US Domestic News Roundup: Factbox-Democrats and Republicans clash in election lawsuits ahead of U.S. midterms; Former Capitol Police officer convicted of obstruction in Jan. 6 investigation and more

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

Factbox-Democrats and Republicans clash in election lawsuits ahead of U.S. midterms

In the months leading up to the U.S. midterm elections, lawyers for Democrats and Republicans are already squaring off in a wave of lawsuits challenging state rules on how to vote and the counting of ballots. Here is a summary of significant cases filed ahead of the Nov. 8 election and where they stand.

U.S. warns western states it may impose Colorado River water cuts

The U.S. government warned on Friday that it may impose water supply cuts on California, Arizona, and Nevada to protect the Colorado River and its two main reservoirs from overuse, drought, and climate change. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation unveiled three possible action plans: one to impose cutbacks, another to allow western states to work out a reduction plan on their own, or a third and least likely option of taking no action.

Former Capitol Police officer convicted of obstruction in Jan. 6 investigation

A former U.S. Capitol Police officer was convicted on Friday of obstructing an FBI investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol by deleting Facebook messages he sent to a rioter afterward, federal prosecutors said. A jury found Michael Riley, 51, guilty of a single count of obstruction of justice following his trial in federal court for the District of Columbia, a U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman said.

Biden, Harris to campaign in battleground state Pennsylvania

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will make a rare appearance together on the campaign trail in Philadelphia on Friday as the duo seeks to boost Pennsylvania Democrats in the closing stretch of the Nov. 8 midterm election.

Their visit - Biden's 19th to the crucial battleground state of Pennsylvania since taking office - comes less than two weeks until Election Day. Polls suggest Democrats could lose control of both houses of Congress, with voter discontent over high inflation spoiling momentum Democrats had hoped to win from the fight over abortion rights.

Obama to turn his Democratic star power on key Georgia U.S. Senate race

Democrats will call in their biggest star, Barack Obama, on Friday in the hopes that the former president can excite voters in Georgia and help the party hold onto a critical U.S. Senate seat. Obama, a two-term Democrat who left office in 2017, will stump in Atlanta for Senator Raphael Warnock, who faces Donald Trump-backed Republican challenger Herschel Walker, and Stacey Abrams, who is running against Republican Governor Brian Kemp.

Jury selection concludes in Trump company's tax fraud trial

The judge in the criminal trial of former U.S. President Donald Trump's real estate company on charges of tax fraud set opening statements for Monday after the conclusion of jury selection on Friday with six alternates named to the panel. The Manhattan district attorney's office last year charged the Trump Organization and its longtime chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, with awarding "off the books" benefits to some senior executives over a 15-year period, enabling certain employees to understate their taxable compensation and the company to evade payroll taxes. Weisselberg in August pleaded guilty and will testify for the prosecution.

U.S. judge denies restraining order against group accused of voter intimidation

A U.S. judge has rejected a request for a temporary restraining order against a group accused of alleged voter intimidation, according to a ruling released on Friday. Judge Michael Liburdi, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump to the federal court in Arizona, rejected the request against Clean Elections USA and its founder, Melody Jennings.

Rock 'n' roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis, known as 'The Killer,' dies

American rock pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis, who was torn between his Bible-thumping upbringing and his desire to make hell-raising rock 'n' roll with hits such as "Great Balls of Fire" and "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," has died at the age of 87. Lewis passed away from natural causes at his home in Desoto County, Mississippi, with his wife, Judith, by his side, his publicist said. The musician had been ill in recent years and suffered a stroke in 2019.

Jury convicts Colorado man in second 'We Build the Wall' trial

A federal jury in Manhattan on Friday convicted a Colorado man who was charged along with former Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon with defrauding donors to an online campaign to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Timothy Shea, of Castle Rock, Colorado, was convicted on two conspiracy counts and one count of obstruction of justice after a one-week trial. An earlier trial ended in June in a hung jury.

U.S. House Speaker Pelosi's husband assaulted with hammer at home

An intruder demanding to see U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi attacked her husband with a hammer during a break-in at the couple's San Francisco home early on Friday, officials said, in an assault that raised fears about political violence ahead of the Nov. 8 midterm elections. Paul Pelosi, 82, was taken to a San Francisco hospital where he underwent surgery to repair a skull fracture and severe injuries to his right arm and hands, a spokesperson for the House speaker said in a statement, adding that a full recovery was expected.

(With inputs from agencies.)