Tag Archives: USA Today

March 28, 2013 · 8:43 PM

James Holmes offers guilty plea to avoid death penalty

Holmes

USA Today

Attorneys for Denver-area theater shooting suspect James Holmes have offered to have him plead guilty and be jailed for life to avoid the death penalty, KUSA-TV is reporting.

The prosecution has not yet responded to the offer, which came in a court filing Wednesday.

“Mr. Holmes is currently willing to resolve the case to bring the proceedings to a speedy and definite conclusion,” the filing reads.

The defense team said the case could end Monday if the Arapahoe County district attorney accepts the deal. Prosecutors planned to announce Monday whether they would seek the death penalty.

Holmes, 25, is charged with first-degree murder for the July 20 rampage that killed 12 moviegoers and wounded nearly 60 others at the premiere of the latest Batman film at a multiplex in Aurora.

On March 12, a judge entered a not guilty plea on Holmes’ behalf but said Holmes could enter a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity later.

Trial is set for Aug. 5.

KUSA, a Denver TV station owned by Gannett, USA TODAY’s parent company, notes that a similar plea deal was offered to Jared Loughner, the man charged in a Tuscon mass shooting. The federal government withdrew the death penalty after he pleaded guilty to killing six and wounding 13, including former U.S. congresswoman Gabby Giffords, in January 2011.

Loughner was sentenced to seven consecutive life terms and an additional 140 years.

Arizona authorities have just released crime reports from the case, which had been sealed by court order.

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February 18, 2013 · 6:23 AM

Gingrich: Republicans Will Oppose Any Immigration Plan Backed By Obama Because They Hate Obama

Someone dragged Newt Gingrich from behind the woodwork to give his opinion on immigration issues.  This time, there might even be a modicum of truth to what he’s saying…

Think Progress

During an appearance on ABC’s This Week on Sunday, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) admitted that Republicans are likely to oppose any immigration reform proposal introduced by President Obama because they personally dislike the Commander-in-Chief.

“An Obama plan led and driven by Obama in this atmosphere with the level of hostility towards the president and the way he goads the hostility I think is very hard to imagine that bill, that his bill is going to pass the House,” Gingrich said. “I think that negotiated with a Senate immigration bill that has to have bipartisan support could actually get to the president’s desk.”

The Senate-backed framework for immigration reform, which enhances security on the border and includes a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, shares many similarities with Obama’s own proposal, though the president has repeatedly said that if Congress fails to make progress, he will introduce his own reform legislation.

That plan, obtained by USA Today, “mirrors many provisions of the bipartisan 2007 bill” spearheaded by Ted Kennedy and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and would allow unauthorized immigrants “to become legal permanent residents within eight years.” “The plan also would provide for more security funding and require business owners to check the immigration status of new hires within four years,” the paper reports.

Despite its bipartisan nature, the draft proposal was immediately panned by Republicans. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) — a member of the Senate group working towards producing comprehensive legislation — called it “dead on arrival,” while Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) said it demonstrated that Obama is “looking for a partisan advantage and not a bipartisan solution.”

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February 1, 2013 · 12:22 PM

Sandy Hook Elementary Children to Sing at Super Bowl

This will undoubtedly be something worth watching…

The New York Times

Twenty-six children from Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., will sing at the Super Bowl to honor the 26 children and school staffers killed in a shooting massacre last month.

The children will be shown live singing “America the Beautiful” before Alicia Keys performs the national anthem. USA Today reported that the N.F.L. confirmed the performance.

The Super Bowl is more than a game; it’s a national event. But is there a touch of exploitation in the move? Maybe even a hint of political commentary? Some readers at ProFootballTalk.com seemed to think so, although they may change their minds if they watch the children sing.

In the YouTube video above, Ingrid Michaelson led a children’s choir from Newtown in a rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”

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November 4, 2012 · 9:47 PM

Romney staff refusing to let frostbitten children leave PA rally

So much for Mitt Romney’s “family values”.  His staff had no empathy toward people who were freezing out there…

America Blog

This is happening right now at Mitt Romney’s rally in Pennsylvania.  Apparently it’s freezing, and Romney’s staff is refusing to let rally-goers leave. People are begging reporters for help.

Absolutely incredible.

From the NYT’s Michael Barbaro:

From USA Today’s Jackie Kucinich:

My God.

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October 18, 2012 · 1:30 PM

George Zimmerman trial date set for June 10

Zimmerman

USA Today

October 17. 2012

A Florida judge Wednesday set a June 10, 2013, date for the trial of George Zimmerman on charges of second-degree murder in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, USA TODAY’s Yamiche Alcindor reports.

The unarmed 17-year-old was killed in February as he was walking in a gated Sanford community toward his father’s house.

Zimmerman, 29, has pleaded not guilty on grounds of self defense.

Zimmerman and his wife Shellie, 25, are living in hiding in Seminole County awaiting trial.

