美国参议院或在本周六就大法官人选投票
通过美国最高法院大法官的提名人选布雷特-卡瓦诺任命的最终投票可能早在周六进行。
不过在那之前，参议员们周四要审阅联邦调查局针对卡瓦诺在青少年时期性骚扰指控的调查报告。
卡瓦诺坚决否认这些指控。
这次对最高法院终身大法官的任命引起参议院内激烈党派争端，多数派的共和党人指责民主党人拖延这一程序，而民主党人指责共和党人急于投票确认。
参议院司法委员会主席格拉斯利周四早些时候表示，该委员会已收到联调局的调查报告。报告是保密的，参议员将获准在国会大厦内一间特设保安的房间阅读。目前还不清楚报告的任何内容会公布。
白宫表示已收到联调局的访谈记录。有关官员称这些文件不支持控告者之一、克莉丝汀·布莱西·福特博士声称卡瓦诺在36年前曾企图强奸她的指控。
白宫表示，在“对有史以来最高法院提名人的最全面的审查”之后，“完全有信心”卡瓦诺的提名将得到确认。
参议院多数党领袖麦康纳尔宣布接下来将进行所谓的完成投票，正式结束对瓦诺提名进行的辩论。程序性投票最早可能在星期五早上进行，并可能在星期六进行最终投票。
共和党人在参议院中占据51-49的多数席位，如果有必要，副总统彭斯将投下决定性一票，共和党人需要至少50票确认卡瓦诺的提名。
如果卡瓦诺得到确认，这位上诉法官和司法保守派将取代已退休的最高法院大法官肯尼迪。目前9名成员组成的最高法院前有8名法官。
US Senate Could Hold Final Kavanaugh Vote Saturday
The nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to fill an open seat on the U.S. Supreme Court is moving toward a final vote as early as Saturday.
First though, senators are on Thursday reviewing an FBI report on sexual harassment allegations Kavanaugh dated back to his teenager years.
Kavanaugh has denied the accusations.
The sharp partisan battle over the lifetime appointment to the nine-member court has polarized the U.S. Senate with the majority Republicans accusing Democrats of dragging out the process, while Democrats accuse Republicans are rushing to confirm Kavanaugh.
Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley said early Thursday the panel had received the FBI investigation report on these allegations. The report is confidential and senators will be allowed to read it in a special secure room in the Capitol. It is not clear what, if any, of the material will be made public.
the White House revealed it received and reviewed interview transcripts from the FBI. Officials claim the documents do not support one of the accusers, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s claims of attempted rape by Kavanaugh 36 years ago.
The White House said that after the “most comprehensive review of a Supreme Court nominee in history,” it is “fully confident” Kavanaugh will be confirmed.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced he will then proceed with what is known as a cloture vote to officially end debate about Kavanaugh’s nomination. That procedural vote could happen as early as Friday morning and set up a final vote potentially Saturday.
Republicans hold a slight 51-49 majority in the Senate, and with Vice President Mike Pence playing the role of tie-breaker if necessary, they would need a minimum of 50 votes to confirm Kavanaugh.
If confirmed, Kavanaugh — an appellate judge and judicial conservative — would replace retired Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy. The nine-member court is currently operating with eight justices.
马来西亚前第一夫人面临洗钱指控
在马来西亚反贪机构调查国库流失数十亿美元案件之际，马来西亚前首相纳吉布的妻子周四被指控犯有包括洗钱在内的17项罪名。
纳吉布今年5月份下台后面对32项指控，涉及有关马来西亚主权基金数十亿美元失踪的滥权和违反信托义务等犯罪行为。他否认有任何不法行为。
目前尚不清楚对他的妻子罗斯玛的指控是否与一马基金有关，但她在被逮捕之前，接收了反贪机构针对一马基金对她进行的三轮质询，美国当局称有超过45亿美元从这一基金中被盗。上周三，罗斯玛被审问了将近13个小时。
罗斯玛被控使用非法收益和未申报所得税，这两项罪名都被列于反洗钱法中。
洗钱指控最高可判处15年监禁，并处以不低于任何非法转让收益价值五倍的罚款，或500万林吉特（121万美元），以高者为准。
纳吉布于周四在吉隆坡的另一个法庭接受审前听证，他因涉嫌从SRC国际转入他个人账户的1060万美元面临多起指控，SRC国际是丑闻缠身的一马基金的前身。纳吉布作出无罪抗辩。
马来西亚人对于从与纳吉布夫妇有关的房产中查获价值约2.75亿美元的现金和物品到愤怒，其中包括大量的爱马仕和其他设计师手袋、珠宝和手表等。
目前包括美国、瑞士和新加坡在内的6个国家都在对一马基金进行洗钱调查。
Wife of Malaysia’s Former PM Charged with Money Laundering
The wife of former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak was charged with 17 offenses Thursday, including money laundering, as anti-graft agents investigate billions of dollars missing from state coffers.
Najib, who lost office in May, faces 32 charges from money laundering to abuse of power and criminal breach of trust over billions of dollars that went missing from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). He has denied any wrongdoing.
It was not clear if the charges against Rosmah relate to 1MDB, but Rosmah’s arrest came after three rounds of questioning by anti-graft agents over 1MDB, from which U.S. authorities say more than $4.5 billion was misappropriated. Last Wednesday, Rosmah was questioned for nearly 13 hours.
Rosmah was charged with activities using illegal proceeds and failing to declare income tax, both covered under the anti-money laundering law.
The money laundering charges carry a penalty of up to 15 years in jail and a fine of not less than five times the value of the proceeds of any illegal transfers, or 5 million ringgit ($1.21 million), whichever is higher.
Najib also appeared at another courtroom in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday for a pretrial hearing, as he faces multiple charges in relation to about $10.6 million allegedly transferred into his account from SRC International, a former unit of scandal-ridden state fund 1MDB. Najib has plead not guilty.
Malaysians have been outraged by the seizure of around $275 million worth of cash and goods, including a vast collection of Hermes Birkin and other designer handbags, jewelry and watches from properties linked to Najib and Rosmah.
1MDB is now the subject of money laundering probes in over six countries, including the U.S., Switzerland and Singapore.
