"I WISH THAT HE WERE BRAVE AND HONORABLE MAN..HS CLEARLY TRYI TNGO COVER UP WHAT HAPPENE" D. BREAKING RIGHT NOW ON WJCL 22 MORNING NEWS ... CAPITOL ATTACK REQUEST REFUSAL. HOUSE MINORITY LEADER KEVIN MCARTHY SHARES WHY HE WON'T HELP THE PANEL INVESTIGATING THE DEADLY JANUARY 6TH RIOT. MASK UPGRADES AND MILITARY HEL P. MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENTS EXPECTED ... AT ANY MOMENT . AS OFFICIALS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY ... FIGHT THE RECORD COVID CASE SPIKE. COULD OPENING DEBATE LEAD TO A VOTE? I'M AIXA DIAZ IN WASHINGTON WITH DEMOCRATS' NEW STRATEGY TO ADVANCE VOTING RIGHTS. AND ... A NEW DEVELOPMENT ... IN THE CHOKING OF THIFOS RMER N-F-L PLAYER ... AT THE HANDS OF POLICE IN GEORG. IA HIS LEGAL WIN ... AGAINST THE OFFICERS. HERE'S A LIVE LOOK FM RO OUR SKYVIEW 22 CAMERA AT THE HO MEWOOD SUITES ON THE SAVANNAH RIVER. THANKS FOR STARTING YOUR DAY WITH WJCL 22 NE. WS GOOD MORNING - - I'M EMMA HAMILTON. AND I'M FRANK SULKOWSKI. I'LL BE KEEPING A SAFE DISTANCE FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS ... AFTER TAKING A TR IP TO INDIANOPOLIS TO COVER THE GEORGIA BUDOLLG'S NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP WIN THIS WEEK. METEOROLOGIST JONATH MYERS IS JOINING US NO..W NOW, HERE'S YOUR STO RM TRACKER RADAR... TODAY PARTLY SUNNY, WITH HIGHS 60-64. CALM WIND BECOMING WEST 5 TO 8 MPH IN THE MORNING. TONIGHT MOSTLY CLEAR, WITH A L OW AROUND 42. WEST WIND 6 TO 9 MPH. FRIDAY SUNNY, WITH A HIGH NEAR 60. NORTHWEST WIND 7 TO 9 MPH, WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 20 MPH. FRIDAY NIGHT PARTLY CLOUDY, WITH A LOW AROUND 38. CALM WIND. SATURDAY PARTLY SUNNY THEN INCREASING AFTERNOON CLOUDS, WITH A HIGH NEAR 62. EAST WIND 3 TO 7 MPH. SATURDAY NIGHT A CHANCE OF SHOWERS BEFORE 1AM, THEN RAIN AFTER 1AM. LOW AROUND 46. CHANCOF E PRECIPITATION IS 80%. NEW PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS BETWEEN A TENTH AND QUARTER OF AN INCH POSSIBLE. SUNY DA RAIN AND WIND, WITH HIGH NEAR 62. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION IS 80% HIGHWAY 21 AND STATE ROAD 30 IN PORT WENTRTWO BREAKING RIGHT NOW ... A CHASE INVOLVING A DEPUTY IN TEXAS ... ENDED IN A *DEADLY SEVEN- CAR CSHRA. HARRIS COUNTY AUTHORITIES SAY IT HAPPENED LATE LAST NIGHT ... AFTER A DEPUTY CHASED AN ARMED ROBBERY SUSPECT IN NORTHEAST HOUSTON. YOU CAN SEE THE CARS INVOLVED ... ARE JUST A NGMALED *MESS THIS MORNIN G. POLICE SAY THE DEPUTY HAD HIS LIGHTS AND SIRENS ON ... AS HE WAS GOING THROUGH AND INTERSECTION ... SO THEY'RE STILL NOT SURE EXACTLY HOW THE ACCIDENT PLAYED O. UT ONE WOMAN WAS KILLED AND SEVERAL CHILDREN WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. BREAKING OVERNIGHT ... HOUSE MINORITY LEADER KEVIN MCARTHY IS REFUSG IN TO COOPERATE WITH THE COMMITTEE INVESTIGATING THE JANUARY SIXTH RIOT. THE CALIFORA NI REPUBLICAN MADE E TH ANNOUNCEMENT HOURS AFTER THE PANEL ASKED HIM TO PROVIDE INFORMATN.IO THAT INFORMATION INCLUDED DETAILS ABOUT FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP 'S STATE OF MIND DURING THE CAPITOL ATTACK.. AND THE FOLLOWING WEEK S. MCARTHY'S STATEMENT LAST NIGHT SAID QUOTE "AS A REPRESENTATIVE AND THE LEADER OF THE MINORITY PARTY, IT IS WITH NEITHER REGRET NOR SATISFACTN IO THAT I