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GOP Lawmakers Gut Ethics Office
House Republicans on Monday voted to eviscerate the Office of Congressional Ethics, the independent body created in 2008 to investigate allegations of misconduct by lawmakers after several bribery and corruption scandals sent members to prison. The ethics change, which prompted an outcry from Democrats and government watchdog groups, is part of a rules package that the full House will vote on Tuesday. The package also includes a means for Republican leaders to punish lawmakers if there is a repeat of the Democratic sit-in last summer over gun control. "Evidently, ethics are the first casualty of the new Republican Congress,” Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said.
Search for Suspect in Istanbul Attack
The Islamic State group on Monday claimed responsibility for the New Year's attack at a popular Istanbul nightclub that killed 39 people and wounded scores of others. Turkish police meanwhile detained eight people in connection with the attack but were still hunting for the gunman who disappeared amid the chaos of the attack. The IS-linked Aamaq News Agency said the attack was carried out by a "heroic soldier of the caliphate" who attacked the nightclub "where Christians were celebrating their pagan feast." Meanwhile, NBC interviewed a Delaware business owner who survived the massacre by playing dead.
Outage Leads to Outrage at Airports
A four-hour, nationwide outage for Customs and Border Protection left throngs of people dealing with significant delays in South Florida, Atlanta and Boston, multiple airports reported Monday evening. A spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection said the agency was experiencing an outage of its processing systems at various airports. "At this time, there is no indication the service disruption was malicious in nature," the agency said. New York’s JFK Airport was among those affected. Travelers took to social media to post photos and videos of the long lines and annoyed customers, and two people reportedly passed out while waiting in line.
Local
Rush Hour Tests 2nd Avenue Subway
A couple days after it officially opened to the public, the Second Avenue subway will get its first true test Tuesday: servicing thousands of commuters as they race to work during the morning rush. Thousands of people have already piled into the three new stations to take their first ride on the long-awaited line, but with the New Year holiday now over for most businesses, it's sure to be a lot busier Tuesday morning. The line is expected to carry about 200,000 riders a day.
Major Jewelry Heist in Midtown
Police are searching for three men who looted a jewelry wholesaler in Korea Town for millions of dollars in gems Saturday night. While millions of revelers, and an unprecedented number of police officers, were focused on the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square, the men stole approximately $6 million in jewelry from two safes inside the store. The heist comes just a week after thieves smashed their way into the Dennis Basso store on the Upper East Side and stole $1 million in fur. Police recently identified the man they say stole a bucket of gold flakes worth nearly $1.6 million from an armored truck in midtown back in September.
Twins Born in Separate Years
A family celebrated the end of 2016 and the beginning of 2017 in an unusual way: the birth of twin boys in two different years. "I definitely was not expecting to spend the holiday, but I am glad they're here and healthy," said Cassandra Martinez, the twins' mother. A hospital says twin brothers born on different days in different years, may be as rare as a one-in-a-million occurrence, according to some estimates.
Nanny Cam Captures Dresser Tip
A mother is warning parents to secure their heavy furniture after a nanny cam captured a dresser tipping over on one of her toddlers. The video is hard to watch, but it also shows the incredible moment the boy’s twin brother helps rescue him.
