Jonguns half brother. What was the motivation . And rumor has it, a fiveyearold German Shepherd named for one of adeles biggest hits crowned top dog. The story behind her unlikely best in show title. Today wednesday, february 15th, 2017. Good morning, everyone, welcome to today on a wednesday morning. Im matt lauer in for Sheinelle Jones. Its been such a busy week. Every morning were waking up to new developments. We have one this morning, its our top story. The stunning new report that members of president Trumps Campaign team and other associates were communicating with senior russian officials during the election. We have the latest on that jackson. What can you tell us . Reporter good morning to you, this morning were learning a bit more about the timeline of who knew what when in this crisis over the National Security advisor that has consumed the white house. Critics here on capitol hill say they still dont know nearly enough. They want Michael Flynn to face questions. As new questions come up now about the Trump Campaigns interactions with russia. New this morning on capitol hill, a growing chorus of questions about the trump team and its connections to moscow. Overnight, the New York Times citing current and former u. S. Officials reporting Trump Campaign aides and senior russia intelligence officials were in contact during the campaign. Something the administration has previously denied. The times suggesting the communications were uncovered at the same time accusations that russia was meddling in the president ial surface. At the white house, new revelations Vice President mike pence didnt know mike flynn may have misled him about a call with the Russian Ambassador for two full weeks after the president was notified about potential inconsistencies. This was an act of trust, whether or not he misled the Vice President was the issue. Thats ultimately what led to the president asking for and accepting the resignation of general flynn. Reporter nbc news was the first to report that the Vice President was in the dark until this past thursday. T that call made, on december 29th. The same day the Obama Administration announced those sanctions against russia. The next day Vladmir Putin said he wouldnt retaliate. President trump praising putin tweeting great move i always knew he was ve two weeks later Vice President pence denied the call between flynn and the ambassador was about sanctions. It was coincidental that they had a conversation. Reporter two weeks after that the white house says the president s team was told by the Justice Department flynn may not have told the truth about the discussions. The president spent the next three weeks evaluating whether he could trust flynn. Three weeks in which flynn sat in on meeting after meeting even delivering a stern warning to iran. We are officially putting iran on notice. Reporter as concerns grew, a Senior Administration official tells nbc news the white house started distancing itself from flynn by bringing in other top advisors to handle key duties. Top staffers talking about who might replace flynn last week. Now democrats are demanding to know more. The president learned weeks ago that his National Security advisor, not a low level federal employee, had people. You know what . They were okay with that. Reporter as if it were not busy enough here in washington, the hill is set to get a visit from israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu. After the Prime Minister meets with President Trump over at the white house. Peace talks certain to be on that agenda with the white house now appearing to back off the need for a two state solution. A Senior Administration official saying a two state solution without peace is not a goal anyone wants to achieve. Expect iran to also come up in these discussions between the two leaders. By the way, both of them set to face reporters at President Trumps Second Press Conference in the last three days. Matt. Hallie jackson, thanks so much. Michael flynn was interviewed by the fbi about his phone call with russias ambassador. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle want it to be investigated. Pete williams is nbcs correspondent. When exactly did the fbi talk to general flynn . What kinds of questions did they ask him . Reporter senior Officials Say it was within just a few days after he became the National Security advisor just after the inauguration. They wanted to talk to him about his conversations with russias ambassador to the u. S. These Officials Say they were not investigating flynn, that they were investigating russias meddling in the election. We know that Michael Flynn lost his job in the administration because he wasnt completely honest over that phone call. If its determined he wasnt completely honest with the fbi, what could the consequences be . Reporter well, if they determine that he was lying to the agents, thats a crime. But the senior officials that weve talked to, two of them, say it did not appear that flynn was trying to mislead them. They say its partly a matter of incomplete memory and so do not believe hell be