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At least 6 dead in Ark., Mo. tornadoes
CINCINNATI, Ark., Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Tornadoes touched down in northwest Arkansas and central Missouri Friday, killing at least six people, authorities said. In Arkansas, several homes and buildings in the village of Cincinnati, including the firehouse, were heavily damaged, Washington County Emergency Management Services officials told KFSM-TV, Fort Smith, Ark. Buck Wilson, 88, and Mimi Wilson, 78, were killed, along with James Richard Murray, 78, who was inside a dairy barn not far from the Wils...

Tornado kills six in southern US
Tornados tore through parts of the US states of Arkansas, Missouri and Illinois on Friday, killing at least six people and leaving damage and power outages in its wake, authorities said. "Three fatalities have been reported in Washington County," the Arkansas state emergency management office said in a statement. The fatalities were near the town of Cincinnati, Arkansas, it added. The storm struck Arkansas around 6:00 am local time, cutting a swath through four counties and leaving at least ei...

Mo. autism insurance mandate begins with new year
Several thousand Children will become eligible for Insurance Coverage of their Autism treatments when a new Missouri law takes effect Saturday. Gov. Jay Nixon calls the Autism Insurance mandate "one of the most important things that I'll ever do." The law requires insurers to cover $40,000 a year of "applied behavioral analysis" for Children through age 18. Many parents credit the intensive Therapy with making dramatic improvements in their children. But the mandate will apply to only about one-...

New year, new rules on campaign cash, pension benefits
Major reforms to the way Illinois politicians raise campaign cash and new state workers collect Pension benefits take effect with the new year, both sets of changes inspired by the departure of disgraced ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich. The state's first limits on political contributions were a direct response to Blagojevich's arrest, Impeachment and indictment on blockbuster government Corruption charges centered on Shakedown allegations. And the gridlock over slowing runaway State Employee Pension c...

Supreme Court Okays Using Public Schools for Political Fundraising
The Michigan Supreme Court ruled this week in a 4-3 decision that School Districts may administer Payroll deductions from employees for the benefit of the Michigan Education Association’s political action committee. This overturned a Court of Appeals decision. The MEA has in its union contracts throughout the state provisions that require districts to collect Payroll deduction for the union's political action committee. The union asserts that it pays the districts for any related administ...

New Year's Eve tornadoes kill 6 in Ark., Mo.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Tornadoes fueled by unusually warm air pummeled the South and Midwest on Friday, killing at least six people and injuring dozens more across Arkansas, Missouri and Illinois. Forecasters said storms could hit along a stretch from near Chicago to New Orleans later in the evening as New Year's Eve celebrations begin. Three people died in the northwestern Arkansas hamlet of Cincinnati when a tornado touched down just before sunrise, and three others died when a storm spawne...

New Year's Eve tornadoes kill 6 in AR, MO...
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Tornadoes fueled by unusually warm air pummeled the South and Midwest on Friday, killing at least six people and injuring dozens more across Arkansas, Missouri and Illinois. Forecasters said storms could hit along a stretch from near Chicago to New Orleans later in the evening as New Year's Eve celebrations begin. Three people died in the northwestern Arkansas hamlet of Cincinnati when a tornado touched down just before sunrise, and three others died when a storm spawne...

ODonnell on defense in campaign funds probe
A possible federal Criminal Probe, charges of “thug politic tactics” and a foreboding feeling of more wicked tricks to come. No, it’s not a tease for a new novel filled with political intrigue — it’s the next chapter in the Christine O’Donnell story. The Tea Party politician from Delaware who famously declared: “I’m not a witch” now declares she’s not a crook. “There’s been no impermissible use of campaign funds whatsoever,&...

CBSs Crawford Dismisses Christine ODonnells Response to Accusations
Dignified Newsweek? They Print 'F--k John McCain,' Scalia a 'C--ksucker' Clap Off! CBS, NBC, NPR Skip Over Intelligence Chief Clapper's Ignorance on ABC of London Terror Arrests 17 Years and Counting: ABC's Dr. Tim Johnson Continues Spinning for Dems on Health Care On Thursday’s CBS Evening News, as CBS correspondent Jan Crawford filed a report on the allegations that former Delaware Republican Senate nominee Christine O’Donnell misused campaign money...

Miller Concedes Loss to Murkowski
(AP) Republican Joe Miller is ending his fight over Alaska's U.S. Senate seat, conceding the race to his bitter rival, Incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski. Miller's decision, announced Friday at a news conference in Anchorage, comes one day after the state certified Murkowski as the winner. This ends what started as a promising campaign for Miller, a Tea Party favorite who upset Murkowski in the GOP primary, in his first bid for statewide public office. He was widely seen as the favorite for winnin...

CBSs Crawford Dismisses Christine ODonnells Response to Accusations
Dignified Newsweek? They Print 'F--k John McCain,' Scalia a 'C--ksucker' Clap Off! CBS, NBC, NPR Skip Over Intelligence Chief Clapper's Ignorance on ABC of London Terror Arrests 17 Years and Counting: ABC's Dr. Tim Johnson Continues Spinning for Dems on Health Care On Thursday’s CBS Evening News, as CBS correspondent Jan Crawford filed a report on the allegations that former Delaware Republican Senate nominee Christine O’Donnell misused campaign money...

Deadly tornadoes cross South, Midwest
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Tornadoes fueled by unusually warm air pummeled the South and Midwest on Friday, killing at least six people and injuring dozens more across Arkansas, Missouri and Illinois. Forecasters said storms could hit along a stretch from near Chicago to New Orleans later in the evening as New Year’s Eve celebrations begin. Three people died in the northwestern Arkansas hamlet of Cincinnati when a tornado touched down just before sunrise, and three others died when a storm ...

