Deep-pocket donors hailed at GOP fundraising dinner
Washington – President Bush gathered with his party faithful Tuesday night for a $15,000-a-couple dinner that the Republican National Committee reported raised more than $1 million.
The dinner was a 30th-anniversary celebration for the Republican Eagles – donors who raise at least $15,000 a year. For their contributions, the 260 attendees dined on seared mignon of beef, received a commemorative paperweight and heard a speech from the commander in chief.
Bush promoted his second-term agenda items of immigration, tax relief, budget cuts, energy, Social Security reform and changes to the medical-malpractice laws. He urged Harriet Miers’ approval, winning applause for a Supreme Court nominee who has drawn objections from conservatives.
On the day that the U.S. military death toll in Iraq reached 2,000, Bush said, “We’ll never back down, never give in and never accept anything less than complete victory in the war on terror.”
Bush said Iraq is a central front in the fight against terrorism.
“Some say we ought to just pull out of Iraq. That is a foolhardy policy,” he said, earning him the one standing ovation of his speech.
SAN DIEGO
Toy, cookie cause terminal’s evacuation
A San Diego International Airport terminal was evacuated Tuesday morning after luggage screeners mistook a child’s toy and a cookie for bomb-making materials.
It was part of a jittery morning for Southern California air travel as airports in Long Beach and Orange County also were shut down because of bomb threats, but no explosive devices were found. Both airports are within 50 miles of Los Angeles.
PHILADELPHIA
Councilman charged with fraud, bribery
A city councilman was indicted on federal fraud and bribery charges Tuesday, five days after he was talked down from the City Hall observation deck.
Rick Mariano, 50, was accused of giving favors to friends and businesses that paid his personal expenses. Prosecutors said he helped one business receive a tax break and gave another help in buying city property.
Four others were charged along with Mariano.
NEW HAVEN, Conn.
Two plead guilty in Capitol corruption
A state contractor and a top aide to imprisoned former Gov. John Rowland each pleaded guilty to two felonies Tuesday, ending a public corruption case that led to the one-time political star’s downfall.
Contractor William Tomasso and Peter Ellef, who was Rowland’s co-chief of staff, pleaded guilty under a plea deal to conspiracy to commit tax fraud and bribery.
Prosecutors said the men ran a criminal enterprise out of the governor’s office, with Ellef steering multimillion-dollar contracts to Tomasso in exchange for gold, cash, travel and gifts.
Each faces a maximum of 10 years in prison when sentenced Jan. 13.
OTTAWA
Rice suggests Israel loosen its borders
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice suggested Tuesday that Israel must loosen controls at border crossings to allow freer passage for Palestinians and economic development in areas that would one day be an independent Palestinian state.
Rice spoke in the Canadian capital a day after reports that a top Mideast envoy had criticized Israel for moving too slowly on negotiations to open borders around the Gaza Strip.
Rice did not specifically call on Israel to change its border policies but did not dispute the findings of envoy James Wolfensohn that Israel was stalling in the restoration of movement across the borders.
UNITED NATIONS
Campaign to combat AIDS in children
The United Nations is launching a global campaign to combat the rising threat of AIDS against children, nearly 1,800 of whom are infected with HIV every day.
According to a new report from UNICEF and UNAIDS, children under 15 account for one-sixth of global AIDS-related deaths and one-seventh of new global HIV infections.
