Christie faces abuse of power investigation
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Democrats in New Jersey sharpened their aim at Republican Gov. Chris Christie on Monday, forming special legislative committees to explore the role politics played in traffic jams last fall and announcing that the investigation has grown into an abuse of power probe.
The intensifying investigation, which threatens to undermine Christie’s second term and his chances at a 2016 presidential run, revealed last week that high-ranking Christie aides and appointees were involved in ordering lane closings in September as apparent political payback that led to massive gridlock in the town of Fort Lee.
A new special Assembly committee, given subpoena power and a special counsel, will be charged with finding out how high the plot went up Christie’s chain of command, said a leading state Democrat, Assembly Majority Leader Lou Greenwald.
“It is clearly an abuse of power,” he said. “The question is, who abused their power and how high did it go?”
The committee will focus exclusively on the traffic jams in Fort Lee, whose mayor has said he believes the lanes were closed to punish him for not endorsing Christie. The panel will be chaired the head of the Assembly transportation committee who launched the initial investigation into the lane closings, John Wisniewski.
The state Senate announced it planned to establish its own committee, also with subpoena power.
Christie has apologized over the lane closings but denied involvement. He also fired a top aide, Deputy Chief of Staff Bridget Anne Kelly, and cut ties with campaign adviser Bill Stepien, who’d been widely seen as a potential campaign manager if Christie runs for president. Wisniewski said Monday that Kelly and Stepien could receive subpoenas soon, though he could subpoena their emails first.
More than 20 die in Iraq during U.N. visit
BAGHDAD (AP) — Fresh violence killed at least 26 people Monday in Iraq, where the U.N. chief was on a visit urging leaders to tackle the issues driving fighting in a western province where the army is in a standoff with al-Qaida-linked fighters.
Police officials said the deadliest of the attacks took place at night when a car bomb exploded near a market in Baghdad’s northeastern district of Sha’ab, killing 10 people, including three policemen, and wounding 13 others.
A car bomb also exploded in a commercial street in northwestern Baghdad, police said, killing five people and wounding 14 others.
Another car bomb killed four people and wounded 12 others in a commercial street in Baghdad’s Hurriyah neighborhood, police said.
Earlier, another car bomb exploded in a commercial street in northern Baghdad, killing three people and wounding 13 others.
Near the city of Fallujah, army artillery shelled a village overnight, killing four civilians, hospital officials said.
Medics in nearby hospital confirmed the death toll for all attacks. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to release the information.
Prison uses masks to prevent flu outbreak among inmates
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) — Inmates from a northeastern Indiana jail are wearing masks to prevent spreading flu when they appear in court.
Allen County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Jeremy Tinkel told The News-Sentinel that several inmates have flu-like symptoms, but he wouldn’t confirm there was a flu outbreak at the jail.
Tinkel said with people in such close quarters, it’s common sense to take steps against spreading disease.
The sheriff’s department is working with health officials to vaccinate inmates.
County health department spokesman John Silcox said the agency gave kits to the jail so they could test inmates. The samples will be sent to a state lab to determine what’s making the inmates sick.
So far this season, three people in Indiana have died from the flu.
Cellphone use in theater leads to gunshots
WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. (AP) — Authorities say a man has been arrested on suspicion of shooting two people — one fatally — after an argument over cellphone use at a Florida theater.
Pasco County Sheriff’s spokesman Doug Tobin said two couples had been watching “Lone Survivor” on Monday at a movie theater in Wesley Chapel, north of Tampa, when the suspect and his wife apparently took issue with the couple in front of them over use of the phones.
Tobin said the argument led to the shooting. Both victims were airlifted to a Tampa-area hospital. The man later died, but the female victim’s injuries weren’t considered life-threatening.
The sheriff’s office said a bystander detained the suspect until deputies arrived. Authorities didn’t immediately identify the suspect.
No charges have been reported.
German diplomats survive after attack in Saudi Arabia
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi Arabia’s state news agency says unidentified gunmen have fired on two German diplomats in their vehicle in an eastern town.
Saudi Press Agency quoted a police chief Monday as saying that the shooting took place at 6 p.m. in the town of al-Awamiyah.
The diplomats’ vehicle caught fire but the two survived the attack, the agency said. A German foreign ministry official in Berlin said neither was injured when the car was fired upon and caught fire, but gave no further details, speaking anonymously in line with ministry practice.
The site of the attack is a restive district where Shiites, who make up 10 percent of the kingdom’s population, have been staging demonstrations against Saudi Arabia’s Sunni rulers. Security forces frequently clash with protesters, arresting and detaining them.
Read More
The eyes and ears of the David Owsley Museum of Art
By Madelyn Bracken / 2 days agoThe David Owsley Museum of Art (DOMA) doesn’t only house art. For many Ball State University students, it houses opportunity. Graduate and social media assistant, and former DOMA intern and guard, Taylor Hamblin spent the past two years working at the museum surrounded with possibilities to further her career while at Ball State.
Center for Peace offers academic opportunities
By Meghan Braddy and Grayson Joslin / 3 days agoOver the years, the center has offered a peace studies minor, conflict resolution training and grant funding.
AP: New York appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 conviction
By Staff Reports / 3 days agoNew York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with “egregious” improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case, according to the Associated Press (AP).