New Year's Eve tornadoes kill 6 in Ark., Mo.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Tornadoes fueled by unusually warm air pummeled the South and Midwest on Friday, killing at least six people and injuring dozens more across Arkansas, Missouri and Illinois. Forecasters said storms could hit along a stretch from near Chicago to New Orleans later in the evening as New Year’s Eve celebrations begin. Three people died in the northwestern Arkansas hamlet of Cincinnati when a tornado touched down just before sunrise, and three others died when a storm ...

Christine O'Donnell: FBI Investigation a Ridiculous Thuggish Rumor
Failed Senate Candidate Christine O'Donnell denied Thursday that she misused campaign funds, telling Fox News that an apparent Criminal Investigation into her spending is yet another attempt to tarnish the Tea Party movement. "It appears that this is just the same thug tactics that they've been using for months to discredit this anti-establishment movement," O'Donnell said. The Delaware Republican defended herself after it was revealed that federal authorities have launched the Probe to determ...

Christine O'Donnell denies allegation she misused campaign funds in failed Senate bid
Christine O'Donnell, who famously denied that she was a witch, said on Thursday that she was innocent of any financial irregularities connected to her failed campaign for the U.S. Senate. Speaking on morning Talk Shows, O'Donnell, who rode a wave a "Tea Party" movement unhappiness to wrest the Senate nomination from the Candidate favored by Delaware's GOP, rejected accusations that campaign funds were misused. She also blamed liberal political enemies for persecuting her. "There's been no imper...

O'Donnell: Spending accusations are 'thug' tactics
Failed U.S. Senate Candidate Christine O'Donnell said Thursday that accusations she misspent campaign funds are politically motivated and stoked by disgruntled former campaign workers. The Delaware Republican appeared on several network morning shows to defend herself a day after The Associated Press reported federal authorities have launched a Criminal Probe to determine whether she broke the law by using campaign money to pay personal expenses. O'Donnell, the Tea Party favorite who scored a su...

Christine ODonnell Investigated by FBI
The claims come from Staffers who worked for or volunteered for the campaign that O’Donnel was using campaign funds for her own personal use were presented to the Federal Elections Commission. The charges are that she lied on her expense forms that had been filed with the FEC and committed Tax Evasion on income. Some of the reports originate from her campaign aide David Keegan and he reports O’Donnell used campaign funds like her own “ATM” machine and spent the money on f...

Campaign finance leftovers from 2010 who gave to everybody?
Some campaign contributors  spread their money around in last year’s Elections. Nearly 100 political action committees, corporations and individuals gave at least 50 checks of the maximum-amount to various state office Candidates in Florida for the 2010 election, including 33 contributors who cut more than 100 such checks, according to an Orlando Sentinel review of Campaign Contributions. Almost all of the frequent givers spread the money to both Rep...

Incoming secretary of state had no role in cutting client's campaign-finance fine, official says
Both Gessler, an experienced Elections issues lawyer, and officials with the Secretary of State's office say his taking the reins of the office in January had nothing to do with the department's Dec. 15 decision to cut the $504,500 in fines against the Colorado Independent Auto Dealers Association down to $8,475. But both sides also acknowledge the appearance of potential conflict the situation presents. "Sure, but our job is to be as consistent and fair as possible and not take factors like tha...

Christine ODonnell claims liberal conspiracy behind criminal probe (Video)
Christine O’Donnell has lashed out against much of the liberal world following news that of a Criminal Investigation into her Fundraising activities.  In an interview on Fox News O’Donnell implicates Vice President Joe Biden and liberal philanthropist George Soros in a plot to undermine her political credibility using the FBI Probe.  Citing an anonymous source, O’Donnell claims that she was told that the Democrats would use everything at their disposal to try and brin...

Christine O'Donnell Is Being Persecuted by the FBI Because Just Because
So, you may have heard that there's maybe a federal investigation underway to determine if Senate Candidate hilarious performance artist Christine O'Donnell misused campaign for personal use such as rent, broomsticks, eyes of newt, etc. Obviously, this is merely a case of the FBI and the Vice President's office persecuting Christine O'Donnell for reasons that make obvious sense. Obviously! "There's been no impermissible use of campaign funds whatsoever," O�...

O'Donnell denies campaign fraud
US politician Christine O'Donnell, who unsuccessfully ran for Delaware's Senate seat, has denied accusations that she improperly used campaign funds for personal expenses. Federal investigators have launched a Criminal Probe into the alleged misuse. Two former campaign aides have alleged that Ms O'Donnell used campaign funds to pay personal expenses including rent. "There's been no impermissible use of campaign funds whatsoever," Ms O'Donnell told ABC. In an ...

Christine O'Donnell: "There's Been No Impermissible Use of Campaign Funds Whatsoever"
O'Donnell: This is a "thug politic tactic" abcnews.com Former Tea Party Senate Candidate Christine O'Donnell defended herself today against a report that the Federal Government was investigating her for misuse of campaign funds, saying the investigation was politically motivated . " There's been no impermissible use of campaign funds whatsoever," O'Donnell told "Good Morning America" today. "You have to look at this whole thug politic tactic for what it is. ... I'm confident that we will be c...

Christine O'Donnell dismisses campaign funds investigation
Christine O'Donnell, the United States Senate Candidate who declared "I'm not a witch", has described a federal investigation into alleged misuse of campaign funds as "thug" tactics by her opponents....

O'Donnell Says Investigation is Political
Christine O'Donnell (R) told ABC News the federal investigation into her use of campaign funds was politically motivated. Said O'Donnell: "You don't need a tipster to show that this was politically motivated. We were informed that the Delaware political establishment was going to use every resource available to them, including launching phony investigations... tying me up with Lawsuits to make sure I can't move forward politically. I even expect more things to come, that's their tactic." TPM ...