She is charged with perjury for allegedly lying at her husband’s first bond hearing regarding the family’s finances.

Judge Debra Nelson, who was presiding over the case for the first time Wednesday since being appointed, pressed prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda and Zimmerman attorney Mark O’Mara for timing before determining that June would be an appropriate month.

SANFORD: A city struggles to cope with Trayvon killing

INTERACTIVE: The Trayvon Martin case: A multimedia timeline

“June makes sense because it gives us a target date,” O’Mara said shortly after the hearing. “I have no idea between now and then if we’ll be ready. We’re going to try to be ready.”

O’Mara told the judge that the trial would most likely last three weeks. De la Rionda agreed.

O’Mara added that the defense is in the middle of taking depositions and is trying to gather all the information and discovery the prosecution has.

Attorneys for both sides will be back in court Friday to discuss discovery issues, subpoenas for Trayvon’s school records, and motions by the news media to keep the facts of the case public, USA TODAY’s Alcindor adds.

Ed. Note:  The Fifth Column has a page dedicated to the Trayvon Martin case as well.

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March 19, 2012 · 8:20 PM

All Major News Outlets Cover Trayvon Martin Tragedy, Except Fox News

Honestly, there’s no surprise here when it comes to Fox News’ non-reporting on the Trayvon Martin case in Florida…

Think Progress

Since his tragic death on February 26, Trayvon Martin — an unarmed 17-year-old African-American shot by “neighborhood watch volunteer” George Zimmerman — has become national news. Martin, a good student with no criminal record, was killed by Zimmerman on his way home from the 7-11. Zimmerman was carrying a 9 millimeter handgun. Martin was carrying a bag of Skittles and a can of iced tea. (If you are unfamiliar with the story, check out our primer on what everyone should know about Trayvon Martin.)

Martin has merited coverage by the New York Times, the Washington Post, and USA Today. The story has been covered by all three broadcast networks and extensively on cable. But there is one outlet that has barely mentioned Trayvon Martin — Fox News.

Here’s a breakdown of the coverage of Trayvon Martin on the three major cable networks from the day of his death through today at noon:

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January 19, 2012 · 1:00 AM

Gingrich: I would call Palin for advice

English: Former Speaker of the House Newt Ging...

Now it’s been confirmed, Newt Gingrich is a dumb, ignorant racist and a lap-dog for other ignorant people who are more powerful than him…

The Raw Story

During an appearance Wednesday on CNN, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich suggested he would ask former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be member of his Cabinet if he was elected President of the United States.

“I don’t want to suggest anything,” he said. “We haven’t talked about anything at all. Gov. Palin is somebody who I think was a very good reform governor, she was extraordinarily effective negotiating with big oil, she did a good job in the state of Alaska, I think she is a very articulate leader of the tea party conservative movement.”

“Certainly, she is one of the people I would call on for advice,” Gingrich continued. “I would ask her to consider taking a major role in the next administration if I am president, but nothing has been discussed of any kind and it wouldn’t be appropriate to discuss it at this time. I’m just delighted that she and Todd have both been so supportive of my candidacy.”

During a tele-town hall in December, Gingrich said he would consider picking Palin as his vice president. Republican presidential nominee John McCain lost in 2008 after selecting Sarah Palin as his running mate.

Gingrich also previously said he would ask former Bush administration U.N. ambassador John Bolton to be U.S. Secretary of State if he were elected. USA Today  and other news outlets said the comment were illegal under U.S. law, which prohibits candidates from “directly or indirectly” promising or pledging the appointment of any person “for the purpose of procuring support in his candidacy.”

But Talking Points Memo reported that Gingrich had in fact not broken the law  because he had not made the remark for the purpose of getting Bolton’s endorsement in return.

Watch video, clipped by Talking Points Memo, below:

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February 8, 2011 · 7:48 PM

Michele Bachmann Asked By FEC For Information On $1.5 Million In Donations

Huffington Post

The fundraising prowess of Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) is being called into question this week, as Roll Call reports that the FEC is asking her campaign’s treasurer to itemize nearly $1.5 million in individual donations.

In a series of three letters, FEC campaign finance analyst Benjamin Holly asks Bachmann treasurer Andy Parrish to account for a number of contributions dating from the October filing period until a report submitted nearly two weeks after the election.

Parrish has since told USA Today that the request is not unusual, and that he plans to abide by its demands by the Thursday deadline.

“The campaign had more than 100,000 donors, demonstrating a broad base of support, but also requiring a large record-keeping operation,” he said. “The campaign will continue to ensure that it acts in full compliance with FEC rules.”

Bachmann shattered fundraising records on her path to victory in the election cycle’s most expensive House race, bringing in a grand total of $13.2 million in donations, including a whopping and unprecedented $5.4 million in a three-month period.

The congresswoman’s campaign ran into similar filing problems last year, due to errors in her campaign finance reports. The inquiry was later addressed without any further issue.

For more on the specific FEC requests, check out Roll Call.

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