much. prosecutor rod rosenstein painted a different story. >> corruption was so brazen that people would assume it's fiction, but unfortunately it is reality. >> feds seized a vintage mercedes from johnson as part of the financial penalty. he reports to prison in january. scott broom, 9news now. >> and jack johnson's life will be sentenced on friday. attorneys for political aid to former governor say they will appeal today's verdict in his robo calls trial. the jurors found paul guilty on four counts of conspiracy and trying to influence a voter's decision. he was accused of trying to suppress voter turnout in the 2010 governor's election. those calls telling voters don't bother heading to the polls because now governor martin o'malley had already won. at the moment, harry thomas is not facing any kinds of charges, but the raid this week at his house left no doubts. he is the subject of an ethics

probe by federal authorities. his colleagues are trying to figure out what to do now. >> this is bruce johnson. embattled d.c. councilman turned up for work today. he voted for the ethics bill. >> anything you can tell us? we haven't heard from you. >> you know my lawyers, i can't have a comment at this time. >> his colleagues have been urging councilman harry thomas to voluntarily take leave. until the federal investigation into the alleged theft of public dollars has ended. >> council has no authority. >> council member thomas. >> here. >> ward 5 councilman was there when they took out the long awaited ethics bill. the measure falls short. councilman tommy wells tried to ban. >> this continues to allow outside influences by corporations to influence elections. >> wells -- their campaign contributions. and again failed in a third

effort to prohibit council members from collecting donations for their own constituent services funds. the ethics bill does close some loop homes and allows elected official to be expelled immediately. bruce johnson, 9news now. >> and speaking of elected officials facing big troubles, let's get you up to date on rod blagojevich. he is convicted of corruption in office and that included trying to sell president oh obama's old senate seat. serve 15 to 20 years behind bars, his defense attorneys are trying to get the judge to wide l that down. we're told blagojevich himself will address the judge tomorrow before he is sentenced. and joining me now to talk more about all these corruption cases is mary boyle. she's from common cause. there seems to be a will the on our plate when it comes to our elected officials. is this a spike or is it something that has been on going? >> this is particularly a bad

day. these are the headlines that make people very cynical. the fact is, it's a symptom of our broken political process that is based on raising money and temptation. until we see that, we'll see this over and over again. >> it's a system thing, not a people thing. >> there are some bad apples and these were bad apples, but our system creates, frankly, a difficult situation for elected officials to deal in. i mean, they are asked to run for office, you need a lot of money. they are asked to raise a lot of money from wealthy people who need something in return. it's basically legalized political bribery. >> we have tried over and over again to fix this thing. people say, you know, money is like water. it's going to find the holes in whatever laws you try to pass. is it unfixable? >> it is not unfixable. we need to change from top to bottom. the way we change. we need to get a system. we need to get rid of the

legalized political bribery. we need a system that will amplify donors and involve public funding. arizona, maine, north carolina, it's working there. >> how do you amplify the voice and get the big corporations and the others out? >> well, i mean, it is complicated. however, you have a system where you get matching funds when you get say, a $50 donation. a $50 donation from someone, you get these matching funds that becomes more valuable to you. there is less need to rely on the big donors who want something in return. >> politicians expressed frustrations themselves with having to raise so much money. that's part of the price of staying in the game. you're saying you want taxpayers to foot the bill. we have been arguing about that for years. is that unlikely to happen? >> this isn't about, this is about who is working for who. right now, we are seeing our public officials not work for us. they are working for their campaign founders.

we are getting to a point where people are so fed up. we need our politicians working for us. >> two issues here, you have been addressing the issue of corruption. people paying money in donations and getting some bill that helps their business. what we are seeing is politicians being greedy. they have been taking public money and lining their own pockets. >> i think that's exactly right. no amount of regulation or laws are going to get the bad apples. what you highlighted tonight is just that. but our system literally creates that environment of temptation and you know, we could do a better job creating a system where people can operate more ethically. >> it's not a far fetch to say we need to do a better job. mary boyle, thank you so much for joining us. we appreciate it. >> moving on. about 20 protesters camped out inside senate minority leader demanding a meeting. these folks are part of the rdc movement and protesting down on the national mall over the last

few days. more protesters gathered outside the legislative office building. they were demanding jobs. tomorrow, get ready for another protest. this one between the franklin parks. that group's demonstration is set to begin around 11:00 a.m. >> people may not want to occupy anything in this cold rain or snow. topper is out on the terrace with a look at your forecast. talk about declining temperatures. >> right now, it's in the 50s and tomorrow morning when you get up, it's going to be in the 50s. let's start with the outside story because here's the deal. i updated this yet again. the timing, well, it is moving faster. temperatures fall all day tomorrow. significant snow in the mountains, hasn't changedment rain to snow north of west of town. the time frame, 10:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. on thursday. look at the temperatures. still in the 50s and 60s. average high is 50. 57 downtown. 61 in gaithersburg and even 61

out toward laray and 63 in culpeper. satellite picture radar combined. rain showers, but that is the hair venger. we'll come back and talk about when the heavy rain rolls in and if that will turn to rain. >> still to come, a popular holiday carol is getting a makeover. some folks not happy about that. but up next, going gaga at the white house. find out why the singer visited the executive mansion today.