charged with a crime, either for that interview with the fbi or for talking to the Russian Ambassador before the inauguration. Pete williams for us on this story, thank you very much. I want to turn to steve kornacki. Lets start with the New York Times reporting. During the election and in the transition Trump Officials and advisors were in contact with russian officials. This is something the team trump has denied in the past. How can they explain this now . Its important to say, one up front they say in the article theres no direct evidence thats emerged between them and russia. How do republicans react to this . With a few exceptions, youve had a john mccain, lindsey graham, they have been raising issues about trump the administration and russia. The question is does this snowball. Provoked that other republicans who have not previously been critical and say this is bigger. Why did the president wait two full weeks to ask for his resignation . This is after being warned by the Justice Department, hes vulnerable. Was he trying to ride this out . If were to come to the conclusion that the Trump Administration thought this would go away, the timeline gives you plenty of supporting evidence for that. Including the fact he did not tell and no one told the Vice President. He was in the dark. The fact it came out in the Washington Post, there were reports there was a conversation there about russia, about the sanctions and only then was mike pence who had been sent out on National Television to vouch for mike flynn. Only then was he informed of this. That creates a lot of suspicion this go back to the day that then president obama imposes those sanctions on russia. We know thats the same day that Michael Flynn called the Russian Ambassador. We have to remember that after those new sanctions were imposed. Russias leader, putin and others, said we will retaliate. And after that phone call with Michael Flynn, no retaliation. The Vice President says its a coincidence. Are we supposed to believe it was a coincidence . Four events in a 24 hour period at the end of december trump is not yet president. You have the announcement of sanctions from obama, you have the phone call between flynn and the ambassador. And putin said no retaliation. Then donald trump tweeted and said great move by putin, ive always thought he was a wise man. Would the russians have gone against retaliating if they Michael Flynn was free lancing in that call . That he wasnt being administration. Thats the other thing that makes it suspicious to people. If he was delivering a message like that would be delivering a message that was discordant with anything trump said. Just real quickly, the administration backing off the two state solution in terms of settling the violence in the middle east. Benjamin netanyahu is one of trumps biggest support. Hes saying something they want to hear. Steve kornacki, thank you very much. Also new this morning, crews in Northern California are still working to shore up the emergency spillway at the nations tallest dam before more rain pounds the region. Officials are lifting a Mass Evacuation order for nearly 200,000 nearby residents. Miguel almanguer has the clock construction work seems to be having an impact. The massive bags of boulders behind me. Later on well head over to the emergency spillway to kind of shore it up. Its been a beehive of activity over the last 48 hours. Hundreds of construction teams have been working around the clock to shore up the spillway. The big concern was if it collapsed, a 30 foot wall of water would cascade into the communities below. Meantime, the mass water release continues today. The water level here at the reservoir has dropped 20 feet and counting. Theyll continue to release water to make way for incoming storms. Those Mass Evacuations, nearly 200,000 people, the mandatory evacuations have been lifted overnight. Hundreds of people have been streaming back towards their homes. Repopulating this area. But the threat simply is not gone. Over the next several days well see the area. Thats why theyre releasing all of that water. The concern is will the spillway hold, so far the officials believe yes. Thank you. More rain, two words people out there do not want to hear. Two big storms getting ready to hit that area. The Atmospheric River stretches from japan all the way across the pacific ocean. Past hawaii all the way to the west coast. Were talking more than 6,000 miles. Almost twice the length of the united states. Here we go, were going to be watching the rain. First storm comes in over the next 24 hours. Second storm brings another couple of inches. Around the oroville area we could see three to five inches of rain. The second storm brings heavy rain into southern california. Flash flooding, four to eight inches of rain for the south facing mountains. This time yesterday we were telling you about thunderstorms. In the houston area, take a look at the video weve got. At least six unconfirmed tornados touching down. That Severe Weather continues to move east. In fact, its along the southeastern Atlantic Coast bringing strong