Ethics Complaint Filed Against Senator Shelby
The Campaign for Accountability, a Washington-based non-profit watchdog group, filed an ethics complaint Thursday against 14 members of Congress, including Alabama Senator Richard Shelby. The complaint says Shelby and others accepted campaign contributions from the payday lending industry while supporting industry-backed legislation.
The complaint asks the Senate Ethics Committee to investigate whether Shelby violated congressional rules or criminal law. The Campaign for Accountability cites an amendment Shelby offered in 2010 and a vote he took in 2015 as evidence he intended to weaken the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, something payday lenders wanted.
Daniel Stevens, executive director of the Campaign for Accountability, says Shelby received about $46,000 dollars from payday industry executives and PACs just a few weeks before the 2015 vote.
“They weren’t just giving it to Shelby because they like him,” says Stevens. “This industry contributes to Shelby’s campaign because they expect him to advocate for their priorities. In this case it seems to have worked.”
A spokeswoman for Shelby says he votes based on the substance of a policy and to suggest otherwise is ridiculous. She says the Senator has had long-standing concerns about the structure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Light from satellites will ruin majority of some space telescope images, study says
Astronomers have long been concerned about reflections from satellites showing up in images taken by telescopes and other scientific instruments.
Defense Department is reviewing boat strike video for possible release, Hegseth says
In a speech on Saturday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the strikes, saying: "President Trump can and will take decisive military action as he sees fit to defend our nation's interests."
Bama, Miami in, Notre Dame out and Indiana No. 1 in College Football Playoff rankings
Nobody paying attention for the past 24 months would be surprised to see Indiana – yes, Indiana – leading the way into this year's College Football Playoff.
McLaren’s Lando Norris wins first F1 title at season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Red Bull driver and defending champion Max Verstappen won the race with Norris placing third, which allowed Norris to finish two points ahead of Verstappen in the season-long standings.
A ban on feeding pigeons ruffles lots of feathers in Mumbai
The pigeon population has exploded — a result of people feeding the birds. For some it's a holy duty and a way to connect to nature. Critics point to health risks tied to exposure to pigeon droppings.
UN humanitarian chief: world needs to ‘wake up’ and help stop violence in Sudan
The UN's top humanitarian and emergency relief official has told NPR that the lack of attention from world leaders to the war in Sudan is the "billion dollar question".
