Free Republic

<p>Republican congressional candidates in Wayne and Oakland counties have comfortable leads over Democratic challengers, a new poll shows.</p> <p>U.S. Rep. Joe Knollenberg, a Bloomfield Township Republican, holds a 52 percent-25 percent lead over Democrat David Fink, a West Bloomfield attorney, in the 9th Congressional District, which cuts across Oakland County from Farmington up to Oakland Township.</p>

<p>BOSTON -- Former FBI agent John Connolly, who had been credited with helping to cripple the New England Mafia, was sentenced Monday to more than 10 years in prison for protecting his informants in exchange for information.</p> <p>U.S. District Judge Joseph L. Tauro had twice rejected motions from both the prosecution and the defense to deviate from federal guidelines, which called for a sentence of eight years, one month to 10 years, one month.</p>