Senate panel says Larry Craig acted improperly

Hello on this Thursday, the 14 day of February 2008. I'm Kristin Volk with a UPI news update. A c...  More »

Hello on this Thursday, the 14 day of February 2008. I'm Kristin Volk with a UPI news update. A congressional panel has concluded that Senator Larry Craig acted improperly in a police sex sting. The Senate Ethics Committee issued a letter of admonition to the Idaho senator yesterday in connection with his arrest in a Minneapolis airport bathroom last year. The letter said Craig's actions reflected discreditably on the chamber. The committee also criticized the senator for using more than $200 thousand in campaign funds to pay legal fees related to the case. Craig responded saying he's disappointed and strongly disagrees with the conclusions reached by the committee. Israel is beefing up its security following the assassination of a top Hezbollah commander. Yesterday, Imad Moughniyah was killed by a car bomb in Syria, and Hezbollah is blaming Israel for his death. The Israeli government has rejected that claim, but it has put its embassies on high alert and has reinforced troops on the Lebanese border. Moughniyah was also on the FBI's 10-most wanted list. Look your mailbox for a check from the government as early as May. That's because President Bush signed a $152 million economic stimulus bill yesterday. $600 will go towards individual taxpayers who earn less than $75,000. Couple will receive $1,200. And there's a $300 per child tax credit. Two key aides to President Bush could face contempt charges over the White House's refusal to give information on the firings of those U.S. attorneys. The House will vote today on whether to authorize criminal and civil charges against White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten and former White House counsel Harriet Miers. Both have failed to comply with Judiciary Committee subpoenas because President Bush has refused to allow them to testify, citing executive privilege. That's all for now. Check out our weekly wrap-up from the White House on upi.com tomorrow.  « Less