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updated 7:30pm with Cruz response. WASHINGTON — Stumping in Iowa this afternoon, Gov. Chris Christie stepped up his attacks on Sen. Ted Cruz, accusing him of “hypocrisy” for his views on federal disaster aid – for it when Texans are in need, against it when Northeasterners got hit by super storm Sandy. Christie mocked his rival for asserting a “principled vote” against the Hurricane Sandy relief deal. Cruz asserted at the time that the $60 billion package was bloated with billions in spending not directly related to the storm that battered New York and Christie’s home state, New Jersey. After...

  AS HURRICANE KATRINA ROCKS GULF, CATHOLIC CHARITIES PREPARES FOR MASSIVE RELIEF EFFORT New Orleans, Aug. 29, 2005 (CNA) - As Hurricane Katrina makes landfall, and as New Orleans and the U.S. gulf coast brace for what some meteorologists have called a “worst case scenario”, Catholic Charities USA has already begun collecting donations for the massive relief efforts which are sure to follow.Spokesperson Shelly Borysiewicz, reported that the group is “collecting financial donations to help communities recover from the damage brought on by Hurricane Katrina. Donations will be used to fund local Catholic Charities agencies’ emergency and long-term disaster...

ABINGDON, Va. (AP) - Six officials accepted NASCAR tickets, clothes, a hunting dog and other bribes totaling $545,000 to steer disaster relief money to contractors, authorities charged Thursday. The accused in a 43-count federal indictment include former Buchanan County Board of Supervisors chairman Stuart Ray Blankenship, who faces up to 60 years in prison and a $1 million fine. At a news conference outside federal court, U.S. Attorney John L. Brownlee scolded the indicted officials, saying they stole from flood-ravaged families "in their time of great need." "Now, we learn that the very individuals who were elected to serve and...