Army veteran who burned American flag near WH pleads not guilty to federal charges

WASHINGTON (AP) — An Army veteran who set fire to an American flag near the White House to protest President Donald Trump’s recent executive order on flag burning pleaded not guilty Wednesday to federal criminal charges. Jan Carey is charged with two misdemeanors that are not focused on the act of burning a flag. Making his initial court appearance, Carey was arraigned on charges of igniting a fire in an undesignated area and lighting a fire causing damage to property or park resources. Chief Judge James Boasberg set an Oct. 17 deadline for Carey’s lawyers to file a motion to dismiss the case on constitutional grounds. Carey is due back in court on Dec. 1 for a status hearing.

Suspect in custody after driver rams car into security gate at FBI building in Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH (AP) — A suspect was in custody after a driver rammed a car into a staffed security gate at the FBI building in Pittsburgh early Wednesday, then removed an American flag from the back seat and threw it over the gate before leaving, authorities said. “This was a targeted attack on this building,” Christopher Giordano, assistant special agent in charge of the FBI in Pittsburgh, told reporters. No personnel were injured. The suspect, identified as Donald Henson of nearby Penn Hills, was taken into custody after 10 a.m., more than seven hours after the incident, officials said. No details on the motive or on how he was able to flee were immediately available, but the FBI said it was not treating it as a terrorism case, spokesperson Bradford Arick said.

Grand jury indicts man accused of threatening to kill federal judges in New York

NEW YORK (AP) — A man who has filed several lawsuits that were deemed frivolous has been indicted on charges he threatened to kill two judges who presided over some of his cases. A federal grand jury issued the indictment against Anthony Salvatore Perri this week in the Eastern District of New York. Federal prosecutors say he called the judges’ chambers and left graphic voicemails. Perri has filed nearly a dozen lawsuits since 2006, and nearly all were summarily dismissed. The defendants he sued include a New York City police commissioner, former President Barack Obama and the entire Eastern District court. His lawyer, a federal public defender, declined to comment Wednesday.

Republican leaders reject Democratic health care demands for bill to avoid shutdown

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican leaders in the House and Senate said Wednesday that they will reject Democratic demands for an immediate extension of health care subsidies, challenging Democrats to vote against a stopgap spending bill that doesn’t include them but will keep the government open at the end of the month. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Democrats “have a choice to make” as the Sept. 30 deadline approaches. They can work with Republicans, Thune said, or “they can shut down the government with all that will mean for the American people.” Democratic leaders have so far shown no signs of backing off their demands, arguing that it’s Republicans’ responsibility to negotiate with them as they will need at least seven Democratic senators to move the stopgap spending bill forward.