Scandal

DOJ Probes GOP Rep For Campaign Finance Violations

The Hill reports: The Department of Justice (DOJ) is investigating Rep. Ross Spano (R-Fla.) over allegations of campaign finance violations, the House Ethics Committee announced Thursday.The committee said it had agreed to defer the review of the allegations to the DOJ at the DOJ’s request. The Ethics Committee had been reviewing the allegations since September. “The Department of Justice has …

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Rep. Gym Jordan Denies Referee’s “Ridiculous” Claim

The Lima News reports: “I’ve stood up against the Speaker of the House from own party in my own state. I’ve stood up against the IRS, stood up against the FBI, stood up against Adam Schiff, fought the Justice Department when the whole Trump-Russia thing — what they had done. The idea I’m not going to defend our athletes when …

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Netflix Drops Christian Comedian Over Sex Allegations

Religion News Service reports: John Crist’s upcoming Netflix holiday special and new book are on hold after allegations the popular comedian has used his celebrity status and Christian reputation to sexually harass women. A Netflix spokesperson confirmed to Religion News Service on Thursday (Nov. 7) that the status of Crist’s special, entitled “I Ain’t Prayin’ for That,” is now up …

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Lawsuit: Ref Says He Told Jordan About Abusive Doctor

NBC News reports: A professional referee says in a lawsuit filed Thursday that disgraced doctor Richard Strauss masturbated in front of him in a shower after a wrestling match at Ohio State University, and he reported the encounter directly to Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, who was then the assistant coach. “Yeah, that’s Strauss,” Jordan and then-head coach Russ Hellickson replied, …

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McDonald’s Cans CEO Over “Consensual Relationship”

The Associated Press reports: McDonald’s chief executive officer has been pushed out of the company after violating company policy by engaging in a consensual relationship with an employee, the corporation said Sunday. The fast food giant said former president and CEO Steve Easterbrook demonstrated poor judgment, and that McDonald’s forbids managers from having romantic relationships with direct or indirect subordinates. …

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Dem Rep To Resign Amid Allegations Of Affairs [VIDEO]

Politico reports: Freshman Rep. Katie Hill is resigning from Congress after facing allegations of inappropriate sexual relationships with staffers in her office and on her congressional campaign. “It is with a broken heart that today I announce my resignation from Congress. This is the hardest thing I have ever had to do, but I believe it is the best thing …

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Texas GOP House Speaker To Quit After Taping Scandal

The Texas Tribune reports: First-term Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen on Tuesday announced he will not seek reelection to the lower chamber in 2020 — completing a stunning fall for the Angleton Republican who enjoyed near unanimous support in the House just months earlier. Bonnen’s political future was first called into question in late July, when hardline conservative activist Michael …

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BOOK: Enquirer Editor Ordered Trump Docs Shredded

CNN reports: According to Ronan Farrow’s new book, The National Enquirer‘s top editor directed staffers to shred documents when the Wall Street Journal called for comment before publishing the first story about the Enquirer‘s “catch and kill” relationship with Donald Trump. Farrow cites editor Dylan Howard [photo] as saying he needed to empty the safe and that the editor expressed …

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Falwell Settles Lawsuit Tied To Miami Beach Pool Boy

Talking Points Memo reports: Jerry Falwell Jr has settled the lawsuit tied to the “pool boy”/Miami dive hostel story. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the terms of the settlement are not being disclosed. To remind everyone, the suit was brought by yet another guy, Gordon Bello, a high school friend of Giancarlo Granda, the pool boy. He claimed that he’d been promised 25% …

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NC GOP State Chairman Pleads Guilty Of Lying To FBI

The Charlotte Observer reports: Former North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Robin Hayes faces up to six months in prison after agreeing to plead guilty to lying to the FBI in a sweeping federal bribery case. Hayes, a former member of Congress, is scheduled to formally enter his guilty plea Wednesday in federal court. Hayes, 74, is one of four men …

