OCR Text |
Show THE WORLD DIGEST Orton charges ballot discrepancy BOMBING VICTIMS CHALLENGE JUDGE'S RULING THAT THEY CAN'T ATTEND TRIAL: A "We're sure that every voter in the 3rd SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Salt Lake County District would obviously want to make sure the election officials will inspect more than results published earlier are, in fact, accurate." 287,000 votes following Rep. Bill Orton's In announcing his intentions to ask the allegation that flawed ballots possibly cost him lieutenant governor's office to investigate the re-election Tuesday. ballots on Wednesday, Orton declared, "I' m not Deputy county clerk Nick Floros said the going to concede the race until decision to recheck not only the - - - - - - - - - - - - - after an investigation is done on 30,000 ballots questioned by the irregularities. Orton, a three-term 3rd "Thirty-thousand ballots Congressional District Democrat, counted incorrectly could make a but all of the county's votes was difference." made yesterday after a sampling Most of the questioned ballots showed some had not been are from Salt Lake County, where properly punched. machines reportedly did not "We pulled a stack of cards properly punch ballots and had to yesterday to make sure all of the be counted - and Orton fears in pieces (punched) had fallen out," some cases, interpreted - by Floros said. " We found some of hand. those pieces just didn't fall out, so In neighboring Utah County, were concerned about that. Orton said, the ballots in many "We took the cards and tested precincts had to be hand-counted them. We're not real comfortable because apparently there were with what they are," he added, numerous presidential write-ins. noting samples sent to the Cannon campaign manager Chris Cannon ballots' California manufacturer ~--------- ~ Mike Mower remained tentatively had been determined opt_imistic, though admitted he was a bit leery of to be too short. the ballot inspection: Salt Lake County Clerk "There's definitely a problem with the cards, Sherrie Swenson is a Democrat. with pieces of paper not falling out," Floros "We'll make sure we have somebody there said. tomorrow morning. But we were defeated On Tuesday, Orton's unofficial vote total soundly in Salt Lake.County, so if this is going to was 96,590, or 47 percent, or 8,707 votes less help anybody, it's going to be us," he said. than Republican challenger Chris Cannon's Orton won the county's vote 27,394-15,979. 105,297, or 51 percent. Cm.non, however, won Utah County by about Orton was en route to Washington yesterday 19,000 votes, giving him the margin of victory. ~nd could not immediately be reached for Missy Gillespie, an elections specialist with the comment. His spokesman, Dave Lemon, lieutenant governor's office, said Orton's formal welcomed the inspection. request for a probe had not been filed by "If there are problems with that number of yesterday afternoon. ballots, we certainly welcome any efforts to Under state law, Orton has 40 days after the look into that," Lemon said. "Salt Lake election is canvassed Nov. 12 to make a request County always has been a stronghold for for a recount. Congressman Orton. group of Oklahoma City bombing victims today filed a legal challenge to a judge's ruling that bans some of them from the courtroom during the hearings and trials of the two suspects. "This ruling is wrong and its impact is so great that it must be challenged to the highest level," said a tearful Diane Leonard, whose husband, Donald, was among the 168 people killed in the April 1995 bombing. More than 500 people were injured. Bombing suspects Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols could face the death penalty if convicted on federal murder and conspiracy charges. They will be tried separately. Cristopher resigns from Clinton cabinet WALDHOLTZ GETS THREE-YEAR TERM: As his congresswoman ex-wife dabbed at her eyes, Joe Waldholtz was sentenced to 37 months in prison yesterday for felonies that included a $3 million checkkiting scheme in her 1994 campaign. "I' m relieved my long nightmare is over," said Rep. Enid Greene, R-Utah, afterward. The government had asked for a 33 month sentence, the maximum under federal foe Waldholtz sentencing guidelines. Waldholtz said his misdeeds "will haunt me for the rest of my life." He expressed regret to his former wife, family and friends. "I am responsible for everything alone," he said. AUDIT FINDS LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY IN UTAH'S CENTENNIAL SCHOOLS FUNDING: Legislative auditors have found that some schools use Centennial School grant money for projects possibly outside the scope of the grants, such as a bowling league and making quilts for the homeless. Lawmakers heard details of an audit into Centennial Schools funding on Wednesday. In their report, the auditors said it's not that the ideas are worthless, but that there is little accountability to determine whether the schools meet the program goals or comply with their applications. KEVORKIAN ARRESTED AT PAWN .SHOP: Dr. Jack Kevorkian was arrested today outside a pawn shop on charges stemming from the August death of a multiple sclerosis patient. The assisted-suicide advocate faced an arraignment this afternoon in Ionia County in western Michigan.Kevorkian was arrested at about 10:30 a.m. outside a pawn shop where he had been shopping. Kevorkian's attorney, Geoffrey Fieger confirmed earlier this week that Kevorkian had attended the August death of Loretta Peabody in Ionia. It was the 45th death he has acknowledged attending since 1990, although Fieger has said there were others, " more than one, less than 100." DOCTORS SAY YELTSIN MAKING GOOD PROGRESS: Impressing doctors with the speed of his recovery, President Boris Yeltsin was up on his feet yesterday and proclaiming he was back at work two days after a quintuple heart bypass. The Kremlin portrayed the 65-year-old president as a man eager to be back at the helm of leadership and pursuing all his presidential duties Boris Yeltsin something his surgeon said could happen in 10 to 12 days. Yeltsin has not yet appeared before the public but, clearly anxious to reassert his authority, he issued a statement yesterday to the nation through his press service. STORM HITS INDIA, DEATH TOLL MAY REACH 2,000: Flooding rice paddies and villages, ripping power poles from the ground, a fierce cyclone roared through India's southeast coast. The state's top official said yesterday the death toll could reach 2,000. At least 400 residents were killed, another 1,500 people are missing and 10,000 homes were . destroyed, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said after an aerial survey of Andhra Pradesh state. The fertile rice-growing region was ravaged Wednesday night by winds approaching 100 mph. "Except for houses made of brick and cement, nothing is standing there,'~Naidu told reporters. WASHINGTON (AP) - President Clinton today accepted the resignation of Secretary of State Warren Christopher, the first in a string of Cabinet leaders leaving in a second-term staff reshuffling. "He has left the mark of his hand on history, not in some theoretical, intangible fashion but in concrete ways that have made a real difference in the lives of the American people and people around the world," the president said. Clinton said he accepted Christopher's resignation with "great regret" and with "deep gratitude." "The cause of peace and freedom and decency have never had a more tireless or tenacious advocate," Clinton said in a White House ceremony also attended by Vice President Al Gore. He said Christopher would stay on until a successor was named. The president took note of Christopher's many diplomatic missions, saying he was "the most traveled diplomat in chief" in America's history. He also twitted the secretary for his fastidiousness, saying he was the only man who ever ate M&M candies on Air Force One with a knife and fork. . The president said it was due to Christopher that the children of the Middle East "can imagine President Clinton looks on as outgoing Secretary of State Warren Christopher announces his resignation at the White House. a future of cooperation, not conflict" and that the fields of Bosnia "are playing fields, not killing fields." Christopher said he was leaving office with "a deep sense of gratitude and humility" and told Clinton that he was laying the foundation for the next American century. The president said he would seek advice from Christopher and other members of the administration's national security team in choosing a successor. |