Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/17945
6A – Daily News – Saturday, October 16, 2010 WORLD BRIEFING Senate GOP candidates show edge financially WASHINGTON (AP) — The Democrats' national fundraising organizations have become a silver lining for a beleaguered party that has its hands full with Republican-allied outside groups and well-financed GOP candidates. The Democratic Senato- rial Campaign Committee on Friday reported raising a record $27 million during the three months ending Sept. 30, and entered the crucial final weeks of the election campaign with $25.6 million in the bank, $6.4 million more than its Republican counterpart. The Democrats' House equivalent, looking to stave off a Republican takeover, reported $41.6 million in the bank, more than twice the cash on hand reported by the National Republican Congressional Committee. The money offers a MELODIE POISSON for Corning City Council VOTE sharp counterpoint to Republican advantages elsewhere in the political landscape. Republican Sen- ate candidates have main- tained a slight fundraising edge over Democrats. But the biggest GOP boost has come from outside groups that have spent millions on advertising, much of it in money raised from undis- closed donors in unlimited amounts. "As Republicans nomi- nate extremists who want to return to the failed Bush economic policies of the past, Democrats are ready to fight," said DSCC execu- tive director J.B. Poersch. Early financial reports show that Republican can- didates in some key Senate races outraised their Demo- cratic opponents during the past three months and had more cash on hand heading into the crucial final weeks of the midterm election campaign. Pentagon warns gay troops not to come out ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — When word came down of a judge's ruling that gays could serve openly in the military, an Air Force officer received joyous con- gratulations from a com- rade. Realizing there was someone in the room who didn't know his sexual ori- entation, the officer pretend- ed it was a joke and laughed it off. He figured it was too soon ‚Äî and too risky ‚Äî to celebrate. On Friday, the Pentagon agreed, warning gay troops that in this "legally uncer- tain environment," coming out now could have "adverse consequences for themselves or others." The warning came a day after the Obama administration asked a federal judge in California to stay her ruling overturning the Clinton-era "don't ask, don't tell" policy while the government pre- pares an appeal. Like the Air Force offi- cer, many gay service mem- bers interviewed by The Associated Press didn't need to ask if it was OK to tell. "I'm not coming out yet because of the repercus- sions I might get," said an Army specialist at Fort Bragg, N.C., who, like oth- ers reached by the AP, did not want his name used. "I've got a year and a half left ... and I don't want just one day of me coming out to destroy all of what I worked for. I still want my benefits. I still want the mil- itary to pay for my college when I get out." Democrats turning on loyalists WASHINGTON (AP) — Grasping to keep con- trol of Congress, Democ- ratic leaders are turning their backs on some of their staunchest support- ers in the House and prop- ping up stronger candi- dates who have routinely defied them on health care, climate change and other major issues. Raw politics — the drive to win a House- majority 218 seats, no matter how — is increas- ingly trumping policy and loyalty in these decisions, as Democrats shift money and attention in the clos- ing days of the campaign toward races they can win and pull back from those seemingly lost. The Democrats are shelling out $40 million in 59 congressional dis- tricts in the last three weeks of the campaign for TV advertising. Republicans, boosted by China Buffet CHINESE RESTAURANT Open 7 Days A Week “Help us cut costs and rebuild our city” Paid Political Advertisement Sunday Buffet Special $ 9.99 COUPON China Buffet Lunch Dinner $9.99 $6.99 Monday - Saturday 343 S. Main St. Red Bluff 530-529-5888 (No Checks) 10 % off COUPON on dinner only (everyday) Expires 10-31-10 COUPON well-funded outside groups, are working to expand the political bat- tleground by pouring money into 82 races next week alone. Feelings are being hurt along the way. In a fundraising video in Ohio this week, Rep. Steve Driehaus lashed out at the Democratic Con- gressional Campaign Committee for "walking away" from his race after he "had the guts" to cast tough votes for key mea- sures. Soldier: I was ordered to delete Fort Hood videos FORT HOOD, Texas (AP) — A soldier who recorded the terror of last year's deadly shooting rampage in Fort Hood using his cell phone was ordered by an officer to delete both videos, a mili- tary court heard Friday. Under cross examina- tion, Pfc. Lance Aviles told an Article 32 hearing that his noncommissioned officer ordered him to destroy the two videos on Nov. 5, the same day a gunman unleashed a vol- ley of bullets inside a pro- cessing center at the Texas Army post. The footage could have been used as evidence at the military hearing to decide if Maj. Nidal Hasan should stand trial in the shootings. The 40- year-old American-born Muslim has been charged with 13 counts of premed- itated murder and 32 counts of attempted pre- meditated murder. Twenty-nine witnesses over three days have appeared either in a court- room or by video link. Prosecutors have not said whether they'll seek the death penalty if the case goes to trial. Aviles described how he was waiting for med- ical tests at the center with his battle buddy, Pfc. Kham Xiong, when he heard someone shout. Then the gunshots began. Hungary red sludge spill plant restarts BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Production restarted Friday at the metals plant whose bro- ken reservoir unleashed a massive flood of caustic red sludge, even as vil- lagers began returning to one of the affected towns in western Hungary despite warnings from environmentalists that it was too early and too dan- gerous to return. Some 800 Kolontar res- idents were evacuated last Saturday after authorities said a wall of the factory reservoir could collapse further, releasing a second wave of red sludge after a calamitous break Oct. 4 created a deadly torrent. Nine people died in the toxic flood and around 50 are still hospitalized, sev- eral in serious condition.