Reuters US Domestic News Summary

While the U.S. Northeast is conditioned for snowstorms each winter, the West Coast is getting pounded by an usually wet season following two decades of drought, creating havoc on the roads and endangering blufftop homes along the coast in southern California's Orange County. Nearly two years later, US Senate confirms Garcetti as ambassador to India The U.S. Senate confirmed President Joe Biden's nominee Eric Garcetti as ambassador to India on Wednesday, ending a nearly two-year nomination fight over allegations the former Los Angeles mayor mishandled workplace harassment complaints.

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

LGBTQ advocacy group Human Rights Campaign settles racism lawsuit with ex-leader

Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBTQ advocacy group in the United States, and its Black former president, Alphonso David, have settled a lawsuit in which David had alleged racial discrimination in his firing, the two sides said on Wednesday. David was fired in September 2021 after New York state Attorney General Letitia James issued a report saying he had advised former Governor Andrew Cuomo about dealing with sexual harassment allegations, the organization's board said at the time. David was identified in the report as having been involved in efforts to undermine Cuomo's first accuser, Lindsey Boylan.

Winter storms drench California with flooding, bury Northeast under snow

An atmospheric river dumped more torrential rain on California on Wednesday, forcing evacuations, power outages and road closures, as the remnants of a powerful Nor'easter blizzard buried much of upstate New York and New England under snow. While the U.S. Northeast is conditioned for snowstorms each winter, the West Coast is getting pounded by an usually wet season following two decades of drought, creating havoc on the roads and endangering blufftop homes along the coast in southern California's Orange County.

Nearly two years later, US Senate confirms Garcetti as ambassador to India

The U.S. Senate confirmed President Joe Biden's nominee Eric Garcetti as ambassador to India on Wednesday, ending a nearly two-year nomination fight over allegations the former Los Angeles mayor mishandled workplace harassment complaints. Senators backed Garcetti by 52-42, as seven Republicans joined the majority of Democrats in supporting Garcetti and three Democrats joined most Republicans in voting no.

Americans are wary of bailouts as banking concerns mount - Reuters/Ipsos poll

A bipartisan majority of Americans oppose U.S. taxpayers footing the bill when bad management causes a bank to fail, though Republican opposition to bank bailouts has softened over the last decade, a Reuters/Ipsos poll completed on Wednesday found. The poll's results point to a potential political problem for Democratic President Joe Biden's administration should the signs of shakiness in the U.S. banking sector worsen and prompt more aggressive government action.

Explainer-How recent lawsuits could affect access to abortion pills

A federal judge in Texas held a hearing on Wednesday in a case seeking to ban the abortion drug mifepristone nationwide, while at least three other lawsuits seek to expand access to it. Below is a guide to what is at stake. WHAT IS MEDICATION ABORTION?

Stormy Daniels speaks with prosecutors probing payment from Trump

Stormy Daniels, a porn star who says she had an affair with Donald Trump, on Wednesday spoke with prosecutors investigating the former U.S. president's role in a payment for her silence about the sexual liaison before the 2016 election, her lawyer said. Trump, who has denied having an affair with Daniels, is seeking the Republican nomination for the presidency in 2024. The Manhattan District Attorney's office has given him a chance to testify before the grand jury probing the payment, a sign prosecutors may be close to bringing charges against him.

Wisconsin man pleads guilty to role in plot to kidnap Michigan governor

A Wisconsin man pleaded guilty on Wednesday to a reduced charge for his role in a foiled plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, handing another victory to prosecutors who have viewed the scheme as domestic terrorism. Michigan prosecutors accused Brian Higgins, 54, of aiding the conspiracy by surveilling the Democratic governor's vacation home. As part of a plea deal, he admitted in Antrim County court that he attempted to provide material support for terrorism and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement.

FDIC returned $40 billion in U.S. Treasury funds, reversing withdrawal after SVB takeover

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp deposited $40 billion back into the U.S. Treasury General Account on Tuesday, reversing a $40 billion withdrawal on Friday as the regulator took control of the failed Silicon Valley Bank, Treasury financial data released on Wednesday showed. A Treasury spokesperson referred questions about the fund transfers to the FDIC, which declined comment.

U.S. charges exiled Chinese businessman Guo Wengui with $1 billion fraud

The U.S. government on Wednesday charged Guo Wengui, an exiled Chinese businessman with ties to former Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon, with leading a complex conspiracy to defraud Guo's online followers out of more than $1 billion. Authorities said Guo, with help from longtime financial adviser Kin Ming Je, cheated thousands of followers since 2018 by promising "outsized" investment returns, but diverting much of their money to fund lavish lifestyles for himself and his family.

U.S. court sentences Mexican ex-governor to nine years for money laundering

A U.S. judge on Wednesday sentenced a former Mexican governor to nine years in prison for accepting at least $3.5 million in illegal bribe money and using it to fraudulently purchase property in the United States. According to a court filing, Tomas Yarrington, a former governor of northern Tamaulipas state, was sentenced to nine years in prison and three years of supervised release.