HAVE CONCLUDED TO - *NOT PARTICIPATE WITH THIS SECTLE COMMITTEE'S ABUSE OF POWER THAT STAINS THIS INSTITUTION TODAY AND WILL HARM IT GOING FORWAR" D.END QUOTE. NOW WE WANT TO SHOW YOU A CLIP ... WHEN MCARTHY WAS PREVIOUSLY ASKED IF HE WOULD TESTIFY ABOUT THE CAPITOL RIOTS. MANU: WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO TESTIFY ABOUT YOUR CONVERSATION WITH DONALD TRUMP ON JANUARY 6 IF U YO WERE ASKED BY AN OUTSIDE COMMISSION? MCCARTHY: (CUTTING OFF MANU): SURE. NEXT QUESTION. MCCARTHY COULD BE HEARD SAYING QUOTE ... "SURE." EL FLOW REPUBLICAN A ND MEMBER OF THE JANUARY SIXTH COMMITTEE ... LIZ CHENEY ... DID NOT HOLD BACK WHEN RESPONDING TO MCCARTHY'S REFUSAL. "I WISH THAT HE WERE BRAVE AND HONORABLE MA. N. HE'S CLEARLY TRYING TO COVER UP WHAT HAPPEN. ED HE HAS AN OBLIGATION TO COME FORWARD AND WE'LL GET TO THE TRUTH." MCCARTHY SAYS THE COMMITTEE'S INVESTIGATION IS ILLEGITIMATE ... BECAUSE HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI REJECTED SOME OF HIS PICKS FOR THE PANE L. THE C-D-C IS EXPECTED TO UPDATE ITS MASK WEARG IN GUIDANCE ... URGING AMERICANS TO UPGRADE THEIR FACE COVERINGS. AND AS ABC'S FAITH ABUBEY REPORTS ... PRESIDT EN BIDEN IS EXPECTED TO MAKE A MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY AS WELL. THIS MORNING THE C DC WEIGHING A SIGNIFICANT UPDATE TO ITS SK MA INFORMATION TASHE HIGHLY TRANSMISSIBLE OMICRON VARIANT SWEEPS ACROSS E TH NATION. FEDERAL HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE EXPECTED TO RECOMMEND AMERICANS UPGRADE FROM CLOTH MASKS TO KN95 OR N95 MASKS IF POSSIBLE. BUT THEY ARE COSTLY AND HARD TO FIND. AS A RESULT DR. ROCHEL LE WALENSKY SAYS THE CDC WI LL CONTINUE RECOMMENDING ANY MASK IS BETTER THAN NO MASK AT A. LL SOT WALENSKY: "THE BEST MASK THAT YOU CAN, THAT YOU WEAR IS THE ONE THAT YOU WILL WEAR AND THE O YNEOU CAN KEEP ON ALL DAY LONG." THE U.S. IS CURRENTLY AVERAGING 750- THOUSAND NEW COVID CASES A DAY. OMICRON MAKING UP 98 PERCENT OF THE N EW INFECTIONS. SOT WALENSKY: "GIVEN THE SHEER NUMBER OF CASES,E W MAY SEE DEATHS FROM OMICRON BUT I SUSPECT THE DEATHS THAT WE'RE SEEING NOW ARE STILL L FROM DELTA." (GFX) DATA FROM A NEW STUDY SUGGESTS THOSE INFECTED WITH OMICRON ARE 91% LESS LIKELY TO DIE FROM THE VIRUS COMPARED TO THE DELTA VARIANT. THEY ARE ALSO HALF AS LIKELY TO BE HOSPITALIZED AND HAVE SHORTER HOSPTAL STAYS. DR. JHA: "THE PROBLEM IS THAT F UORNVACCINAD TE PEOPLE OR PEOPLE THAT HAVE NOT GOTTEN BOOSTED THAT ARE HIGH RISK, THEY'RE STILL GETTING QUITE SICK FROM THIS." (GFX) A SOBERING LOOK AT T HE WAVE OF COVID INFECTIONS ON THIS NEWDC C MAP. THE RED SHOWING THE 99% OF U.S. COUNTIES CURRENTLY REPORTING GHHI COVID TRANSMISSION. IN THE LAST WEEK NEARLY 9 AMERICANS HAVE TESD TE POSITIVE FOR COVID EVERY SECOND. DR. SILVERSTEIN: "WE'RE TREATING PATIENTIN S HALLWAYS, WE'RE STRETCHED THIN. THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IS UNDER UNPRECEDENTED STRAIN." TODAY ... A NEW PLAN ...N I THE FIGHT TO PASS A NEW VOTING RIGHTS LAW. DEMOCRATS ARE HOPINA G BADETE ON THE SENATE FLOOR ... WILL LEAD TO MORE SUPPORT. OUR AIXA DIAZ IS IN WASHINGTON ... BREAKG IN DOWN HOW THIS COULD ALL ... PLAY OUT. SENATE DEMOCRATS HAVEN'T BE EN ABLE TO GET ENOH UG VOTES TO START DEBATE ON VOTING RIGHTS YET - SO THEY'RE TRYING