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Accrediting Body Looks Into Liberty University Scandal

The Associated Press reports: The accrediting body that oversees Liberty University has asked the college for more information about recent news reports that have questioned President Jerry Falwell Jr.’s leadership style and personal business interests, a spokeswoman told The Associated Press. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges recently sent the Lynchburg university a letter asking it …

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PENNSYLVANIA: GOP Senator Busted For Child Porn

The Washington Post reports: Republican state Sen. Mike Folmer was charged with possession of child pornography on Tuesday night after authorities said they discovered images of child pornography on his cellphone. The charges against Folmer include sexual abuse of children, possession of child pornography and criminal use of a communication facility. The married grandfather of seven was caught as the …

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Disgraced Bishop Spent Millions On Luxury Travel

The Washington Post reports: It was billed as a holy journey, a pilgrimage with West Virginia Bishop Michael J. Bransfield to “pray, sing and worship” at the National Shrine in Washington. Catholics from remote areas of one of the nation’s poorest states paid up to $190 for hotel rooms and overnight bus rides to the nation’s capital. Unknown to the …

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Liberty University Students Protest Falwell [VIDEO]

The Associated Press reports: Students at Liberty University in Virginia have gathered to protest in the wake of news reports containing allegations that school president Jerry Falwell Jr. “presides over a culture of self-dealing” and improperly benefited from the institution. The News & Advance reports the students gathered Friday at the private evangelical university in Lynchburg. Photos show students holding …

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Jerry Falwell: If The FBI Doesn’t Want To Prosecute My Accusers, I’ll Still “Expose” Them With A Civil Lawsuit

Charisma News, the site best known here for its anti-witchcraft tutorials, its claim that the lifespan of gays is shortened by 20 years, its warning that burning breakfast eggs can summon demons, and its declaration that yoga is white witchcraft, is today quite naturally the place where Jerry Falwell turns to make his case against his accusers. “We have nothing …

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TODAY: Liberty University Students To Protest Against Jerry Falwell Jr. As He Vows Revenge Against His Critics

Religion News Service reports: In the wake of reports alleging objectionable rhetoric and conduct by Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr., students at the evangelical Christian school plan to call for internal and external investigations into the president and administration at a protest on campus Friday (Sept. 13). “We are not calling for Falwell to resign right now,” said Elizabeth …

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REUTERS: Jerry Falwell Blasted Some Liberty Students As “Retarded” And “Social Misfits” In His Emails To Staff

Reuters reports: In emails to his colleagues over the years, Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr has denigrated students and staff at the Christian university he runs, referring to one student as “emotionally imbalanced and physically retarded” and calling the school’s police chief a “half-wit.” The barbed comments, contained in email exchanges reviewed by Reuters, emerge as the evangelical political …

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Ohio Rep Seeks To Subpoena Gym Jordan On Wrestlers’ Abuse: “What Did He Know And When Did He Know It”

NBC News reports: An Ohio lawmaker is seeking to compel powerful Republican Rep. Jim Jordan to testify under oath about whether he was aware that the wrestlers he coached at Ohio State University were being sexually abused by the team doctor. State Rep. Tavia Galonski said she intends to ask the chair of the committee she sits on to subpoena …

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Miami Photographer To Falwell: I’ve Got The Receipts

From the owner of a Miami Beach nightlife agency: For 21 years, I have maintained an impeccable reputation for documenting Miami Beach’s storied social scene. We wholly reject Jerry Falwell Jr.’s baseless allegation in yesterday’s Politico report by Brandon Ambrosino that one of our pictures was “photo-shopped” or manipulated in any fashion. We, in fact, did not know Politico’s purpose …

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White House Press Secretary Has Quite The Past

The New York Times today published a profile of White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham and man, there’s some doozies in there. An excerpt: Ms. Grisham got her start in national politics as a press aide on Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign. But she had worked for some time before that in public relations, including a job with the AAA …

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