Ex-deputy US Interior Secretary sentenced to 10 months for role in Abramoff scandal News
Ex-deputy US Interior Secretary sentenced to 10 months for role in Abramoff scandal

[JURIST] Former Deputy US Interior Secretary J. Steven Griles [Wikipedia profile] was sentenced to 10 months in prison Tuesday for his role in the Jack Abramoff [JURIST news archive] lobbying scandal. As part of the negotiated plea deal, the Department of Justice recommended he serve five months in prison and the remainder of his sentence under house arrest. US District Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle, however, expressed continued disappointment with Griles' cooperation before doubling the agreed-upon prison term to 10 months.

Griles pleaded guilty [JURIST report] in March to felony obstruction of justice charges for lying to the Senate Indian Affairs Committee [official website] in 2005 about his relationship with the former lobbyist. Abramoff is serving a six-year prison sentence [JURIST report] on conspiracy and fraud charges stemming from falsification of documents to procure a 2000 loan for Abramoff and his partners to purchase a casino. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Indian National Congress founded

The Indian National Congress (INC) was founded on December 28, 1885 in Bombay (now Mumbai), India. In subsequent decades, the so-called Congress Party would advocate for Indian independence from the UK, which was eventually achieved in 1947. The first Prime Minister of independent India, Jawaharlal Nehru, was elected as a member of the INC. Learn more about the history and founding of the Indian National Congress.

Congress recognized Pledge of Allegiance

On December 28, 1945, Congress officially recognized the Pledge of Allegiance and encouraged its recitation in schools. The Pledge was supposedly written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus Day. The words “under God” were added by Congress in 1954. The revised version of the Pledge was the subject of litigation before the United States Supreme Court originally brought by Michael Newdow, a parent who unsuccessfully objected to his daughter's school district policy requiring daily recitation of the Pledge. The court ruled that Newdow had no standing.

Nepal ends monarchy, establishes republic

On December 28, 2007, the Kingdom of Nepal's interim parliament ended the country's monarchy and established the Republic of Nepal. Free elections were held on April 10 of the following year to elect a Constituent Assembly.

Learn more about the rise of democracy in Nepal.