IF iDir.com

Senator Chuck Grassley said Christine Blasey Ford, a university professor in California whose allegations have put Kavanaugh's once-safe nomination in serious jeopardy, has not responded to attempts by the Republican-led Judiciary Committee, which oversees the confirmation process, to contact her. Trump told reporters he remains "totally supportive" of Kavanaugh, who met with officials at the White House for a second straight day, though not with the president. Trump said Kavanaugh is "anxious" to testify.

Tue, 18 Sep 2018 13:11:33 -0400

SeaWorld Entertainment Inc and its former Chief Executive James Atchison have agreed to pay more than $5 million to settle U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission fraud charges for misleading investors about the negative effect that the 2013 documentary "Blackfish" would have on the company's reputation and business. The SEC on Tuesday said SeaWorld improperly downplayed the impact of the documentary, which criticized its treatment of orcas, or killer whales, over an eight-month period that ended in Aug. 2014, when the company acknowledged that bad publicity was hurting attendance.

Tue, 18 Sep 2018 13:09:59 -0400

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The FBI should not investigate a California professor's allegations of sexual assault against U.S. Supreme Court pick Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump said on Tuesday, adding that he wanted his nominee to be confirmed quickly. Asked whether he would ask the FBI to open its background check on Kavanaugh, Trump told reporters at the White House: "I don't think the FBI really need to be involved because they don't want to be involved. If they wanted to be, I would certainly do that, but as you know, they say this is not really their thing. ...

Tue, 18 Sep 2018 12:53:54 -0400

WILMINGTON/FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (Reuters) - Residents of the Carolinas struggled to return to normalcy on Tuesday after taking a beating from Hurricane Florence, but their efforts were hindered by standing water and additional flooding expected from already swollen rivers. At least 32 people have been killed since Florence came ashore as a hurricane on Friday, including 25 in North Carolina and six in South Carolina. One person was killed when Florence spawned at least 16 tornadoes on Monday in Virginia, where dozens of buildings were destroyed, the National Weather Service reported.

Tue, 18 Sep 2018 12:44:03 -0400

U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg said in a ruling late on Monday that while it is important for citizens to know their ballots are properly counted, voters also must rely on a smooth process, especially in a fast-approaching election race. "Ultimately, any chaos or problems that arise in connection with a sudden rollout of a paper ballot system with accompanying scanning equipment may swamp the polls with work and voters – and result in voter frustration and disaffection from the voting process," Totenberg said in a 46-page decision. Democrat Stacey Abrams faces Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp, a Republican, who is responsible for the state's elections and is named as a defendant in the lawsuit.

Tue, 18 Sep 2018 11:25:40 -0400