at the white house today, you think all the regular working folks would have gone gaga over lady gaga. turns out that singer's visit was all about business. she met with members of the obama administration talking about an antibullying campaign she is supporting. lady gaga took up the cause after one of her fans committed suicide following years of bullying about his sexual orientation. a measure designed to cut down on teenagers behaving badly is in limbo tonight. today the montgomery county council tabled discussions about the curfew and a proposed antiloitering bill. those measures were introduced after this group of teenagers robbed the convenience store back in july. right now, neither measure has enough votes to pass and tabling them will let the council discuss them again at

some later date. >> still ahead, topper is back with a look at the chances for snow in our forecast. i'm peggy fox in the loudoun county courthouse where we could see the return of the crucified skeleton santa along with displays from the church of the flying spaghetti monster. i'll tell you why coming up. brad, where we going?

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the washington, d.c. veterans affairs medical center and wusa salute all who serve at home and abroad this holiday season. >> we are from the republic of korea and we want to wish our friends and family back in woodbridge, virginia, and randy and marie a merry christmas and happy new year. happy holidays. back now with the controversy brewing over in evergreen. this is the tree at the state house, to be exact. tonight, governor lincoln is set with the state's holiday tree. within an hour later, a republican state representative will light a christmas tree outside her legislative office. not calling the state tree a christmas tree is just taking the whole politically correct thing too far. and only on 9. last night saw video of a woman taking down a holiday display that she found offensive. it happened outside the loudoun county courthouse and tonight, our peggy fox went back to leesburg to find out what is

next for all of those holiday displays. >> this defends me very deeply. >> four members wanted to suspend the rules that allow public holiday displays like this. a skeleton santa on a cross. this grandmother found so offensive she took it down. >> it was predictable. it was easy to see coming. the ku klux klan put up crosses under this freedom of speech and we might get to that point. >> supervisor wanted this and all the displays banned and have only a christmas tree on the lawn, but he was out voted. >> this isn't keeping in the tradition by surprise attacks by antireligious forces hunkered in the leesburg courthouse. >> the 18-year-old who put up the skeleton, we're told by a friend is a christian and was making a commentary on the state of christmas being sacrificed to commercialization. only this lady and many others

didn't see it that way. >> it's horrendous. >> it seems like it's here in leesburg that these things happen. they had the same problems. >> this is the third year for holiday display disputes in loudoun county, but board chairman hopes this year will be the last. >> if we just go ahead and remove the ordinance for public displays as a community, we can come together with the government sponsoring what is tasteful there on the courthouse. >> peggy fox, 9news now. >> and peggy says chairman york is hoping the council will take up the issue in january after an all republican board has been sworn in. the goal, to have the county manage the display so he represents all religions. everybody knows that one. it's a traditional christmas carol. now it's at the center of its own controversy.

an elementary teacher changed the words. you know the line, dawn we now our gay apparel. too many students were snickering, so she changed it to our bright apparel. now the principal wishes the teacher made it a teachable moment instead. >> we have an antibullying and dediscrimination policy that includes sexual orientation. so going forward, the teacher will be address, this is how we will supposed to be reacting. >> parents say they are now taking the time to teach their children that gay is not a bad word. so what do you think about that decision? share your thoughts with mcginty's mail bag. mailbag@wusa9.com. you will probably snicker at something like that. that's what kids do. especially boys. >> all right, let's talk about the weather. >> it's hard to believe, we're in the upper 50s and low 60s. it's going to get colder tomorrow and a chance some of the rain could change to snow.

very, very late tomorrow night. let's start with the big picture. we'll zoom in and there's our storm. there are a couple of storms. mild ahead of the front. much colder behind the front. the front will creep through here by tomorrow morning. the second area of low pressure will move through. this is going to bring us big rain as we get into tomorrow morning and tomorrow afternoon. i think 1 to 2 inches is a lock across the metro area and a little surprised. nothing is heavy, light rain up 270. light rain out toward leesburg and light rain also out 66 and down into southern maryland. but this is a hair venger of what is heading our way. heavy rain on wednesday. rain and mild tonight. wednesday both commutes are going to be wet. tack on extra time right now. i mean big time wet. maybe a driving rain by this time tomorrow. 1 to 2 inches of rain in the entire metro area and

