DC Crime Crackdown Success, Elon Eyes Vance 2028, New Details in Missing Baby Search: AM Update 8/21

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Good morning, everyone.

I'm Megan Kelly.

It's Thursday, August 21st, 2025, and this is your AM update.

We don't have to live like this.

We do not have to allow our cities to be taken over by violence and not a disorder and by chaos.

New DC crime data showing President Trump's federal takeover of local police is having the desired effect as the DOJ launches an investigation into whether DC police have been manipulating the data to make their city seem safer than it is.

Elon Musk reportedly dialing back plans to form a new political party.

At that point, I kind of had a very bad feeling that we weren't searching for a child in the area.

One week after California baby Emmanuel vanished, neighbors are speaking out about strange behavior by his parents.

All that and more coming up in just a moment on your AM update.

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DC crime reportedly dropping significantly following President Trump's federal takeover of the police department and deployment of the National Guard, as the DOJ confirms an investigation into whether DC police fudged crime statistics in the past.

The president declaring a public crime emergency early last week under the DC Home Rule Act, which grants the president the power to take control of the city's police force.

The DC Police Union touting the results of the president's crackdown so far.

Overall, crime is down 8%, robbery down 46%, assault with a deadly weapon down 6%, carjacking down 83%, car theft down 21%,

violent crime down 22%, and property crime down 6%.

Vice President J.D.

Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller on Wednesday taking a victory lap of sorts, serving lunch to National Guardsmen and police officers posted at Union Station.

The once opulent train station overrun with mentally ill and sometimes violent homeless people in recent years, a symbol of the district's decline.

A small group of protesters greeting the delegation upon arrival.

Vice President Vance appealing to critics of the president's crime crackdown.

You can actually bring law and order to communities.

You've just got to have the political willpower to do it.

And I think you hear these guys outside here screaming at us.

Of course, these are a bunch of crazy protesters.

But I'll tell you, a couple of years ago, when I brought my kids here, they were being screamed at by violent vagrants, and it was scaring the hell out of my kids.

And one of the things that we've done already in Union Saturday in just nine days is we've made it a place where people can walk around safely, they can bring their kids again.

And I think that if we set a standard in Washington, D.C.

that political willpower can bring some common sense law and order back to these communities, then maybe some other communities and other cities won't follow suit.

Some on the left calling the crackdown an unnecessary power grab citing metropolitan police data showing a 35 percent drop in violent crime in 2024 and an additional 25 percent drop through august 2025 however on wednesday the doj announcing a federal probe into whether the police department manipulated the crime data to make the city seem safer than it really is that investigation reportedly to be led by u.s attorney for dc janine pirro's office police commander michael pulliam reportedly placed on on paid leave in May amid an internal investigation into allegations he changed crime data to downplay the severity of the crisis, an accusation Pulliam denies.

D.C.

Police Union Chairman Greg Pemberton Tuesday on Fox detailing how crime data are being manipulated.

One of the chief complaints of our members when we go around and talk to them is that they respond to the scenes of these violent crimes, and inevitably you'll have a captain or a commander or sometimes a lieutenant show up on the scene and advise them to take a report for a lesser offense.

One of the things that we see them do often is sometimes there'll be a shooting or a stabbing and if the victim is uncooperative with the police, which is not uncommon in some areas of the city, they'll be directed to take an injured person to the hospital report, which is not even a crime at all.

It's an incident report.

Sometimes you'll have a robbery.

It'll be reported as a theft.

Other times you'll have burglaries that are reported as unlawful entry or thefts.

This is something that's been unfortunately part and parcel of the police department for some time, and we're very skeptical that these crime stats are accurate.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche reacting Tuesday on Fox.

The reality is that we know that D.C.

has been an incredibly unsafe place to live for a very long time.

And so, in some ways, it's not surprising that we hear about reports of this type of conduct that suggests that D.C.

is safer than everybody that lives here knows to be true.

So, we're investigating it and hopefully we'll get to the bottom of it at some point soon.

Elon Musk reportedly backpedaling now on plans to create a new political party, instead eyeing Vice President J.D.

Vance for a possible presidential run in 2028.

Musk in July announcing the creation of the America Party, a new third party in direct response to his falling out with President Donald Trump over the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Musk blasting the bill, particularly its impact on the deficit, as a fiscal disaster.

