have you seen michael grimm?right. >> with michael grimm, all kidding aside. he's a pretty, you know, hard-headed kind of guy. i don't know he's going to go so easily. he won't be intimidated. during the campaign he won by almost 20 points with the charges hanging over him. he didn't run away with the charges. he said i have the charges hanging over me but it's a witch hunt. he was not hiding. this is a guy who remains to be seen what will happen. one interesting thing, because he's dealing with a crime that potentially has a sentence of three years, as you said, an ethics rule in the congress could get under way. if you are convicted of a crime that is -- that potentially could bring two years of prison time you can't vote on certain legislation. if he's in a situation where he's serving and convicted of the crime and he can't vote on certain legislation until he's reelected again it could be messy. i think it's likely he probably won't continue to serve. >> for folks not following the story, what is it again, h

reported earlier that nancy pelosi wants speaker boehner to insist that republican congressman, michael grimmafter pleading guilty of felony tax evasion. what are the real chances of that happening. >> the republican party has tried to get rid of grimm in the past. when he was first indicted, the nrcc cut off all of his funding. they weren't giving him any more money. he won re-election anyway. boehner could insist he wants grimm to re-sign. boehner and grimm talked. i wouldn't be surprised if that's what boehner actually told him. grimm has shown no indication that he is going to re-sign or that he could somehow be forced out of office unless the full house votes to expel him, which would be something that would take a long time to accomplish. >> why aren't we hearing more from republicans that actually oppose a convicted felon representing their party in congress? >> right now, it is probably largely because they are just not in session right now. grimm probably negotiated when he was going to get indicted, when he was going to plead and negotiated it for the week of christmas. that was a s

he was talking with michael grimm who just resigned. what do you think he said? >> go! why didn't you go already? the last thing that john boehner wants is a congressman who is actually been convicted, plead guilty to a serious felony charge. he was fighting it. it's a little complicated to make him quit. you can threaten ethics investigations and force them out. but yeah it makes it easier. grimm is out of there and boehner is released in that case. >> we've had some politicians hold on before they finally leave office. >> hey let the people decide! >> send it back to congress but no he's out. >> okay. now moving on. john boehner is being called by new york representative e vef clark to investigate louisiana congressman steve ska lease because he was addressing a white spremist group in 2002. what is the story here? >> this is a big one. he's the number three guy in the house leadership. he's an important figure in a way that grimm, frankly, is not. he goes and speaks at the meeting in 2002. this isn't back in the '60s or something. of an organization that is run and c

. >>> congressman michael grimm said he's resigning just days after pleading guilty to tax evasion. >>> and the autopsy of a victim in an l.a. police shooting sparks more protests. this is the "cbs morning news" for tuesday, december 30th, 2014. captioning funded by cbs >>> good morning, i'm lauren lyster in for anne-marie green. this morning, we have breaking news in the search for the missing airasia jetliner. indonesia said its navy has begun recovering bodies floating in the water. the rescue team said they're 95% sure they've located flight 8501. mark albert is in washington. good morning. >> indonesia authorities tell authorities that those bodies did not have life jackets on. and the exit doors five or six miles from the plane's last known location. >> reporter: crews searching for airasia flight 8501 are looking to recover red, white items off the island. the items are most likely items from the plane. indonesia authorities have reported they've spotted victims in the water. aircraft from several countries are taking part in the aerial search including australia. >> australia

michael grimm of new york pleading guilty to tax evasion.office even though he could go to prison. >>> safety alert. a popular gift this christmas, drones. big concerns about more remote controlled flying machines taking off. >>> and later, he is number one. funny guy adam sandler tops a new list in hollywood. but this is no compliment. will he laugh it off? that's in "the skinny" on this christmas eve, wednesday, december 24th. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." >>> we say good morning to you on this christmas eve. i'm kendis gibson. >> we want to welcome you, kendis. so good to have you here. >> it is good to be here. >> you hail from? >> the washington, d.c., abc affiliate. still have the new car smell after two days of being here. >> excellent. well, it's good to have you. >>> we'll begin with the deadly storms in the south and the christmas travel nightmare shaping up. >> a major storm is brewing from the midwest and east and that may mean some travel delays. our coverage begins with abc's josh haskell. >> that's a t

