A woman has accused California Democratic Rep. Jimmy Gomez of sexual assault and harassment through the House Ethics Committee, directly contradicting his claim that his conduct was consensual, as Congress confronts a mounting wave of misconduct scandals in both parties. Attorneys Lisa J. Banks and Sarah E. Nesbitt, representing the unnamed woman, issued a statement […] The post Rep. Jimmy Gomez faces sexual assault accusation as Capitol Hill misconduct crisis deepens appeared first on American Almanac .
A woman has accused California Democratic Rep. Jimmy Gomez of sexual assault and harassment through the House Ethics Committee, directly contradicting his claim that his conduct was consensual, as Congress confronts a mounting wave of misconduct scandals in both parties. Attorneys Lisa J. Banks and Sarah E. Nesbitt, representing the unnamed woman, issued a statement days after the Ethics Committee announced its investigation on Aug. 17. Their client, they said, had been interviewed by the panel and gave an account that flatly rejected Gomez's version of events. The committee said it was investigating whether the 51-year-old Gomez "may have engaged in sexual misconduct in violation" of congressional conduct rules, "including engaging in…Open
More than 100 miners are dead after underground tunnels collapsed at an unregulated gold mine near the Central African Republic's border with Cameroon, and rescuers say the body count keeps climbing. Several tunnels at an artisanal mining site in Zamboye gave way roughly two days before recovery teams pulled more than ten additional bodies from […] The post Gold mine collapse in Central African Republic kills more than 100 as rescue efforts falter appeared first on American Almanac .
More than 100 miners are dead after underground tunnels collapsed at an unregulated gold mine near the Central African Republic's border with Cameroon, and rescuers say the body count keeps climbing. Several tunnels at an artisanal mining site in Zamboye gave way roughly two days before recovery teams pulled more than ten additional bodies from the debris on Thursday morning alone. Local Red Cross volunteer Gervais Ganagoro told the Associated Press that hopes of finding anyone alive were fading fast. A court in the Baboua subprefecture, the local administrative jurisdiction, confirmed that the tunnels caved in and triggered a landslide. It opened an investigation to determine why the tunnels failed, identify the dead, track down…Open
A California family's $18 million COVID-relief fraud scheme, complete with ankle-bracelet escapes and a fugitive chase to Montenegro, has inspired new Senate legislation aimed at blocking convicted fraudsters' household members from federal money. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) introduced the No Cash for Cohabitating Kins of Crooks Act, a bill that would bar anyone living with […] The post Sen. Joni Ernst targets 'fraudster families' with bill to cut off relatives of convicted scammers from federal aid appeared first on American Almanac .
A California family's $18 million COVID-relief fraud scheme, complete with ankle-bracelet escapes and a fugitive chase to Montenegro, has inspired new Senate legislation aimed at blocking convicted fraudsters' household members from federal money. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) introduced the No Cash for Cohabitating Kins of Crooks Act, a bill that would bar anyone living with a convicted criminal or fraudster from receiving federal grants, loans, subawards, or reimbursements. Ernst rolled out the legislation alongside her August Squeal Award, a monthly spotlight on government waste that this time named 15 families she says collectively swindled taxpayers out of roughly $50 million. The bill and the award share a common thread: fraud that runs…Open
Oscar-winning actor Tim Robbins says he is unhappy with both political parties but reserved his sharpest criticism for Democrats, telling them they need "better ideas" and must "get their stuff together" if they want voters to take them seriously. Robbins, 67, laid out his frustrations during an appearance on the "SmartLess" podcast, hosted by Jason […] The post Tim Robbins tells Democrats to stop doomscrolling and start offering voters a reason to show up appeared first on American Almanac .
Oscar-winning actor Tim Robbins says he is unhappy with both political parties but reserved his sharpest criticism for Democrats, telling them they need "better ideas" and must "get their stuff together" if they want voters to take them seriously. Robbins, 67, laid out his frustrations during an appearance on the "SmartLess" podcast, hosted by Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett. The actor and director, best known for "The Shawshank Redemption" and his Academy Award for 2003's "Mystic River", did not mince words about the state of the Democratic Party or the broader culture of political rage that he says is poisoning daily life for millions of Americans. Page Six reported that Robbins told the podcast hosts he sees a party…Open
Actor Matthew McConaughey is once again hinting at a future in politics, this time after a private meeting with Pope Leo XIV in Italy that he says sharpened his thinking on faith, governance, and the moral stakes of artificial intelligence. McConaughey, who considered a run for Texas governor in 2021 but ultimately passed, told USA […] The post Matthew McConaughey floats political ambitions after sit-down with Pope Leo XIV appeared first on American Almanac .
Actor Matthew McConaughey is once again hinting at a future in politics, this time after a private meeting with Pope Leo XIV in Italy that he says sharpened his thinking on faith, governance, and the moral stakes of artificial intelligence. McConaughey, who considered a run for Texas governor in 2021 but ultimately passed, told USA Today in an interview published August 15 that the papal visit earlier this month left him more interested than ever in building what he called a values-based framework for public life. He stopped short of announcing a candidacy for any office, but his language carried the unmistakable cadence of a man keeping the door wide open. The actor, who describes himself as politically centrist, told the outlet he…Open
Colossal Biosciences, the biotech firm working to resurrect the woolly mammoth, has partnered with Paramount and toymaker Spin Master to use the PAW Patrol children's franchise as a vehicle for its conservation messaging, raising fair questions about where science education ends and corporate branding begins. The campaign, reported by the Hollywood Reporter, pairs the cartoon […] The post Woolly mammoth cloning company recruits PAW Patrol to sell kids on conservation appeared first on American Almanac .
Colossal Biosciences, the biotech firm working to resurrect the woolly mammoth, has partnered with Paramount and toymaker Spin Master to use the PAW Patrol children's franchise as a vehicle for its conservation messaging, raising fair questions about where science education ends and corporate branding begins. The campaign, reported by the Hollywood Reporter , pairs the cartoon rescue-dog brand with Colossal's real-world de-extinction work. A call-to-action video produced for the effort features Michael Dougherty, the writer and director of Godzilla: King of the Monsters, alongside Carter Young, the voice actor behind PAW Patrol's firedog character Marshall. The video's message lands squarely on young viewers. One line from the campaign…Open