazzled spokesperson for the Alaska regional office of the FAA. They are still not sure if there were 8 or 9 people on board the plane. They believe there were five fatalities, but are not positive of that number yet either, so they are calling it “several fatalities.” There were survivors, some with minor injuries, some with major injuries.