George Santos, the newly elected congressman from New York's 12th District, is facing multiple investigations into potential financial irregularities and questions about his background. The Federal Election Commission records show suspicious expenditures, and the Eastern District of New York and Nassau County District Attorney are probing his finances and inconsistencies in his résumé. Santos has admitted to fabricating and "embellishing" several claims about his background, and his campaign donors have expressed shock and betrayal. The outcome of these investigations remains to be seen.
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North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein has announced that there is not sufficient evidence to bring charges against former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and his wife, Debra Meadows, for voter fraud in the 2020 election. The investigation concluded that Meadows qualified for a residency exception under state law and cell phone records showed Debra Meadows was in and around Scaly Mountain in October 2020. Stein urged federal prosecutors to “hold accountable” those responsible for conspiring “to put our democracy at risk” and noted that election officials from both parties, as well as judges and Trump’s own attorney general, have concluded that there was no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election.
Southwest Airlines CEO Robert Jordan on Thursday apologized for the disruption and said the carrier was “extremely sorry” for the customer inconvenience. Jordan said Southwest’s…
President Joe Biden has issued six full pardons to individuals who have completed their sentences and become active in their communities since their release. These pardons include five people convicted of drug or alcohol offenses, and one woman convicted of murdering a husband she said abused her. The White House said Biden was a believer in second chances and that those he pardoned had “demonstrated a commitment to improving their communities and the lives of those around them.” This is the first of many pardons Biden has issued, including a wide-ranging pardon for all prior federal offenses of simple marijuana possession.
Moscow Police have arrested Bryan Christopher Kohberger in connection with the brutal murders of four University of Idaho students. Police believe the victims were attacked while asleep, and that this was an isolated, targeted attack. They have received over 16,500 tips and reviewed 113 pieces of evidence, 4,000 photographs, and multiple 3-D scans in the investigation. Social media rumors and speculation have been a distraction, and police have asked for help from the public in locating a white 2011-2013 Hyundai Elantra seen near the crime scene.
A person of interest has been taken into custody in Pennsylvania in connection with the November 13 slayings of four University of Idaho students, shocking the small college town of Moscow, Idaho. Kristi Goncalves, the mother of one of the victims, expressed her frustration with the Moscow Police Department, who are currently sorting through tens of thousands of registered vehicles that fit the criteria of one spotted near the residence the night of the attacks. The investigation is ongoing.
Donald Trump's federal tax returns from the past six years have been released, showing he paid very little in federal income taxes due to claiming huge losses that helped limit his tax bill. The documents, published by the House Ways and Means Committee, revealed Trump reported millions in negative income and paid only $750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017. Trump had claimed huge net operating losses which greatly reduced or wiped out his annual income tax liability.
NASA had a remarkable year in 2022, achieving a number of space exploration milestones including the launch of the Artemis I mission, the first all-private mission to the International Space Station, and the successful Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART). Other highlights included the discovery of debris from the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, the launch of a spacecraft from a private Japanese company to the lunar surface, and the completion of China's space station. NASA also made strides in its human exploration program, scientific endeavors, and technology demonstrations.