Supreme Court leaves in place Mississippi law that critics say disenfranchises Black voters
The Supreme Court declined Friday to take up a challenge to a Mississippi statute that bars individuals convicted of certain felonies from voting. Critics say the law is unconstitutional because it was enacted in 1890 with the intent to disenfranchise Black voters.
2023-07-01 01:28
New York official was bribed and let chicken contaminated with metal be served in school lunches, jury finds
A top official overseeing school lunches in New York City’s sprawling public school system took bribes and allowed dangerous chicken products contaminated with shards of metal and plastic to be served to children, a jury concluded on Wednesday. Eric Goldstein, who oversaw the city’s Office of Food and Nutrition Services, was convicted in a Brooklyn court of conspiracy, extortion, wire fraud, and taking bribes. Prosecutors said he was bribed with cash and an ownership stake in a food company by the owners of food supply company Somma – Blaine Iler, Michael Turley, Brian Twomey – in exchange for his cooperation facilitating lucrative contracts with the city. The trio of men were convicted of conspiracy, wire fraud, and bribery. “Eric Goldstein was for sale,” prosecutor Laura Zuckerwise said in her closing statemnets. “And Michael Turley, Blaine Iler and Brian Twomey, they bought him.” Goldstein could face up to 20 years in prison, according to The New York Post. The former school official, who previously started a food company of his own alongside Turley, Iler, and Twomey called Range Meats Supply, helped fast-track Somma to get contracts supply nearly 2,000 schools in 2015, leading to a huge spike in demand and millions of dollars of food orders. “I’m going to buy a lot of f***ing chicken from you guys, let’s do the beef,” Goldstein allegedly told Iler at a 2015 meeting, according to prosecutors. By September of 2016, people were complaining that Somma chicken contained pieces of wire-like metal and plastic, according to school incident logs shown to jurors. The chicken caused people to bleed and in one case choke on a bone in a supposedly boneless dish, according to officials. As complaints mounted, Turley, Iler, and Twomey allegedly offered Goldstein ownership of Range Meats and $66,000. The trio also sent money to Goldstein’s divorce lawyer and took the school official on trips around the world. The group used the code name “Roger Rabbit” to refer to Goldstein, according to law enforcement. During the trial, prosecutors showed jurors emails between the now-convicted conspirators, and showed photos of one of the tainted drumsticks, which had a bright red liquid oozing out of it. A lawyer for Goldstein told The New York Times has was “extremely disappointed” and would appeal the verdict.
2023-07-01 01:25
Santos appears in court for first time since pleading not guilty in criminal fraud case
Embattled Rep. George Santos appeared in federal court on Friday, where prosecutors unveiled they had delivered the defense roughly 80,000 pages of documents earlier this week.
2023-07-01 01:17
Ruben Loftus-Cheek joins AC Milan from Chelsea
Ruben Loftus-Cheek has signed for AC Milan from Chelsea on a four-year contract, bringing to an end a 19-year association with the Blues.
2023-07-01 01:16
Cynthia Nixon talks about Kim Cattrall's possible return to ‘And Just Like That': 'There’s a 'very, very small'
'I am delighted and excited to tell more stories about these vibrant, bold characters,' creator King said earlier
2023-07-01 00:58
WFP set to run out of money for food assistance to Afghans in October
By Charlotte Greenfield and Andrew Mills Food assistance to Afghanistan will shrink to nothing by the end of
2023-07-01 00:58
Ohio redistricting case that raised controversial election law theory sent back by Supreme Court
The Supreme Court on Friday sent back to state court an Ohio redistricting case that raised the same, sweeping theory about the "Independent State Legislature" theory that the justices recently rejected in a case arising out of North Carolina.
2023-07-01 00:56
Protests are sweeping France. Here's what you need to know
France has been rocked by a wave of protests after a 17-year-old youth was shot by police near Paris Tuesday, sparking a ban on demonstrations in some cities, travel warnings and reigniting a debate on overpolicing in marginalized communities.
2023-07-01 00:54
Riyad Mahrez weighing up £45m-a-year offer from Saudi Arabia
Riyad Mahrez is considering a lucrative offer to join the Saudi Pro League, though Manchester City are reluctant to sell him this summer. Bernardo Silva wants to leave and they are more likely to sanction that exit.
2023-07-01 00:50
50 shades of ballet? Melanie Hamrick on her steamy novel that makes 'Black Swan' seem tame
Melanie Hamrick recently had to wrest a copy of her steamy new novel out of the hands of the curious 6-year-old son she shares with Mick Jagger, replacing it with the more appropriate “The Cat in the Hat.”
2023-07-01 00:50
Prosecutors in Rep. George Santos' case say they have given his defense over 80K pages of material
Prosecutors U.S. Rep. George Santos' case say they’ve turned over more than 80,000 pages of materials to his lawyers in the federal criminal case against him
2023-07-01 00:45
Versatile Oscar-winning American actor Alan Arkin dies at 89
By Will Dunham (Reuters) -Alan Arkin, a versatile and prolific American actor who thrived in both comic and dramatic roles
2023-07-01 00:28