Concerns Republicans dismiss as inaccurate and based on flawed calculation methods.

The first buddies bromance unraveling quickly, Musk officially leaving his White House role in May with a glowing Oval Office send-off before the feud got more intense on X, the social media platform Musk owns.

When the Big Beautiful bill passed in July, Musk doubling down on plans to create a third party, posting to X, quote, when it comes to bankrupting our country with waste and graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy.

Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom.

Such a move would likely hurt Republican chances at the polls in future midterm and presidential elections, chipping away at the Republican base, handing power to Democrats.

In recent weeks, Trump administration officials softening their feud with the world's richest man, even signaling hopes for reconciliation.

Mr.

Trump from the Oval in early August.

A new Gallup poll says that Elon Musk is the most unpopular public figure in the country right now.

I'm wondering, do you miss having him around the White House or is that poll accurate?

I don't know if the poll's accurate.

I think he's a good person.

I think he had a bad moment, really bad moment.

But he's a good person.

I believe that.

Vice President J.D.

Vance, in an interview with the Gateway pundit a week and a half ago.

Well, he's obviously got a complicated relationship right now with the Trump White House, though.

My argument to Elon is

like,

you're not going to be on the left, right?

Even if you wanted to be, and he doesn't, they're not going to have you back.

That ship has sailed.

And so,

I really think it's a mistake for him to try to break from the president.

So, my hope is that by the time of the midterms, he's kind of come back into the hold.

But again, my hope is that just kind of cools down a little bit because he did help us a lot in the election.

The president even says

all his frustration, Elon was a very critical part of the team last election.

And so, my hope is by the midterms, midterms, things are kind of back to normal.

Beyond the July Post, there is little indication Musk ever took steps to build a third party.

A supposed FEC filing vanished within days of appearing on the website.

The Wall Street Journal reporting the Tesla CEO is telling allies that he wants to focus attention on his companies and is reluctant to start a third party that could alienate Republicans.

Musk, quote, has been focused in part on maintaining ties with Vice President J.D.

Vance, who is widely seen as a potential heir to the MAGA political movement.

Musk has stayed in touch with Vance in recent weeks, and he has acknowledged to associates that if he goes ahead with forming a political party, he would damage his relationship with the Vice President, the people said.

The Tesla CEO reportedly considering backing the VP with financial resources if Mr.

Vance decides to run in 2028.

That's still a long way out, but early polling indicates Mr.

Vance is in the lead for the GOP nomination.

Polling from McLaughlin and associates consistently showing the vice president leading the 2028 Republican primary field by double digits.

Coming up, neighbors of missing baby Emmanuel Harrow calling out the unusual behavior they say they saw from parents Jake and Rebecca as investigators follow up on leads one week after the baby's disappearance.

And Hurricane Aaron churning through the Atlantic as forecasters warn this thing will remain a powerful storm throughout the week.

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An AM update exclusive in the case of missing baby Emmanuel Harrow, the seven-month-old California boy whose mother says he was kidnapped from a store parking lot by an unknown person who allegedly knocked her out.

Police say the mother, Rebecca Harrow, and father, Jake Harrow, have stopped cooperating after inconsistencies in Rebecca's story were raised with her by police.

Rebecca's mother says Jake stopped Rebecca from taking a polygraph, insisting she should first get a lawyer.

And while Jake has since lawyered up, Rebecca has not.

Baby Emmanuel has not been seen since at least one week ago today.

Police say they have no suspects and that no one has been ruled out, including the parents.

They searched the family home, including with cadaver dogs.

Late last night, a shocking development, AM update obtaining court records from Riverside County, California, reflecting a potentially explosive turn in the case.

Jake Harrow just hit with a motion for a protective order by one of his ex-wives, who says she now fears for the safety of their shared child, a boy named Eli.

On Tuesday, Isabel Gonzalez filing a motion for a protective order, both a temporary one and a longer standing injunction, against her ex, Jake Harrow, naming their son Eli as the party in need of protection and alleging as the basis for the motion, quote, domestic violence with children.

The docket does not reflect any response yet from Jake, nor what specifically Isabel means by suggesting domestic violence with children as the alleged justification for the restraining order.

