NEWS OF THE DAY
_1 Lawmaker resigns: Rep. Katie Hill, DSanta Clarita (Los Angeles County), resigned Sunday after allegations that she engaged in an affair with a congressional aide were made public earlier this month. The resignation marks a dramatic fall for Hill, who was elected to Congress as part of the “blue wave” that allowed Democrats to take control of the House in 2018. Last week, the House Ethics Committee announced it was investigating whether Hill “may have engaged in a sexual relationship with an individual on her congressional staff,” an allegation Hill has denied. House rules were changed last year to prohibit relationships between members and their employees.
_2 Body cameras: FBI Director Christopher Wray _1 says there is “a way forward” to allow police officers to wear body cameras on federal task forces. Wray spoke at the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference in Chicago. Current FBI policy bans officers from wearing cameras on joint operations with federal agents. The director’s comments Saturday come months after Atlanta’s police chief withdrew city officers from federal task forces over the issue. Wray cautioned that any policy would have to ensure sensitive investigations are not compromised.
_3 Synagogue fire: A homeless man who pleaded guilty to starting a fire that destroyed a 117yearold synagogue in Minnesota has been sentenced to three months in jail. Matthew Amiot, 36, pleaded guilty last month to negligent fire charges. He received credit for the 36 days he has already served in jail. The fire destroyed the Adas Israel Synagogue in Duluth on Sept. 9. Police don’t believe the fire was a hate crime.
_4 Chalet rebuilt: Crews have completed a twoyear, nearly $9 million reconstruction of the historic Sperry Chalet in Glacier National Park in Montana after it was gutted by a wildfire. Project Manager Travis Neil said crews will return next year to finish some minor tasks to help the National Park Service get the chalet opened for next summer. The 105yearold wood and stone dormitory located in a remote area of the park burned when embers from a wildfire rained down on it on Aug. 31, 2017. All that remained was the building’s stone shell.
_5 Chappelle honored: Boundarypushing comedian Dave Chappelle is the latest recipient of the Mark Twain prize for lifetime achievement in comedy, an honor bestowed Sunday night at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington. The event was a homecoming for Chappelle, who was raised in suburban Silver Spring, Md., attended Washington’s prestigious Duke Ellington School of the Arts and filmed his first HBO special in the capital. Chappelle was already a wellestablished comedian and comedic actor when he was given his own sketch comedy show in 2003. “Chappelle’s Show” was an immediate hit, combining parodies that often tweaked racial conventions with uniquely staged musical productions featuring hiphop and soul artists.