Gonzaga, Big Ten continue to dominate Top 25; Wisconsin 6th
(AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)It's hard to decide who has been more dominant in men's college basketball this season: Gonzaga or the Big Ten Conference. The sixth-ranked Badgers began a run of Top 25 teams from the league, jumping three spots after wins over Nebraska and then-No. 12 Michigan State. The Hawkeyes dropped from fourth to 10th while surprising Rutgers began a run of four more Big Ten teams at No. Minnesota, whose lone loss came to Illinois and which was last ranked on Dec. 4, 2017, plays its next six against Top 25 teams: Michigan State, at Wisconsin, Ohio State, at Michigan, at Iowa and the Wolverines at home.
A look at Trump’s pardons, including a South Florida exec guilty of fraud
On Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020, President Donald Trump pardoned 15 people, including Collins. Papadopoulos was the first Trump aide to plead guilty as part of Mueller’s investigation – pleading guilty to lying to the FBI – and served a nearly two-week sentence in federal prison. The White House said Stockman had contracted coronavirus while in federal prison and has served more than two years of his 10-year sentence. Esformes’ prison sentence was commuted by the president on Tuesday, but other aspects of his sentence, including supervised release and millions in restitution, remained intact. The White House said the commutation was supported by a number of former attorneys general and said Esformes is in declining health.
New round of Trump clemency benefits Manafort, Stone, other allies
The pardons Wednesday of Manafort and Roger Stone, who months earlier had his sentence commuted by Trump, were particularly notable, underscoring the president's desire to chip away at the results and legacy of special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. Though the charges against Manafort did not concern the central thrust of Mueller's mandate — whether the Trump campaign and Russia colluded to tip the election — he was nonetheless a pivotal figure in the investigation. Manafort, in a series of tweets, thanked Trump and lavished praise on the outgoing president, declaring that history would show he had accomplished more than any of his predecessors. Trump and the elder Kushner knew each other from real estate circles and their children were married in 2009. Trump’s legally troubled allies were not the only recipients of clemency.
A look at pardons, clemency in waning weeks of Trump tenure
On Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020, President Donald Trump pardoned 15 people, including Collins. Papadopoulos was the first Trump aide to plead guilty as part of Mueller’s investigation – pleading guilty to lying to the FBI – and served a nearly two-week sentence in federal prison. The White House said Stockman had contracted coronavirus while in federal prison and has served more than two years of his 10-year sentence. Esformes’ prison sentence was commuted by the president on Tuesday, but other aspects of his sentence, including supervised release and millions in restitution, remained intact. The White House said the commutation was supported by a number of former attorneys general and said Esformes is in declining health.
Trump pardons 15, commutes 5 sentences, including GOP allies
He and his allies have discussed a range of other possibilities, including members of Trump's family and his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani. Trump also commuted the sentences of five other people, including former Rep. Steve Stockman of Texas. Trump also announced pardons for two people entangled in special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. Trump has granted about 2% of requested pardons in his single term in office — just 27 before Tuesday's announcement. Bush, another one-term president, granted 10% of requests.
NY Republican Chris Jacobs sworn in as newest House member
This undated photo provided by his campaign, shows New York state Sen. Chris Jacobs, one of four candidates running for NY Congressional District 27, in Buffalo, NY. Convicted Congressman Chris Collins' former New York district is on two separate ballots Tuesday, June 23, 2020. (Courtesy Chris Jacobs via AP)WASHINGTON Republican Chris Jacobs of upstate New York became the newest House member on Tuesday, taking the oath of office to fill the unexpired term of a lawmaker who left Congress after pleading guilty to federal insider trading charges. Jacobs, 53, will serve the five and one-half months remaining in the term of former GOP Rep. Chris Collins. Collins, the first sitting member of Congress to back Trump's candidacy in 2016, was in his fourth House term when he resigned last October.
Pandemic puts convicted representative's seat on 2 ballots
The unusual situation is part of election season fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. Andrew Cuomo moved the special election originally scheduled for April to coincide with state and federal primary elections. Also Tuesday, Jacobs will be running in the Republican primary against former town Justice Beth Parlato and Erie County Comptroller Stefan Mychajliw. For a voter, it would be a lot easier and simpler to simply vote for Jacobs for both, he said. Jacobs and McMurray, in the special elections lone debate, each condemned the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.
GOP Rep. Chris Collins, accused in insider trading case, resigns
(CNN) - New York Rep. Chris Collins submitted his resignation from Congress on Monday, one day ahead of his expected guilty plea to federal charges in an insider trading case, according to the House Speaker's office, court documents and a person familiar with the matter. Collins sent a letter of resignation Monday to the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, according to her spokesman, who said Collins's resignation will be effective Tuesday. The first sitting congressman to back President Donald Trump's bid for the White House, Collins was reelected to office several months after he was originally indicted. Collins' co-defendants -- his son and another man -- are also set to change their pleas on Thursday, according to court filings. Speaking outside the courthouse after his second not guilty plea, Collins said he believed he would succeed at trial.