Rep. Thomas Massie gets signatures to force Epstein docs release, still faces long road ahead

With the swearing in of a newly elected Democrat in the U.S. House on Wednesday, Rep. Thomas Massie got enough signatures on his petition to force a House vote on the release of documents related to the late sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein.

But the effort still has a long way to go from petition to document release. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-LA, who has urged the GOP members of his delegation to vote against the petition, said Wednesday night he plans to call for a full vote next week.

It would then go to the Senate, where Republicans control 53 of the 100 seats, and 60 votes are required for passage. That’s where it gets trickiest, Massie told the Herald-Leader in an interview.

“There doesn’t exist a parallel parliamentary method in the Senate to force something to the floor. So they could never bring it to the floor. (Senate GOP Leader) John Thune himself could block it,” Massie said.

—Lexington Herald-Leader

Sorrow and outrage mark Senate field hearing into deadly Palisades fire

LOS ANGELES — In an emotional congressional hearing punctuated by immense frustration, six Pacific Palisades residents on Thursday spoke of family memories lost, an inadequate city response and a burdensome rebuilding process after the deadly inferno that destroyed thousands of homes and killed 12 people.

The panel of residents urged the federal government to intervene in the process of rebuilding and release funds that would help accelerate restoration of their homes and provide necessary safety improvements to water systems, streets and utilities after January’s Palisades fire.

“The pattern is clear: local government failed us on January 7 and continues to fail us,” said Jessica Rogers, president of the Pacific Palisades Resident Association and a geriatric social worker. “We’ve been forced to lead our own recovery because the city won’t.”

The public hearing — held at an American Legion hall across the street from the burned husk of the private elementary Village School — was the first following Republican Sens. Rick Scott of Florida and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin’s announcement in September that they would lead a probe into the fire.

—Los Angeles Times

Deputies raid Florida arcade accused of illegal gambling, take 58 slot machines

BRADENTON, Fla. — Detectives seized dozens of slot machines and thousands of dollars in cash after raiding a Bradenton business accused of running an illegal gambling operation, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office said.

Detectives executed a search warrant Monday at New Winners Circle Arcade after undercover visits confirmed that the business was operating electronic slot and gaming machines in violation of state law, according to the sheriff’s office.

Investigators said they confiscated 58 slot machines valued at roughly $290,000, along with 51 computer towers, a DVR system and $19,055 in cash. No customers or employees were arrested during the raid, but the business owner remains under investigation, according to the sheriff’s office.

Detectives said management had previously been warned and received a cease-and-desist letter before the warrant was served.

—Miami Herald

Zelenskyy says Ukraine’s survival rests on funds from allies

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy implored European Union allies to overcome their divisions on the use of frozen Russian assets, saying fresh funding is critical for his war-battered economy to stay in the fight against Moscow.

“I hope, God bless, we will get this decision,” Zelenskyy told Bloomberg Television in an interview late Wednesday in Kyiv. Otherwise, “We will have to find an alternative, it’s a question of our surviving. That’s why we need it very much. And I count on partners.”

The E.U. has postponed until December a decision on tapping the Russian state assets to provide €140 billion ($162 billion) in loans to Ukraine, which needs new funding by early next year.

Russia in the meantime is slowly advancing on the battlefield and attacking Ukraine’s energy infrastructure to undermine its economy as the winter months approach.

—Bloomberg News