Roger Stone stands trial, Election Day, college basketball season begins: 5 things to know Tuesday

Roger Stone stands trial, Election Day, college basketball season begins: 5 things to know Tuesday

2019-11-05 10:25:53

Roger Stone stands trial over his WikiLeaks contacts, the NCAA basketball season begins, it's Election Day in the U.S. and more news to know Tuesday.

Republican operative Roger Stone stands trial over WikiLeaks contacts

Roger Stone, a longtime Republican operative, will stand trial Tuesday on accusations that he lied about his role in Russia's efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election to help President Donald Trump win. Stone, who has maintained innocence, is the last and among the most prominent Trump allies to be charged as part of former special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. The allegations against Stone revolve around his alleged contacts with WikiLeaks and the Trump campaign in the summer of 2016, and his efforts to hide those communications. Stone is facing seven charges, including one count of obstruction of an official proceeding, five counts of false statements, and one count of witness tampering. 

What Tuesday's elections could tell us about the national political scene

Tuesday's off-year elections are state and local affairs, but they will set the national political scene ahead of the 2020 election. Both Democrats and Republicans are using this year’s elections to get ready for 2020. They're testing messaging, voter registration encouragement and techniques to get voters to the polls. Health care, the issue that provided much of the wind in the sails of Democrats in the 2018 election, was also a top topic in gubernatorial and legislative races. And then there's what the elections could say about the popularity of President Donald Trump. The president tried to push GOP gubernatorial candidates over the finish line while staying clear of Republicans' efforts to hold onto their narrow majority in the Virginia state legislature – all while fighting a growing impeachment inquiry in Washington. 

The House impeachment inquiry continues – but will anyone show up?

The House impeachment inquiry on Tuesday wants to hear from two more officials from President Donald Trump's administration, a day after four other witnesses did not appear. In a letter, the Department of Justice said one of Monday's witnesses, the National Security Council's John Eisenberg, was immune from having to testify. The letter was the latest attempt by the Trump administration to block witnesses from cooperating with the impeachment inquiry. Called to give depositions Tuesday are Wells Griffith, a special assistant to the president and senior director for international energy and environment at the National Security Council, and Michael Duffey, associate director for national security programs at the White House Office of Management and Budget. OMB Director Russ Vought has already tweeted that Duffey won't cooperate. Additional developments Monday included the transcripts of the depositions of former Ukraine Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch and former State Department adviser Michael McKinley being made public. They show both Republicans and Democrats had opportunities to ask questions.

Manhunt continues for Halloween party killer

A manhunt for the killer or killers who opened fire on a Halloween party at a California Airbnb rolls into a sixth day Tuesday, as the short-term rental industry faced a series of rule changes. Police in Orinda said that on the night of the shooting, more than 100 people were at a short-term rental house that banned parties and had a maximum occupancy permit of 13 people. Five people died, either immediately or in the days after. The Orinda City Council meeting Tuesday will open with a moment of silence for victims. Then leaders and residents will discuss the future of Airbnbs in the San Francisco suburb of 18,000. Council member Dennis Fay is proposing a temporary ban on short-term rentals.

2019-20 college basketball season tips off

The NCAA as we know it is changing and under scrutiny as state bills begin to push against its amateur scholarship model that prohibits athletes from being paid. But the 2019-20 college basketball season fills in as a reminder for why the sport is a multi-billion enterprise in the first place. Tuesday will be the first step for some national title-capable teams in the season buildup to March Madness. Among them are four preseason top 25 teams squaring off in the Champion's Classic — a tournament that's become the premier showdown for the college basketball tip-off. All four — No. 3 Kansas vs. No. 4 Duke (7 p.m., ESPN) and No. 1 Michigan State vs. No. 2 Kentucky (9:30 p.m., ESPN) — are top-five teams in the USA TODAY coaches poll, led by the Spartans.