michael grimm stay in office or will he be forced to resign?>> congressman michael grimm vowing to stay in office despite pleading guilty to felony tax evasion charges tuesday. and also undocumented workers, lying under oath, obstructing state and federal officials. cnn's tom foreman has the latest from washington. >> reporter: hey christine, congressman grimm came out of court both chastened and defiant. he's publicly saying, yes, i did something wrong, i did help falsify a tax return. this is related to a restaurant he ran, where he's accused of things including hiring people here illegally. falsifying records from the tax man. he said that he did do that and that he was wrong. he was defiant in this sense, once again, he's echoed a theme which he's raised all along which this is a political witch hunt for people out to get him, listen. >> i know that some of people are going to use to demonize me, they've going to use this for political purposes like they've done for the last three years and for every person that's made a negative comment th

but michael grimm will in fact resign his seat.ew york will have to call a special election to fill that seat. grimm it should be noted represents staten island and parts of brooklyn here in new york. this is actually consider add very competitive congressional district. it was before grimm represented by a democrat. this is a seat that both parties will be aggressively targeting in any special election and congressman grimm will be sentenced in june. but for now, a late christmas present as congressman grimm will voluntarily give up his seat sparing the congress from having to make some embarrassing decisions at the start of the year. this news on the same night that another member of the house finds himself in hot water. steve ska lease gave a statement regarding kmiet supremacist. ska lease himself giving a statement to his own home paper that when he gave that speech to a white supremacist group run by david duke that he had no eye deeft group's racist ties or no ideas of the ties to david duke that he was delivering his standa

news from earlier in the hour about the reported upcoming resignation of republican congressman michael grimmsta had joined us by phone to say that sources were telling him, breaking tonight that grimm was calling speaker boehner today and telling him he would resign after pleading guilty to that felony tax evasion that happened last week. we can also tell you nbc news has also confirmed that reporting. congressman michael grimm will resign his seat. and governor cuomo will call a special election to fill it. >>> we have new news in on the search for the missing airasia flight. ower their game day communication. abort! abort! he's keeping it! duracell quantum. lasts up to 35% longer than the competition. with a favorite book is nice. but i think women would rather curl up with their favorite man. but here's the thing: about half of men over 40 have some degree of erectile dysfunction. well, viagra helps guys with ed get and keep an erection. and remember, you only take it when you need it. ask your doctor if your heart is healthy enough for sex. do not take viagra if you take nitrates for che

new york congressman michael grimm finally agreed to step down, a week after pleading guilty to felony tax evasion. he repeatedly insisted he would stay in office. >> as long as i'm able to serve, i'm going to serve. sn't accepting possibility mean resigning? >> absolutely not. >> reporter: but party leaders tell abc news they grew tired of the congressman landing in one scrape after another. like this infamous confrontation with a reporter. >> let me be clear. i'll throw you off this balcony. >> reporter: his bluster came to an end after a heated call with speaker boehner who is eager to clean house before congress opens in january. now with grimm gone, scalise is the gop's most pressing problem. party leaders are standing behind scalise tonight, but this is hardly how republicans hoped to start their new year in their new congressional majority. elizabeth? >> jeff thank you. >>> around the world tonight, records a key terror leader was killed in somalia. government officials there saying the intelligence chief of the militant group al shabab was targeted in the assault. he was accuse

congressman michael grimm, seen in this video, threatening to throw a report earl over the balcony there. well tonight, pleading guilty to felony tax evasion, but vowing to stay in congress. abc's david wright, face-to-face with him today. >> reporter: after vowing to fight the charges against him "tooth and nail," congressman michael grimm today pled guilty to one count of lying on his taxes. that confrontation with the reporter -- it was about this investigation. >> let me be clear to you. >> reporter: but today, he admitted that as the owner of the new york city restaurant healthalicious he cooked the books. as part of his plea deal, he'll now pay three years worth of state and federal taxes he owes. congressman grimm is now a convicted felon. under the house rules, he is allowed to keep his seat, but he might not be allowed to vote on the house floor, so -- he now faces some serious questions. >> i'm certainly truly sorry for it, but i also accept full responsibility. >> reporter: congressman, will you resign? today at first he ignored that question. but finally admitted he plans to

