the salt to come pouring out covering 11 dealers at the accura dealership. the controversy surrounding congressman steve scalise and michael grimm are just the latest in what has been a long list of political scandal in 2014. patricia murphy compiled a catalog of bad behavior from cocaine to tax chief to bribe taking. this year s culprits range from the illegal to the incompetent and even the tragic. patricia murphy joins me now. happy new year. let s start once considered a rising star in politics. bob mcdonnell. the governor of virginia. he campaigned as a christian family man. he was really a well respected by the virginia business community as by christian conservatives. it made him a natural guest for
[ applause ] reporter: president obama has cancelled his planned trip to asia next week because of the shutdown. texas lawmaker wendy davis is back in the national spotlight. davis rose to national prominence in june for her nearly 13-hour filibuster against new abortion restrictions in texas. the democrat announced she is running for governor. her opponents plan to use davis abortion stand as a rallying cry to christian conservatives. california joined the growing list of states allowing illegal immigrants to get driver s licenses. governor brown signed the bill in front a cheering crowd in los angeles. it was backed by law enforcement and insurance companies. they want to be sure that immigrants are properly trained and tested before driving. tropical storm karen churning in the gulf of mexico on the way to the u.s. mainland. people who live from new orleans to the florida panhandle are getting ready. they are taking boats out of the water, securing homes and getting supplie
because there is an insistence on no negotiations, no talking, my way or the highway, we are here. [ applause ] reporter: president obama has cancelled his planned trip to asia next week because of the shutdown. texas lawmaker wendy davis is back in the national spotlight. davis rose to national prominence in june for her nearly 13-hour filibuster against new abortion restrictions in texas. the democrat announced she is running for governor. her opponents plan to use davis abortion stand as a rallying cry to christian conservatives. california joined the growing list of states allowing illegal immigrants to get driver s licenses. governor brown signed the bill in front a cheering crowd in los angeles. it was backed by law enforcement and insurance companies. they want to be sure that immigrants are properly trained and tested before driving. tropical storm karen churning in the gulf of mexico on the way to the u.s. mainland. people who live from new orleans to the florida pa
hifaith isn t really christian. same sex marriage and civil rights. they release an open letter asking them to stand behind president obama s decision on gay marriage. no-fly list. a group of americans including vets said they were banned from flying for no reason at all. now they re suing. hello, everyone. i m don lemon. you re in the cnn newsroom. thank you for joining us. let s get you caught up right now. mitt romney made a personal appeal today to conservative evangelicals. romney addressed graduates at jerry falwelfalwell s universit addressing common grounds on service, responsibility, and the definition of marriage between one man and one woman. we ll take you live to lynchburg, virginia, just moments from now. a florida woman tried to use a state s controversial stand your ground law to stay out of prison, but a judge wasn t having it and sentenced marissa alexander to 20 years. she said she fired a warning shot to chase off her husband who is abusive to her, but
in chicago, jury finds jennifer hudson s former brother-in-law guilty of killing three family members. william balfour shot and killed the singer s mother, brother, and 7-year-old nephew in 2008. hudson broke down in tears when the verdict was read. illinois has no death penalty. balfour will be sentenced to life without parole. protesters in spain are fed up with the country s economic might nar. tens of thousands marched nay madrid and other cities. they are marking the movement against inequality and sky high unemployment. some civil rights leaders are commending president barack obama for what they call his evolution on gay marriage in. an open letter that was released just last night, they compare it to the struggle for civil rights. the president declared his support for same-sex unions earlier this week. former naacp chairman julian bond joins me by phone. thank you for joining us. you have been very outspoken about marriage equality. what is your personal reaction