The nation in brief

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“I’m sorry if I created any confusion in that regard. I fully support Gov. [John] Kasich’s

  • I think it’s called Question Two in Ohio. Fully support that.”

Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney,

speaking to reporters a day after he refused to endorse an Ohio ballot measure that limits public employee union rights Article, this page

Abramoff cohort

gets prison term

WASHINGTON - A former lobbyist who was a rising star under Jack Abramoff’s tutelage was sentenced Wednesday to nearly two years in prison for giving public officials meals and event tickets.

“I found a ridiculous system full of gray areas and I manipulated it,” a sobbing Kevin Ring told the judge in asking her not to lock him up. It was the first time he spoke about the charges in court after three years of prosecution, including two trials in which he decided not to testify.

U.S. District Ellen Segal Huvelle gave Ring a sentence of 20 months, one of the stiffest terms among the 21 defendants in the investigation. Most others involved cooperated with prosecutors and got plea deals that avoided prison.

Huvelle said she had to order prison “to respect the jury’s verdict and promote respect for the law.” Ring plans to appeal his conviction, and the judge said he could remain free pending the outcome.

Ring, 41, was convicted after two trials of five felony counts including conspiracy, payment of a gratuity and honest services wire fraud.

The first jury couldn’t agree on his guilt so he had a second trial that led to his conviction in November 2010.

Early storm piles snow on Colorado

GOLDEN, Colo. - A heavy, early season winter storm slammed into Colorado and southeast Wyoming on Tuesday night, delivering in one roundhouse punch more snow than the Denver area typically gets in all of October.

The piling on continued through Wednesday with 12-14 inches in some places in foothills communities such as Golden, west of Denver, and even more in the higher peaks and passes of the Rockies.

Many schools and some highways were closed, with scattered power failures and traffic accidents reported as many residents awoke to 10 inches or more of wet snow for the morning rush.

Official: Not aiding state on alien law

WASHINGTON - The government hasn’t offered to help Alabama enact an immigration law that the Obama administration is challenging in court, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Wednesday.

The administration has sued to block the law, which is considered the toughest state immigration measure in the country.

“We have been working with the Department of Justice in its challenge to that law,” Napolitano told the House Judiciary Committee.

A federal appeals court in Atlanta this month temporarily blocked a part of the law that required public schools to check the immigration status of students.

But the court did not bar law enforcement officials from detaining people suspected of being in the country illegally.

A final ruling in the case is not expected for several months.

Front Section, Pages 3 on 10/27/2011

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