had been under investigation after he wrote a book. >>> congressman michael grimm is insisting he'll publican plead guilty in federal court yesterday to a single count of tax evasion. after his court appearance, grimm apologized for his action saying what he did was wrong. democrats in the house are calling for grimm to be forced out. >>> and in an about-face, sony pictures now says a limited number of theaters will show "the interview" on christmas day. the movie, of course, sparked outrage in north korea and threats from hackers. but that hasn't stopped some fans from already buying their tickets. here's abc's emmett miller. >> you want us to kill the leader of north korea? >> reporter: the show will go on. independent theaters in atlanta, dallas and cleveland will be airing the controversial film "the interview" on christmas day. and the list is growing. moviegoers are already buying tickets. >> kim jong-un is not going to tell us what we are going to watch. >> i'm not the least bit worried about my own safety. >> reporter: seth rogan and james franco responded. victory, the people

they're ready, talking to a former congressman who michael grimm defeated in 2010.e may run again. >> shira center with roll call, thank you very much. >> thank you. >> we'll be right back. you two had been through everything together. two boyfriends. three jobs. you're like "nothing can replace brad!" then liberty mutual calls. and you break into your happy dance. if you sign up for better car replacement, we'll pay for a car that's a model year newer with 15,000 fewer miles than your old one. see car insurance in a whole new light. liberty mutual insurance. and cialis for daily useor you. helps you be ready anytime the moment is right. cialis is also the only daily ed tablet approved to treat symptoms of bph, like needing to go frequently. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medicines, and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sex. do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, as it may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. do not drink alcohol in excess. side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache or muscle

michael grimm has stood firm despite controversy swirling around him. even won re-election.uilty plea on tax evasion charges. the details after the break. you pay your auto insurance premium every month on the dot. you're like the poster child for paying on time. and then one day you tap the bumper of a station wagon. no big deal... until your insurance company jacks up your rates. you freak out. what good is having insurance if you get punished for using it? hey insurance companies, news flash. nobody's perfect. for drivers with accident forgiveness, liberty mutual won't raise your rates due to your first accident. see car insurance in a whole new light. liberty mutual insurance. a bleb of the gop house leadership the whip steve scalise is acknowledging he probably spoke at the convention held by white supremacist while he was a state lawmaker in 2002. he spoke to too many groups a the time when he was opposing a local tax plan and he was not aware of what principles the group stood for. joining me now to talk about the implications of all of this is msnbc's political corre

and now, in addition to that prospect, consider the case of congressman michael grimm.himself been under felony indictment. he was indictment for 20 felonies last april. that did not stop him from winning reelection to his house seat this fall. but now, the new york daily news reports that he is due to plead guilty to at least win of those felonies the day after tomorrow. congressman grimm himself is not commenting, neither is the u.s. attorney's office that charged him. but if he does plead guilty, that's going to create a really interesting dilemma for house speaker john boehner. it is one thing to have someone with felony charges pending against them serving congress, it is another thing to have congress include a convicted felon among its members. so far, speaker boehner is not saying what he will do if michael grimm pleads guilty to a felony the day after tomorrow. but is there really a chance they're going to let him stay after he pleads guilty? is, i have to serve my jail time an acceptable excuse for missing committee meetings? we may be about to find out. watch

if michael grimm is removed there will be a special econo . election.e five crucial races for democrats. this is the last republican seat in new york city. so boehner wants to be careful not to make a decision that hurts the republican candidate in a future race. >> i want to go back to speaker boehner because he has several instances where he did push people to resign. in 2014 he pressured representative from florida to resign after got caught buying cocaine from a federal agent. and pushes new york to resign of photos on the internet. 2010 boehner pushed a man to resign after an affair with aid so what is different in this case. >> doesn't mean they will do the same thing here, they want to call attention to something bad nancy pelosi did. ultimately the republicans distancing them self from grimm makes sense. stanten i'll still have a big republican constituenconstituen. >> in the last election grimm got 55% over his opponent. how might the race look. >> there's a whole other investigation we haven't had a chance to talk about. him having that huge v

"with all due respect to michael grimm, we do not just threaten to throw people off balconies around here. >> happy new years, sports fans. biggest winners of 2014 and the biggest losers. 12 years ago, a white tiger funded by david duke. he is making more calls than an npr telethon to set the record straight. john boehner and kevin mccarthy are standing by there with. -- whip. >> he better hope that no taper video emerges -- tape or video emerges of the speech he gave. >> there is blood in the water right now. everyone is chasing the story. you have people like sean hannity who do not like this leadership slate. they are using this as an excuse. they are seizing on this and trying to use it as an excuse to get rid of the whole house leadership. >> it is going to be -- this could be very difficult for steve scalise. this is our last show of the year and what a year it has been. we want to unveil our list of the winningest winners. i will give three in the winning category. my first win is mitch mcconnell. 30 years ago houston and to -- his senate career began. even more impressive thi