storms to the southeast from charleston to f jacksonville. One more storm is making its way across the Northern Tier of new england. Seven Million People under some Winter Weather advisory. Rounds of heavy snow. Another eight to 16 inches of snow, guys for Northern New England. Parts of maine. Theyve really got to worry about the weight of snow on roofs throughout much of maine. Were talking tons of snow across that area. All right. Keep our eye on that. Al, thank you very much. Now to a story thats been in the news for nearly four decades. Pedro hernandez a former Convenience Store clerk was convincedn a 6yearold. Hernandezs first trial ended 21 months ago with a hung jury. After the verdict, the victims father says weve found a measure of justice for our little boy. In the meantime, the faa is investigating a serious incident involving Harrison Ford. On monday, the actor was flying his private plane coming in for a landing in california. Instead of landing on the runway, he mistakenly landed on a taxiway and flew right over the top of an American Airlines jet. Nbcs tom costello covers aviation for us. Good morning. Reporter the passenger plane was a 737 preparing for departure when fords plane flew over the top of it. What some are calling a close call with American Airlines taking a formal step of notifying both the faa and the ntsb. In aviation circles, Harrison Ford is celebrated as much for being a star. American airlines has notified the faa and ntsb. It happened in orange county, county, california, on monday. Ford had been cleared to land on the shot runway, runway 20 left. He lined up and landed on the parallel taxiway, charlie where planes taxi. He flew over the top of an American Airline 737 that was holding at the end of the taxiway before preparing for departure. Flight 1456 was loaded with 110 passengers and six crew members for a flight to dallas. Once on the ground, mr. Ford radioed air traffic control, was that airliner meant to be underneath me . The controller told ford he landed on taxiway c. To which ford replied. I landed on c. Landing on a taxiway is a clear so how did it happen . Operating in and out of this airport, its a small airport. Theres a lot of traffic going in and out of it. Its complex bit of air space that requires a lot of concentration. Reporter it was just two years ago that ford was injured when his vintage plane crash landed on a santa monica golf course. Investigators later blamed that crash on an engine failure. Ford joked about it on the ellen show. You crashed a plane. And it was a the plane crashed. I was aboard the plane and it crashed. I didnt. Reporter thankfully on monday what may have been a close call, but no injuries. Ford is not commenting on the incident. The faa will investigate and likely interview him. Experts say its possible he could have his pilots license suspended. If he cooperation with investigators were told its not likely. Its more likely hed receive a written reprimand or warning. T c texas. Emergency crews are at the scene of a pipe line explosion. The blast so strong it could be seen up to 30 miles away. The flames lighting up the night sky. Some residents who live an hour away say they felt their homes shake. The explosion happened southeast of san antonio. Officials say no one was injured and the fire has been put out. A fast thinking Police Officer is getting credit this morning for saving a Fast Food Restaurant near dallas from catching fire. This was all caught on camera. The officer was called to a jack in the box where he found a truck in the drive thru engulfed in flames. He jumped the curb and used his patrol car to push the truck forward away from the building. No one was injured in that incident. Wow, quick thinking. Al . Lets take a quick look, show you what we have around the rest of the country today. Were looking for heavy rain moving into the pacific northwest. Unseasonably mild through the plain states. Look for the developing storm in the northeast. In between the coasts, looks awfully nice. Were quogoing to get to your ll forecast coming up in the next 30 seconds. Good morning, we have a lot of clouds outside this morning. Even some areas of light rain across Southern Maryland towards fredricksburg. Thats where the rain chances will be focused. A cold front could wring out rain or a snowshower in just about any part of the news 4 nation. Temperatures right now are in the 30s and 40s. All the clouds around today will stay in the 40s. Tomorrow blustery and colder. That doesnt stick around. It will be mild for the weekend. Thats your latest weather. Thanks very much. Coming up an overnight arrest in the bizarre murder of the half brother of north koreas kim jongun. Were female assassins ordered to kill him . Are you sure your smoke alarms really work . Were going door to door to keep your family safe. First this is today on nbc. Coming up, stu studio 1a overflowing with stars. From kate upton to Christi Brinkley and her daughters. If thats not enough, gwen stefani and tracy morgan are thomas so sorry, excuse me. 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