Cheryl K. Chumley

Ex-Florida Gov. Charlie Crist: GOP lost ‘compassion,’ ‘common sense’ and abandoned me

Former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, who left the Republican Party to run for a Senate seat in 2010 as an independent — and, failing that, moved to the Democratic Party two years later — has a new book aimed at showing how he didn't jump political ship. It was rather that the Republican Party abandoned him.

July 10, 2013

Mitt Romney emerges from shadows for political fundraiser

Mitt Romney will be the featured speaker at a fundraiser next month in New Hampshire, marking the failed White House candidate's first political revenue-raising event since the 2012 election cycle.

July 10, 2013

Pope Francis invites 200 homeless to dine at Vatican

An estimated 200 homeless dined at the Vatican on July 1, at the special invitation of Pope Francis. They were served by Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, in the name of the pope, Catholic News Agency reported.

July 10, 2013

Illinois governor to suspend lawmakers’ pay over pension flap

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn is trying to exert his veto power and put a halt to lawmakers' paychecks, in retribution to their stalled action on the state's pension crisis.

July 10, 2013

John Kerry in tears: ‘Teresa is doing better’

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry gave a teary-eyed thank you on Wednesday to well-wishers concerned about his wife Teresa's medical condition.

July 10, 2013

Texas Democrats vow to turn state blue, based on rise in minority voters

Just because Texas hasn't voted a Democrat into statewide office in 20 years — and just because Lone Star voters haven't selected anyone but the Republican candidate for the White House for 40 years — doesn't mean the donkey flag can't figuratively fly above the Capitol once again, optimistic liberals say.

July 10, 2013

German politico fearing anti-smoking laws stockpiles 38K cigarettes

A former chancellor in Germany is so worried about the possibility of the European Union banning his particular brand of cigarettes that he's stockpiled 200 cartons in his home.

July 10, 2013

Judge in George Zimmerman trial storms from courtroom

Tuesday's court proceedings in the second-degree murder trial of George Zimmerman wrapped with a tense moment after defense attorneys tried to object to the long hours but the judge, in response, simply walked away.

July 10, 2013

Facing fire from within, Denver college dumps humanitarian award to George W. Bush

Former President George W. Bush was about to get an award from the University of Denver to recognize his humanitarian contributions to American society. But too many objected, and university leaders caved.

July 10, 2013

Justin Bieber: Pop star curses Clinton, urinates in mop bucket at NYC restaurant

A just-released TMZ video of pop icon Justin Bieber's visit earlier this year to a New York City restaurant showed him urinating in a mop bucket before spraying a bottle of liquid cleaner at a photo of former President Bill Clinton hanging on the wall, shouting "[expletive] Bill Clinton."

July 10, 2013

Target: Sorry for memo referring to Mexicans as ‘lower education level’

Target is being sued by three former employees who said a managers' memorandum they stumbled upon was racist and that the treatment they received by bosses was discriminatory.

July 10, 2013

Syria says foreign power wiped out weapons stash; Israel mum

Rebel fighters in Syria said Tuesday a foreign power is to blame for destroying a stash of advanced Russian anti-ship missiles stored at one of the military's naval facilities near the port of Latakia.

July 10, 2013

N.Y. school reading list: ‘The Great Gypsy,’ and 30 more errors

Note to the Hempstead Union Free School District on New York's Long Island: It's "The Great Gatsby," not "The Great Gypsy."

July 10, 2013

European court tosses British law and rules life sentences are inhuman

Judges with the European Court of Human Rights in essence kicked British law to the curb with a ruling that favored three convicted murderers — that mandatory life sentences are degrading and inhuman.

July 10, 2013

Wisconsin mining company hires paramilitary to protect site from protesters

A Wisconsin mining company has hired private paramilitary forces to defend and protect its property from environmentally minded protesters, on the heels of a confrontation with activists at the mine in June.

July 10, 2013

Twitter explodes over Obama’s touted favorite food: Broccoli

President Obama's words of wisdom to dozens of children who attended the White House's annual Kids' State Dinner on Tuesday: Food is fun. Eat healthy.

July 10, 2013

Egypt’s ousted President Morsi in ‘safe place,’ foreign ministry says

Ousted Egypt President Mohammed Morsi is safe and sound, and so far, no charges have been filed against him, said a top government head on Wednesday.

July 10, 2013

Abortion activists at Texas Capitol: ‘[Expletive] the church’

Some activists at the Texas Capitol were hurling expletives at the church during the lawmakers' discussion of an abortion bill that would ban the procedure after 20 weeks of pregnancy, a media organization reported.

July 10, 2013

Mob trial mayhem: James ‘Whitey’ Bulger, former friend trade expletives in court

Day 2 of the testimony of a former partner and friend of reputed mobster head James "Whitey" Bulger ended in drama and mayhem, with each shouting expletives across the courtroom.

July 10, 2013

Democratic aide carting gun in federal building is let off with warning

An aide to Democratic Rep. John Conyers — one of the loudest voices on Capitol Hill for additional federal gun control laws — caught a lucky break just recently.

July 10, 2013