. >> michael grimm, congressman who just resigned, republican is being paired a lot with scalise thend of the year. i think it's very different story going to the wrong meeting. michael grimm pleaded guilty to a felony last week and also is famous on capitol hill for threatening to throw a reporter off of a balcony and break him in half. but, the interesting thick about scalise in the age when there wasn't google. he was many ambitious. he went to every meeting he could and went tomp speak to constituents. eric cantor had a spectacular fall this year ignoring his home district the seventh of virginia and setting his sights on everyone believes once one day being a speaker and replacing john boehner. and in doing so, his ambition and lack of caution took him out. and so it's an interesting tie between the three of them. >> charles, your loser? >> losers. it was a tie. this is a dead heat. how you can choose between harry reid and jonathan gruber? reid not only lost the senate. lost nine of his colleagues but also will now go down in history as the worst steward of the senate. the inst

. >>> republican congress member michael grimm of new york is expected to plead guilty. he will admit to failing to report $1 million in revenue in his restaurant business prior to election in 2010. he made headlines after an interview with a reporter and threatening to throw him over the capitol hill balcony. >>> republicans will release a report alleging a culture of bias against conservative organizations at the internal revenue service. it will claim irs employees subverted in order to advance the political goals of president obama. several officials have already lost their jobs. >>> some of the busiest travel days of the year start right now and mother nature is not cooperating. let's get to meteorologist ivan cabrera for an early look at your weather. >> christine, for most of us it will be a rain event. the rain will be heavy and severe weather and strong winds will cause airport delays over the next 48 hours. here is the storm right now. it is just getting going across the mid section of the country. we will have the southeastern side that will be looking at nast

michael grimm pleads guilty.e of up to 36 months in prison. >>> commercial airliners, you know the kind you board to fly to meet grandmother, are not supposed to have the maneuverability of a fighter jet, but don't tell that to these pilots at airbus. they took to the skies with their brand new a-350s in formation performing some amazing stunts during the process. take a look. >> three, two, one. >> it's all part of airbus celebration of the first commercial delivery of the new a-350. the company says it already has orders to build more than 7,000 of them for airlines around the globe, but if you get on board one, you probably won't see another one off your wing tip. >> hopefully not. >> like these guys. >> those look awfully close together. does it make me nervous when i see a fighter jet los to another one? that does have -- how close together are those, do you think? >> i would think 50, 100 feet. something like that. >> is that safe for a plane like that? can they quickly turn on a dime if something goes wron

no hidden fees from the bank where no branches equals great rates. . >>> new york congressman michael grimms calling it quits. announcing the decision to resign a week after pleading guilty to a charge of felon tax evasion. grimm, who was elected to a third term by a wide margin in november, had vowed to stay in office following his plea. but grimm changed his mind after a widely reported conversation with house speaker john boehner. in a statement today boehner called grimm's decision to step down, quote, honorable. grimm will be sentenced in june and could face up to three years in prison. his resignation will take effect on january 5th. joining me now is political correspondent kasie hunt. congressman grimm was defiant last week after his plea telling reporters he would, quote, absolutely not resign. but speaker boehner was apparently able to change his mind. how did he do it? >> it seems that way, ayman. house speaker john boehner has been aggressive in pushing back on any ethics violation that might put a stain on his republican house. and while grimm and boehner did not meet in person

. >>> new york republican congressman michael grimm will resign after pleading guilty to x last week. a republican soue says he'll resign before congress returns to washington next week. the staten island congressman was indicted in april on to counts including filing a false tax return. he was re-elected to his seat in november while under indictment. >>> a fraternity is not operating th morni because of a new hazing lawsuit. alpha phi alpha is investigating e school's chapter right now. hayes says he was beaten and bruised when trying to join the t last year. he's asking for $3 million in damages and told prince county's reporter that this was not his first option. >> i said this would be the first place to go. >> reporter: how do you feel the university responded to what happened? >> they did not respond. >> bowie state university is not named in the suit and hayes says all the incidents happened off campus. >>> a former university of virginia lacrosse player convicted of killing his girlfriend wants another chance in court. george huguely's lawyers filed another petition for the v