KESQ-TV reporting that on Wednesday, Jake and his current wife, Rebecca, were seen leaving juvenile court in Riverside County, though the news organization was unable to say why they had been there.

The docket reflects that Isabel's request for a temporary restraining order was denied, while a hearing on the request for a preliminary injunction against Jake Harrow has been set for early September.

As AM update reported earlier this week, in 2023, Jake's second wife, Vanessa Harrow, to whom Jake was apparently married after Isabel, pleaded guilty, as did Jake Harrow, to abusing their 10-week-old baby girl, a crime for which Jake Harrow remains on probation to this day, probation he's accused of violating.

In other developments, the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department confirming to AM Update that the vehicle seized by investigators this week is the the same one Rebecca Harrow drove to the sporting goods store, where she says she was knocked out by, quote, someone who said Ola and then took her baby.

News Nation on Tuesday, interviewing San Bernardino County resident Heather Walker.

Ms.

Walker attended a Sunday vigil in honor of Emmanuel.

She says parents Jake and Rebecca were not in attendance and has major doubts about Rebecca's story.

I personally saw the mother Rebecca at the day of the they were hosting a search party and I went to do the search party with them and I just thought it was very strange that she was walking to her car just fine or a car in the parking lot just fine and then the news vehicles started coming in and then she limped away.

So at that point I kind of had a very bad feeling that we weren't searching for a child in the area.

Investigators on Wednesday confirming they have followed up on alleged reported sightings of baby Emmanuel.

One alleged sighting reportedly from Kern County, California, roughly three and a half hours from the Harrow home in Cabazon.

We've seen in other missing baby cases that the vast majority of these so-called sightings wind up being false leads.

An attorney for Jake Harrow named Vincent Hughes appearing on NewsNation Tuesday night saying his client has offered to cooperate with police.

I spoke to the detectives yesterday, offered for Jake to continue to speak with them, have not been made aware of any request today to speak with Jake.

I don't represent Rebecca.

That needs to be very clear, but I have not been asked to produce Jake.

The Sheriff's Department on Wednesday releasing a statement that reads, quote, while Emmanuel's father has retained an attorney, if the parents choose to work with detectives, we welcome their cooperation as we continue efforts to locate Emmanuel.

Authorities also responding to reports of a house fire at a neighbor's property near the Harrow home, saying, quote, at this time, we have no information indicating the fire is related to the investigation, and we will continue to communicate with fire investigators as their investigation progresses.

The San Bernardino Sheriff's Department urging anyone with information to call 911 or their office at 909-890-4904.

North Carolina declaring a state of emergency Wednesday in preparation for the impact of Hurricane Aaron.

As of the Wednesday evening advisory, the storm at Category 2 with 110 mile per hour winds running nearly parallel up the U.S.

East Coast, forcing evacuations of more than 2,200 North Carolina coastal residents.

The National Hurricane Center issuing tropical storm warnings from coastal North Carolina up through southeastern Virginia as forecasters anticipate waves of 15 to 20 feet along the outer banks and hazardous surf spreading well beyond the Carolinas with possible flooding to a dozen states.

National Hurricane Center Director Dr.

Michael Brennan warning that even though Aaron's Aaron's center is offshore, its massive size will drive dangerous conditions for days.

Despite the fact that the core of Aaron is going to pass well offshore of the North Carolina coast as it turns northeastward and then east-northeastward as you go from Wednesday into Thursday, the forecast size of the tropical storm force winds that currently extend out over 265 miles from the center, that windfield is going to continue to grow, bringing tropical storm conditions, dangerous wave conditions to the North Carolina outer banks, and that big risk of rip currents along the entire East Coast from South Florida all the way up through southern New England and a high risk of rip currents, moderate risk up into northern New England.

So please, it's not going to be safe to get out into the ocean along much of the United States East Coast today and through much of the rest of this week.

Authorities reportedly making about 60 rescues in North Carolina alone this week as Erin fuels rip currents and dangerous waves from Florida all the way up to Canada.

The storm expected to remain powerful through the end of the week.

And that'll do it for your AM update.

I'm Megan Kelly.

Join me back here for the Megan Kelly Show live on SiriusXM Triumph Channel 111 at Noon East, on youtube.com/slash Megan Kelly and on all podcast platforms.

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