RantCrush Top 5: December 28, 2016

Yesterday afternoon, the Trump Tower in Manhattan was evacuated due to a mysterious backpack that was left near the Niketown store. Shoppers were rushed out of the lobby and started running as armored police shouted, “You gotta get out, let’s go, let’s go.” A bomb squad investigated the backpack, but it turned out to be full of toys.

Better safe than sorry, but the incident caused really bad gridlock in the Midtown area near the tower, which was already congested as a result of holiday traffic. And New York Mayor Bill de Blasio doesn’t feel like paying for the mess. His press secretary, Eric Phillips, responded to Trump’s team on Twitter:

No problem. We’ll send you the bill. https://t.co/mxbUqzgHds

— Eric Phillips (@EricFPhillips) December 27, 2016

De Blasio has previously asked the federal government to pay for the massive cost of keeping Trump safe while he’s in New York, a price tag that has been estimated at $35 million between November 8 and January 20. Congress has only offered to pay for $7 million.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.