jury selection is scheduled to begin on monday. >>> congressman michael grimm announced overnight leresign from office come january. grimm was charged in april for hiding more than $1 million in revenue from the restaurant he owned before he ran for congress. his announcement comes a week after he pled guilty to one count of tax evasion in federal court. he faces a maximum of three years in prison. >>> a high ranking episcopal bishop is now on leave following a deadly hit-and-run accident. bishop heather cook was driving her subaru forester when she hit 41-year-old cyclist thomas palermo in baltimore. the episcopal diocese of maryland says cook initially left the scene of the fatal crash but returned about 20 minutes later to take responsibility for her actions. four years ago bishop cook was charged with dui and marijuana possession. >>> a bowie state university student files a $3 million lawsuit against the fraternity alpha phi alpha claiming es was brutally hazed while pledging last year. members of the fraternity punched, slapped and paddled hayes. >>> funeral services will get under w

. >> with all the respect to michael grimm, it will take more than a federal charge to get us to step down. >> obama versus dimkim and rand vs. rubio. at a press conference, i asked the mayor about how he's doing with the crisis. as you lead the city through this difficult time you're getting a lot of criticism from across the board. have you learned anything or adjusted your behavior for those who say you have not been outspoken enough about the rhetoric against the police department? >> we are in a very difficult moment. our focus has to be on these families and we are in a season that suggests we have to find a way forward. it's up -- supposed to be a time of peace and reconciliation. i have expressed tremendous report -- respect for nypd and i will continue to. in a democracy that people express their desire for more fair society and that is right and proper but they mustered peacefully. there can be no violence and no violence against those who protect us and who represent our society. the police are our protectors and they must be respected. commissioner branton has devoted his

house speaker did one away with other possible cloud michael grimm who plead guilty to a felony counttax evasion. he pledged to stay in congress. he's announced he's going to be stepping down. that's one headache resolved. this is going to take up a lot of oxygen going into the new year for the republican majority. >> i want to throw up a statement that was said by speaker boehner. i know steve to be a man of high integrity and good character. he has my full confidence as our whip and he'll continue to do great and important work for all americans. now politico reports that scalise has been making other calls to explain the issue and maintain support, but how could this story affect his standings within the rank and file of the republican party? >> well, the statement from john boehner was not a wishy washy one. it was strong. he's a man of high integrity. i think it's a signal from house leadership they feel confident this is the end of the story. now i think the thing to watch for any further revelations come forward about things steve has said or supported in the past that could ch

new york congressman michael grimm made a u-turn saying he's going to resign after pleading guilty toearlier this year you might recall grimm made news by threatening a reporter who asked him about the investigation into his campaign finances. >> let me be clear to you. [ bleep ]. >> why, why? >> if you ever do that to me again -- >> why, why, it's a valid question? >> who could forget that? not only the troubles for the gop. house majority whip steve scalise admitting he spoke to a white supremacist group back in 2002. one of his source says the congressman didn't know the makeup of the group he was speaking to. here's what he told a newspaper in new orleans. quote, i detest any kind of hate group. for anyone to suggest that i was involved with a group like that is insulting and ludicrous. athena jones is in washington. we'll start with michael grimm. it's an about-face from the new york congressman. why the change of heart for him? >> reporter: it comes less than a week after entering that guilty plea. he insisted he would stay on even after pleading guilty. but this decision was an

and in today's first read congressman michael grimm is expected to plead guilty to tax fraud today.ed to resign? ♪ remembering joe cocker. the british rock singer who launched his u.s. careered a wood stock passed away yesterday. his music, as they say, will live forever. when you run a business, you can't settle for slow. that's why i always choose the fastest intern. the fastest printer. the fastest lunch. turkey club. the fastest pencil sharpener. the fastest elevator. the fastest speed dial. the fastest office plant. so why wouldn't i choose the fastest wifi? i would. switch to comcast business and get the fastest wifi with the most coverage. comcast business. built for business. it's more than the car.er. for lotus f1 team, the competitive edge is the cloud. powered by microsoft dynamics, azure, and office 365, the team can gain real time insights and instantly share information around the globe. when every millisecond counts, staying competitive begins with the cloud. this is the microsoft cloud. >>> developing now the dow soaring to record high hitting 1 18,000 this morning f

