What to Know
- Senate Republicans are plowing forward with a committee vote on Judge Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to Supreme Court after a day of testimony
- A body believed to be that of a 6-year-old boy with special needs who went missing in North Carolina over the weekend was found, police said
- Rapper Nelly has agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by a woman who alleges he raped her on his tour bus in Seattle then defamed her
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GOP Races to First Brett Kavanaugh Vote After Hearing From Accuser
Senate Republicans are plowing forward with a committee vote on Judge Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to Supreme Court after an extraordinary and emotional day of testimony where he denied accusations of sexual assault as "unequivocally" false. His accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, testified she was "100 percent" certain Kavanaugh attacked her. The remarkable testimony appears to have only sharpened the partisan divide over President Donald Trump's nominee. Republicans praised Ford's bravery in coming forward, but many of them said her account won't affect their support for Kavanaugh. President Trump also made clear that he was sticking by his nominee. "His testimony was powerful, honest and riveting," he tweeted. "The Senate must vote!" The Senate Judiciary Committee, where the initial vote on Kavanaugh will be held, is narrowly split with an 11-10 Republican majority. Democrats are expected to oppose the nominee. But even if the panel deadlocks on whether to recommend the judge for confirmation, the full Senate could start taking procedural votes Saturday on Kavanaugh, setting up a final vote as soon as Tuesday.
Body Believed to Be That of Missing 6-Year-Old Boy Found
A body believed to be that of a 6-year-old boy with special needs who went missing in North Carolina over the weekend was found, police said. As NBC News reports, authorities have notified the parents of the boy, Maddox Ritch, and identification of the body will be done by the medical examiner's office, the Gastonia police department said in a statement. Ritch, who has autism and is nonverbal, was last seen by his father and another adult at Rankin Lake Park in Gastonia on Saturday, police have said. The FBI and two dozen agencies worked to locate him in the days that followed.
SEC Charges Tesla CEO Elon Musk
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been sued by the Securities and Exchange Commission for fraud, according to court documents. Sources close to the company told CNBC the company was also expecting to be sued, though Tesla was not named as a defendant in the complaint. Shares of the automaker fell roughly 11 percent in extended trading. The stock is roughly 30 percent below its 52-week high of $387.46. The SEC complaint alleges that Musk issued "false and misleading" statements and failed to properly notify regulators of material company events. The SEC held a press conference regarding the complaint. Among other remedies, the SEC is seeking to bar Musk from serving as an officer or director of a publicly traded company if found guilty.
Rapper Nelly Settles With Woman Over Sexual Assault Lawsuit
The rapper Nelly has agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by a woman who alleges that he raped her on his tour bus in suburban Seattle then defamed her when he claimed she made up the accusation. Settlement terms between Monique Greene and Nelly, whose real name is Cornell Haynes Jr., haven't been disclosed, the Seattle Times reported. A dismissal order filed in King County Superior Court shows both sides agreed to pay their own attorneys' fees and costs. Nelly's lawyer, Scott Rosenblum, said in an email that no money exchanged hands. Greene's lawyer, Karen Koehler, disputes that assertion but said she couldn't comment specifically. Police arrested Nelly on Oct. 7, after Greene reported he had sexually assaulted her on his tour bus in the city of Auburn.
'Real Housewives of Potomac' Star Accused of Sexually Assaulting Cameraman
Real Housewives of Potomac star Michael Darby has been charged with sexually assaulting a cameraman, according to court documents. The cameraman said in charging documents they were filming for the show at a home on Pleasant Hill Drive in Potomac, Maryland, on Sept. 1. when Darby "grabbed and groped" his butt. "As I turned around he smiled and gave me a flirtatious look," the cameraman said in the documents. He said he then put his camera down and told Darby to stop before telling his supervisor about the incident. He filed charges three days later. Michael Darby has been charged with one count each of second-degree assault and fourth-degree sexual contact. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 11 years in prison and could have to pay thousands in fines.
