US Domestic News Summary: Fast-moving fire threatens homes in Santa Barbara County

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs. Fast-moving fire threatens homes in Santa Barbara County

Fire ripped through brush and woodland on hills above the Californian city of Santa Barbara early on Tuesday, forcing residents to leave their homes, authorities said. The Santa Barbara County declared a local emergency at 10:30 p.m (0630 GMT) on Monday night, after a fire broke out in Los Padres National Forest at about 4:15 p.m. U.S. House intelligence chairman says Trump impeachment report early next month

The inquiry into President Donald Trump's dealings with Ukraine will enter a new phase shortly after Congress returns to Washington next week when lawmakers issue a report that could lead to impeachment charges against the president, the head of the committee leading the probe said on Monday. U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said the panels involved in the impeachment probe would send a report to the House Judiciary Committee after lawmakers come back on Dec. 3 from the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday. Trump ordered Pentagon to let convicted Navy SEAL keep elite status

President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to let a Navy SEAL convicted of battlefield misconduct keep his Trident pin designating him as a member of the elite force, instead of holding a review board, his defense secretary said on Monday. The disclosure by Mark Esper illustrates how Trump intervened repeatedly in the case of Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher, who was acquitted by a military jury of murdering a captured Islamic State fighter in Iraq, but convicted of posing with the detainee's corpse. Wicked weather threatens Thanksgiving travel for millions of Americans

Two powerful storms packing heavy snows and strong winds are expected to sweep across the western half of the United States this week just in time to wreak havoc on the plans of millions of Americans traveling for Thursday's Thanksgiving Day holiday. Heavy snow began falling in Denver on Monday night, with the National Weather Service (NWS) warning motorists of "significant travel delays" from the accumulating snow. Former UAW official charged with embezzlement to appear in U.S. court

A former United Auto Workers board member charged with conspiring with other union leaders to embezzle hundreds of thousands of dollars of rank-and-file members' dues is scheduled to appear in federal court in Detroit on Tuesday. The court appearance of Vance Pearson, 58, comes just days after General Motors Co filed a racketeering lawsuit against Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV (FCA) in connection with a spreading corruption probe, accusing its rival of bribing UAW officials to gain advantages at GM's expense. Former White House lawyer must testify in impeachment probe, judge rules

Former White House counsel Don McGahn must testify in the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump, a federal judge ruled on Monday, rejecting the administration's assertion of immunity for officials by declaring that "no one is above the law." U.S. District Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's ruling only legally binds McGahn. But it could give other officials, like former national security adviser John Bolton, a basis for cooperating with the Democratic-led House impeachment inquiry against the Republican president, legal experts said. U.S. Supreme Court extends block on Trump financial records dispute

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday gave President Donald Trump a boost by extending its hold on a lower court ruling that required his longtime accounting firm to hand over his financial records to a Democratic-led House of Representatives committee. The unsigned order will remain in effect until after the Supreme Court decides whether to hear Trump's appeal of the lower court ruling that directed Mazars LLP, Trump's longtime accounting firm, to comply with the subpoena for the records. U.S. prosecutors seek information on payments to Trump lawyer Giuliani: subpoena

Federal prosecutors in New York are seeking records of payments to Rudy Giuliani, U.S. President Donald Trump's lawyer, as part of an active criminal investigation, according to a grand jury subpoena seen by Reuters. The subpoena does not indicate that Giuliani is suspected of wrongdoing. But the crimes being investigated, it says, include money laundering, wire fraud, campaign finance violations, making false statements, obstruction of justice, and violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). It requires disclosure of lobbying on behalf of foreign interests. 'No quid pro quo': Trump's defenses in the impeachment investigation

President Donald Trump has maintained throughout the impeachment inquiry that he did nothing improper in his dealings with Ukraine, even as witnesses have detailed efforts by his White House to get Ukraine to take actions that could help him politically. Here are Trump's positions on the main aspects of the investigation: Democrat Warren accuses rival Bloomberg of trying to buy U.S. presidential election

Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren blasted billionaire Michael Bloomberg on Monday for launching his nascent White House bid with a $37 million TV advertising blitz, accusing the former New York City mayor of trying to buy American democracy. Bloomberg, 77, a media mogul who will use his personal fortune to spend freely on his campaign and has said he will not take donations, officially jumped into the White House race as a moderate Democrat on Sunday.