. >> so, congressman michael grimm does not want to talk about some of the allegations concerning his. we wanted to get him on camera on that. but he refused to talk about that. back to you. >> let me be clear to you. if you ever do that to me again, i'll throw you off this [ expletive ] balcony. >> why? >> if you ever do that to me again, [ inaudible ] -- you're not man enough. i'll break you in half like a boy. >> i'll throw you off this f-ing balcony. that's not why this man is in trouble. instead, michael grimm is facing the grim reality of a federal bout in prison because within the next hour, grimm is expected to appear before a new york judge and plead guilty to one count of tax evasion. he's also expected to sign something called a statement of facts admitting that he evaded taxes as alleged by the federal government in a 20-count indictment. remember, he's thinking of saying, yes, i did one, not 20. grimm was indicted in april. he was indicted for filing false tax returns, mail fraud, wire fraud, hiring undocumented workers -- oh, and for good measure, perjury. all serious ch

new york representative michael grimm is expected to resign from congress this week. frimm pleaded guilty to a felony tax charge last week, for failing to report nearly a million dollars in revenue. grimm made headlines last year after threatening to throw a reporter over the balcony after the state of the union address. he later apologized. >> the district has spent nearly $3 million on police staffing in response to local protest. they began nearly a month ago following the protests in ferguson after the michael brown case. chief cathy lanier said the protests are a strain on the department. according to "washington times" they may seek reimbursement from the federal government. >> you have probably seen posts from friends showing their year in review. the maker of the app is apologizing after his post had a cover photo of his six-year -old daughter. facebook said they will work to improve the app. >> president obama has apologized to a couple after his golf game in hawaii forced the bride and groom to relocate sunday. the couple was told saturday the day before, th

. >> he did not have to resign because of that, but now michael grimm has resigned from office sayingts that led to today have not broken my spirit, however, i cannot believe i can continue to be 100% effective in the next congress and therefore out of the respect for the office and the people i so proudly represent, it's time for me to start the next chapter of my life. michael grimm solved one problem for house speaker john boehner by announcing his january 5 resignation, but speaker john boehner has another problem on his house now. the third ranking house republican majority whip is facing criticism for speaking before a white supremacisteacy group led by david duke in 2002. he said he didn't know the group was a white supremacy group. and today said this -- it was a mistake i egret and i emphatically oppose the decisive racial and religious views groups like these hold. john boehner issued a statement supporting steve scalese today, but some are questioning how the louisiana congressman did not know that the group he was speaking to was affiliated with a high-profile white suprem

now michael grimm stepped down. steve scalise is holding steady. nobody is calling for him to step down. it doesn't look good for him. he hasn't explained this away. >> if he haven't explained this away what more does he have to explain and is he safe and i know these are a lot of questions, if something else comes out, is he toast? >> from what i understand from team boehner, or boehner world, they are waiting to see if there's another shoe to drop. if not, he's probably safe. if there are other speeches that he's given or there's just another couple of weeks of media coverage of this with new information, that's a real trouble for scalise. without it time will pass and he'll survive given enough time. >> it doesn't seem like it's the trent level yet. when trent lott had to step down. it doesn't seem to raise to that level quite yet. >> something steve scalise said on monday. he was talking about, hey, i would talk to anyone trying to make the point that this wasn't an endorsement of this point of view. he said "i spoke to the league of women vote

so it's only appropriate that today republican congressman michael grimm of new york announced he willuilty last week to tax fraud. despite facing a 20-count indictment, grimm won re-election to the house this november. what does this say about our leaders? more importantly, what does it say about how we the voters choose them? we're back with the roundtable. paulsabrina and chaurms. what does it say? how can you be indicted run for election, win, be convicted and say oh, i guess i should resign. how does that happen? >> i think it's funny when you say it's been a year of sleaze and politics. what year has not been a year of sleaze and politics. we have an entire industry built to make people forget. >> and to be fair when congressman grim was running for re-election, he maintained his innocence throughout. i think one of the things that this speaks to is just how polarized this is at this environment. as well as the impact when you look at how it speaks. in is extremely republican. so when faced with a congressman or a democrat voters in that district are still going to choose the sca

congratulations on your reelection, michael grimm.ck." [ applause ] we'd also like to welcome back maine's governor paul lepage. lepage got reelected despite telling the naacp they could kiss his butt and comparing the irs to the gestapo. he also defended the use of the controversial chemical bpa in plastic bottles, saying that in the worst case scenario, some women may develop, quote, little beards. [ laughter ] i don't think the worst case scenario is little beards, i think the worst case scenario is two-term maine governor paul lepage. are you a lobster, lepage? because you're on a roll. welcome back. new york city welcomes back congressman charlie rangel. rangel's been formally censured by his colleagues for a slew of ethics violations. do you know how hard it is so get censured in congress for ethics violations? that's like getting kicked out of burning man for not showering enough. rangel's the first congressman to be censured since 1983. you would think anyone could beat him. how did he win? no one ran against him. so congratul