A NEW STRATEGY. VO) THE *HOUSE* WILL VOTE TODAY TO ADD TWO VOTING RIGHTS BILLS - TO AN *UNRELATED* SENATE BILL - THAT DEALS WITH NASA. - *THAT* BILL HAS ALREADY GOTTEN THE 60 VOS TENEED ED IN THE SENATE - TO OPEN DEBATE. AIFND WHEN DEBATE HAPPENS - SENATORS WOULD BE FORCED TO GO ON THE RECORD ABO UT VOTING RIGHTS . .. BUT WHERE THE ISSUE GOES BEYOND THAT - IS UNCERTAIN. DEMOCRATS DON'T HAVE ANY REPUBLICAN SUPPORT - A ND RIGHT NOW - DON'T HAVE ENOUGH DEMOCRATS ON BOARD TO CHANGE FILIBUSTER RULES. (REPORTER LIVE TAG: PRESIDENT BIDEN IS HOPING TO PERSUADE HIS PARTY TO COME TOGETHER - TO ALLOW A SIMPLE MAJORITY TO PASS VOTING RIGHTS. HE'S HEADING TO THE CAPITOL THIS AFTERNOON TO MEET WITH SENATE DEMOCRA. TS IN WASHINGTON, I'M AIXA DIAZ. THE TWO BILLS ... AS WE'VE REPORTED ... ARE T HE FREEDOM TO VOTE ACT AND THE JOHN LEWIS VOTING RIGHTS ADVANCEMENT T. AC THE FIRST BILL SETS FEDERAL STANDARDS FOR ELECTIONS ON TOPICS INCLUDING VOTER REGIRASTTION, MAIL-IN VOTING, AND REDIRISTCTING. THE SECOND BILL WOULD RESTORE FEDERAL OVERSIGHT OF STATES WITH A HISTORY OF DISCRIMINATORY LAWS. "HE ULWODN'T LET ME IN THE CAR. WHY WOULDN'T HE LET OU Y IN THE CAR HE TOLD ME I NEEDED TO CALM DOWN." ALL NEW THIS MORNING ... AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION FINDS ... TWO POCELI OFFICERS WHO STOPPED GABBY PETITO AND BRIAN LAUNDRIE LAST YEAR ... SHOULD BE PUT ON PROBATIO N. YOU JUST SAW VIDEO FROM THAT STOP ... WHERE PETITO CLAIMED LAUNDRIE LOCKED HER OUT OF THEIR VAN IN UTAH. THAT'S WHERE A WITNESS TOLD POLICE HE SAW THE COUPLE INVOLVED IN A DOMESTIC DISPUTE. ACCORDING TO A POLICE REPORT... OFFICERS PULLED THE COUPLE'S VAN OVE R. THE OFFICERS EVENTUALLY AGREED NOT TO PRESS ANY CHARGES AGAINST THE TWO ... AS LONG AS THEY AGREED TO SPEND THE NIGHT APART. PETITO'S REMAINS WERE FOUND IN WYOMING WEEKS LATER. A CORONER RULED SHE DIED BY STRANGULATION. AND IN OCTOBER, LAUNDRIE WAS FOD UNDEAD ... OF A SELF-INFLICTED GUNSHOT WOUND ... IN A FLORIDA NATURE RESERVE. ALSO NEW THIS MORNING ... A FORMER N-F-L PLAYER WHO WAS SEEN BEING CHOKED BY A HENRY COUNTY POLICE OFFICER ... HAS REACHED A FINANCIAL SETTLEMENT WITH HENRY COTY. UN ACCORDING TO THE ATLANTA JOURNAL CONSTITUTION ... DESMOND RRMAOW WAS RESTRAINED ... AFTER AN ALLEGED ROAD RAGE INCIDE NT BACK IN 20-17. FORMER OFFICER DAVID ROSE WAS INITIALLY CLEARED FOLLOWING AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATN IO... T BU HENRY POLICE CHANGED COURSE ... AFTER THE VIRAL CELLPHONE VIDEO WAS RELEASED. ALL NEW THIS MORNING ... A NEW *LAWSUIT HAS BEEN FILED ... IN CONNECTION WITH A DEADLY MOVIE SET SHOOTING ... ON THE SET OF ALEC BALDWIN N'SEW FILM "RUST." THE ARMORER IN CHARGE OF HANDLING BALDWIN'S GUN.. IS SUING THE COMPANY THAT PROVIDED THE AMMUNITIO N. HANNAH GUTIERREZ (GOO- TEA-AIR-EZ) CLAIMS SETH KENNEY AND P-D-Q ARM AND PROP "SOLDDI, STRIBUTED, AND ADVERTISED ITS PROPS AS DUMMY AMMUNITION AND NOT LIVE ROUNDS." AUTHORITIES SAY A LIVE ROUND WAS IN BALDWIN'SUN G WHEN IT WENT OFF AND KILLED THE FILM'S CINEMATOGRAPHER AND WOUNDED THE DIRECTOR. KENNEY HAS DENIED PROVIDING *ANY* LIVE RODS. UN "I T'S NOT A POSSIBILITY THAT THEY CAME FROM PDQ OR FROM MYSELF PERSONALL Y. MEANWHILE ... BALDWIN HAS MAINTAINED HE IS COOPERATING WITH THE ONGOING INVESTIGATION OF THE SH