temperatures will fall all day tomorrow. so don't be fooled. it's going to be mild in the early part of wednesday. all right, midnight tonight, just some light showers, gaithersburg, leesburg, frederick. clouds remain in place. look at this. by 7:00 tomorrow morning, heavy rain south and east of town with maybe a rumble of thunder down through southern calvert county and the northern neck. indicated in the orange there. that's big time rain. then 1:00 in the afternoon, still rain across the metro area. now some of the colder air is making it way across the mountains. gets in a mix west of the divide. and this time tomorrow night it's going to be snowing in cumberland westward. there are winter storm warnings in effect west of the divide. look at the rain. this time tomorrow is going to be a mess with the rain and it moves out very, very quickly. it might turn to snow briefly north and west of town. will not be a problem for your thursday commute. for tonight, cloudy, breezy,

and mild. low temperatures between 50 and 55. next seven days. we're looking at really an okay thursday. clear up, be chilly. 45 and then near 50 on friday. colder over the weekend. but nice. bright anyway. temperatures low 40s on saturday. mid 40s on sunday. and then next week, not too bad. we start around 50 on monday and inch our way into the low 50s with sunshine by next tuesday. >> cool thing, top, thank you. from our weird news file. my dad likes to refer to somebody who is crabby as a sore head. turns out he doesn't know the meaning of the word. to china where a man named lee zen hits the nail on the head. look at him. balancing on his head on that very thin spike. his entire body weight pressing down on a tiny piece of the skull. he has been practicing this for more than 20 years. he can hold that position for a good ten seconds. and it's not just his head that is so hard, he balances all his

body weight on a similar spike against his stomach. i'm thinking this may be one of those deals that is okay for now, but when it goes bad, it's going to go really bad. >> how do you practice? what do you start with? a wider spike? >> i guess.

tomorrow at 6:05, holiday apps. they say they are free, but what do they really cost you? jessica doyle will let you know. >> plus, obesity and diabetes are up. where our area ranks and how changing your habits can raise money for the community. in the mail bag tonight, frustration. craig from king george, virginia, cannot believe two of the redskins players have been suspended for the rest of the season after testing positive for smoking pot. i'm still flabbergasted that they were not mature enough to realize their ramifications. they hurt not only themselves, but the entire team and fans that supported them. they are so selfish that they don't think they are bound by social norms and laws. we need to trade them before they get themselves permanently banned from football. all right craig, i was with you

until that last thing. no way are the skins trading what amounts to their two best players and i would be mad if they did. yeah, they were dumb, but it's not like we're on a playoff run here. call them bad name, do whatever you want, but welcome them back next year. and then, we got this from bob who says he loves our broadcast, but wondering about topper's forecast as of late. what is with that expression of how many blanket night it will be? nearly everyone lives in a house with a thermostat. so the temperature inside is the same inside whether it's 25, 35, 45, or 60 outside. does top live in tent? you know, i think top has a home, but let's ask him. what's up with that blanket number? >> i live in a house. here's the deal. i'm assuming everybody has a sheet and blanket and comfort tore. when the temperature is the same inside, we feel that we get colder and we add blankets on top. and also i try to turn the

thermostat down to change energy. we'll turn down to 64 tonight and it gets cold. so you turn it to 64, the heat is going to be back on. >> 64, that's cold. >> topper explaning the blanket numbers. you want to know more, all you have to do is ask. our e-mail address is mailbag@wusa9.com. that is our broadcast. i'll be back at 11:00. tonight, you may have seen the show unforgettable, but there are really people who can't forget anything. we'll see you at 11:00. bye bye.

now, "entertainment tonight," the most watched entertainment newsmagazine in the world. brad pitt. the story behind this shocking new shot. plus, george clooney's crazy eyebrows. >> then brad with angelina. >> oh, it feels surreal. >> their night out in new york. and ryan reynolds and blake lively caught kissing. >> ashton out solo and getting cozy with lea michele. we're breaking down the premiere of "new year's eve" by the numbers. tom cruise and the big "mission impossible" premiere in dubai. mark steines is there with how they're pulling it off. >> and where tom left his signature that few will ever see. then, "e.t." looks at the wonderful life of tom and katie. >> no worries.

>> from mansions and jets, to hair and nails and clothes, how the world's most famous couple spends their millions. christmas at the white house with first lady michelle obama and the first dog, bo. plus, what are the stars hoping to find under the tree this year. >> what i want for christmas is more "e.t.." now, in depth on the biggest entertainment stories from around the world. >> hi, everybody, welcome to "entertainment tonight." i'm nancy o'dell. >> and i'm mark steines here in dubai. behind me is the world's tallest building. i'll tell you about its starring role in tom cruise's "mission impossible: ghost protocol." but first, brad pit manic with mile-high hair. george clooney crazed with bushy eyebrows. why did they look like they have totally lost their minds? you won't find this footage anywhere else as only we take you behind the scenes for the answer. brad with his hair teased four inches high.