the speaker was reportedly pivotal in forcing out gop congressman michael grimm, who's resigning afterty to a felony and after making this notorious threat to a journalist. >> no no. you're not man enough. you're not man enough i'll break you in half. >> but today speaker boehner is standing by republican congressman steve scalise, even though scalise admits he spoke to a white supremacist group in 2002. are you surprised the speaker is standing by congressman scalise today? >> i'm not. actually republican member and new whip steve scalise has actually received support from the louisiana delegation, so it doesn't surprise me at all. and similarly, when nancy pelosi took over as speaker in 2007 you had a similar situation where she came out really hard against ethics and any types of ethical issues. so it's not surprising that he stood against and encouraged michael grimm to step down. >> and when angela says that he stood -- that he got the support of the whole louisiana delegation that includes cedric richmond who is an african american, well respected. >> that does. rev, i think you'

so reporters can't walk up to them and ask them, do you think michael grimm should re-sign?ee you, quite a few would say yes. >> it is the holiday. thanks for joining us on christmas eve. >> yep. good to be on. >> happy holidays to you z. >> now, for some entertainment news. forbes has released the top ten most overpaid actors in hollywood. topping the list for a second year in a row is, drum roll, please, adam sandler. johnny depp, ben stiller, rounding out the top five, ryan reynolds and tom hanks. really? >> helena bottom carter and tim burton are no more. they separated and say they will continue to be friends and co-parents to their two children. >>> duane "the rock" johnson tweeted out this picture to get everyone in the holiday spirit, fanny pack and all. >>> i'm betty nguyen. reminder, ""morning jomorning j coming up at the top of the hour. don't settle for 4g lte coverage that's smaller or less reliable when only one network is america's largest and most reliable 4g lte network: verizon. with xlte, our 4g lte bandwidth has doubled in over 400 cities. and now, save w

. >>> new york congressman michael grimm plans to resign his seat next week. the decision comes days after pleading guilty to tax evasion. the staten island republican originally said he would stay in congress after being reelected. but following a meeting with house speaker john boehner, he changed his mind. >>> in the meantime louisiana congressman is admitting that he did in fact address a white supremist organization with a speech more than a decade ago. they spoke to the european immunity rights organization, which was founded by a former kkk grand wizard david duke. this happened when he was a candidate. he says at that point he was willing to speak to anybody who would listen, but he did not know at time that it was a hate group adding had he known that he would not have given that speech. >>> the university of maryland football fans have a late night ahead of them, the turps take on the cardinals tonight. kickoff at 10:00 p.m. maryland last won a bowl game four years ago against east carolina in the military bowl. it was right here in dc. >>> well when

. >>> michael grimm is calling it quits. the republican lawmaker resigning after pleading guilty to felony invasion. it will take january 5th. he said, quote, this decision is made with a heavy heart. i enjoyed a special relationship with my constituents. whom i care about deeply. however, i do not believe that i can continue to be 100% effective in the next congress. and therefore out of respect for the office and the people i so proudly represent, it's time for me to start the next chapter of my life. the new york daily news report the announcement came hours after he spoke with john boehner. he was indicted on 20 charges earlier this year he vowed to stay in office. even after pleading guilty last week. he'll be sentenced in june. could face up to three years in prison. >>> let's get a check on the forecast. we have a very cold bitterly air mass that come down from canada. we're going to be watching some of the coldest air we've seen in nearly a month across the country. the worst is coming down from areas of the north da

or present of michael grimm will resign effective january 5. he was a republican who bowed not to resign, but -- who had vowed not to resign, but maybe decision after a conversation with john boehner. he was convicted last week of taxation and is also famous for threatening to throw a reporter off a balcony. a special edition of "street smart" starts right here at 2 p.m. today. stay with us. ♪ >> hi. >> good morning. >> tonight on "titans at the table" -- this place is gorgeous, it really is. i'll be chatting with billionaire businessman turned environmental activist tom steyer. tom steyer was born and raised in the financial capital of the u.s., new york city, but chose to open his investment firm farallon, in san francisco. he founded farallon in 1986 with $8 million, and by the time he stepped down in 2012, he turned the initial investment into $30 billion, making it the fourth-largest hedge fund in the world. his personal fortune is an estimated $2.6 billion. not satisfied with retiring on the golf course, steyer reinvented himself as an ac

