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WASHINGTON — Following a study of the court's new ethics rule, Justice Neil Gorsuch of the Supreme Court has decided not to take part in an environmental case that will be heard next week, the lawyers involved were informed in a letter on Wednesday. "Consistent with the code of conduct" was the only explanation provided in the letter from Supreme Court Clerk Scott Harris for Gorsuch's decision to recuse himself. More than a dozen members of Congress and liberal organizations encouraged him to recuse himself due to his previous ties to billionaire Philip Anschutz, which prompted the action. Due in large part to disclosures regarding Justice Clarence Thomas's connections to billionaire Harlan Crow, attention has recently been drawn to the Supreme Court justices and the regulations governing ...

WASHINGTON — Longtime Representative Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., announced on Wednesday that he was withdrawing his campaign to continue serving as the leading Democrat on the influential Judiciary Committee for the next two years. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., had declared two days prior that he would run against Nadler for the coveted position. Nadler, 77, endorsed Raskin, 61, for the position in a letter to fellow Democrats. The position will be crucial in providing congressional oversight of the Justice Department and FBI under the upcoming Trump administration. Since Raskin has no other opponents, Nadler's decision to withdraw opens the door for him. Nadler added in the letter, "I am very confident that Jamie would ably lead the Judiciary Committee as we confront this growing danger as our country f...

According to health officials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, dozens of people have died from an enigmatic illness that resembles the flu. As of Tuesday, the nation's Ministry of Public Health, Hygiene, and Social Security reported that the unnamed disease has killed 79 individuals and sickened 376. The ministry said in a statement on X that the sickness was discovered in the southwestern Congo's Kwango province and that its origin was yet unclear. Fever, headache, congestion of the nose, cough, dyspnea, and anemia are among the symptoms that have been reported. According to local officials, the death toll could reach 143, as reported by Reuters and the Associated Press. In addition to asking people to report any suspicious illnesses or unexpected deaths, the health ministry state...

WASHINGTON — Following a study of the court's new ethics rule, Justice Neil Gorsuch of the Supreme Court has decided not to take part in an environmental case that will be heard next week, the lawyers involved were informed in a letter on Wednesday. "Consistent with the code of conduct" was the only explanation provided in the letter from Supreme Court Clerk Scott Harris for Gorsuch's decision to recuse himself. More than a dozen members of Congress and liberal organizations encouraged him to recuse himself due to his previous ties to billionaire Philip Anschutz, which prompted the action. Due in large part to disclosures regarding Justice Clarence Thomas's connections to billionaire Harlan Crow, attention has recently been drawn to the Supreme Court justices and the regulations governing ...

Despite documented threats against him, investigators said the health insurance CEO who was shot dead in front of a crowded hotel in New York City on Wednesday did not have a personal security detail with him. In a planned, premeditated targeted attack outside the New York Hilton Midtown on Sixth Avenue in the center of Manhattan, a masked shooter shot and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, 50, according to authorities. Before traveling alone to the Hilton to speak at UnitedHealth Group's investor meeting, Thompson was staying at another hotel in the area when his killer encountered him. For live coverage, follow along. "It doesn't seem like he had a security detail," NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told reporters after speaking with other staff members who accompanied him t...

On Wednesday, President-elect Donald Trump declared his intention to appoint wealthy businessman Jared Isaacman to head NASA. In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated that Jared will lead NASA's mission of inspiration and discovery, opening the door for ground-breaking advancements in space science, technology, and exploration. Shift4 is a payment processing company founded and led by 41-year-old Isaacman. He has not held a position at NASA or the federal government, but he has made two trips to orbit on commercial SpaceX missions. For an undisclosed amount, Isaacman personally paid for both of those space missions. Isaacman said in a statement that he was honored to be nominated by Trump. He commented on X, "I am passionate about America leading the most incredible adventure in human histo...

President-elect Donald Trump's lawyersrequested on Wednesday that the Fulton County racketeering case against him be dismissed by a Georgia appeals court on the grounds that a "sitting president is completely immune from indictment or any criminal process, state or federal." The 2020 election interference charges against Trump should be dropped, according to documents filed with the Georgia Court of Appeals, because of "the unconstitutionality of his continued indictment and prosecution by the State of Georgia" and because "he is President-Elect and will soon become the 47th President of the United States." For the majority of the year, the case has been on hold while Trump's attorneys have appealed a decision that rejected their attempt to bar Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis a...

Police said Wednesday morning's shooting outside the New York Hilton hotel in midtown Manhattan appeared to have been a "premeditated, preplanned targeted attack" that killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO. The gunman came up behind Brian Thompson, 50, who was en route to speak at UnitedHealth Group's investor conference, and "fired several rounds," Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated during a press conference. He was hit at least once in the right calf and at least once in the back, Tisch said, adding that the suspect had been "lying in wait for several minutes." "Many people passed the suspect but he appeared to wait for his intended target," she stated. The shooting's security footage shows Thompson strolling down the relatively quiet street while wearing a blue suit. According to the vide...

The star-studded tree lighting ceremony at Rockefeller Center in New York City serves as an unofficial start to the Christmas season once more. "American Idol" winner Kelly Clarkson, whose talk show is recorded at 30 Rock, will headline the ceremony and its TV special, Christmas at Rockefeller Center, once again. More than 20 years have passed since Clarkson's first performance at the ceremony, and last year she celebrated the milestone by hosting. She mentioned her hosting duties from the previous year when she said on her show last month, "I was suddenly in a Charlie Brown movie, and it was magical." After filming at Universal Studios in Universal City, California, "The Kelly Clarkson Show" relocated to New York City last year. Clarkson expressed her excitement at hosting the tree light...