. >>> disgraced new york city congressman michael grimm insists he will hold on to his seat even though he's now a convicted felon. he pled guilty to tax evasion yesterday. grimm apologized for his actions, saying what he did was wrong. he spoke to abc's david wright. >> if i can close this chapter. >> reporter: doesn't accepting responsibility mean resigning? >> absolutely not. >> but there's pressure from democrats for him to step down before he's sentenced in june. >>> president obama is making time for exercise as he vacations. >> he went on a scenic hike with first daughter malia and a bunch of friends. they took a trail offering sweeping views of the oahu coast. he carved out time for his morning workout and, of course, a game of golf. >>> well, coming up the race is on. the christmas eve sprint to the retail finish line, you can call it. the stores open right now to help you wrap up your shopping. >>> and starbucks new policy. it's not about coffee, it's about >>> today the final push by retailers before christmas. a major chain, including toys"r"us and kohl's are open right now

separately another republican, new york congressman michael grimm announced he is resigning. this after grimm pleaded guilty a week ago to felony tax evasion. grimm had won re-election in november when the case was pending against him. >>> some encouraging news tonight from the american cancer society. a new report says there's been a 22% drop in the death rate from cancer over the past two decades, which means 1.5 million cancer deaths have been averted over that time. the report credits fewer americans smoking as well as medical advancements, but it also says we'll see over 1.6 million new cancer cases in the new year and close to 600,000 deaths. >>> an alarming report starkly lays out the dangers faced day in and day out by those responsible for serving and protecting us. it shows an enormous jump from last year in the number of police killed in shooting incidents. the police advocacy group that put out this report fears that what it is seeing on the streets lately is having an influence. our report tonight from nbc's stephanie gosk. >> reporter: just this week two officer

republican michael grimm, remembered for this, he threatened to throw a reporter over a balcony. the reporter asked him about a campaign finance investigation. it will likely end his political career. >>> pope francis issued a stunning indictment of top officials in the church during the christmas greeting. he said they suffered from, quote, spiritual alzheimer's. others were accused of the terrorism of gossip. watchers have never seen anything like it. >>> still ahead, how ereaders and tablets are disrupting your sleep. >>> plus contract killing. a wife under arrest accused of hiring a hitman to kill her husband. video investigators say is proof. >>> and bowl brawl. a football game comes down to the wire and ends with a wild fight on the field. >>> welcome back. wall street opens this morning with the dow at an all-time high. just 41 points shy of the 18,000 mark. all three major averages closed higher yesterday, the market's third consecutive day of gains. it's a classic santa clause rally. and volumes should decrease as everyone looks forward to christmas. >>> and cars are get

michael grimm will resign the day before congress convenes. it would have been his thifd term in congress. he pleaded guilty to tax evasion last week. he could face three years in prison. the lawmaker best known for threatening to throw a reporter off a balcony after a question he didn't like. and majority whip steve scalesae admits that 12 years ago he spoke at a conference hosted by a white supremacist group. the group was founded by former klan leader david duke. he spoke to lots of groups, and be detests hate groups but louisiana democrats say he needs to answer questions about how he ended up at that conference. >> susan saulny thank you as always. >>> turn now to the weather in the midwest. bitter cold today. below zero in north dakota. and during the day, going down to minus 13. today's high won't break zero. it's not keeping north dakotans from enjoying a wagon ride and other outdoor activity. >> let's get the with weather from accuweather's justin povick. >> thank you. the northeast, a couple of snow showers off the great lakes. a col

will see in gas prices later this week that has nothing to d >>> new york republican congressman michael grimm will resign. grimm pleaded guilty to tax evasion last week. a republican source says he will resign before congrs returns to washington next week. the staten island congressman was indicted on 20 counts on charges of filing false tax returns. he was reelected to his seat in november while under indictment. well you have only today and tomorrow to get the current price of gas in virginia. starting new year's day it's expected to go up five cents. right now the average price of gas in virginia is $2.18 a gallon. the new tax is going towards a $6 billion transportation funding bill in the commonwealth. >>> well last-minute work today for mayor vincent grey who will be leaving office in days. plus a republican leader facing serious questions about a speaking engagement with a group of whi supremacists. beautif sunshine angie. how long does it last? i'll let you know in the full forecast at >>> d.c. mayor vincent grey is staying busy in his final week in office. t right now he's in the mid