Nation briefs 1/9/05

Ninth victim's body found from S.C. chemical spill

COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Investigators wearing protective suits and oxygen tanks Saturday discovered the body of a factory worker missing since a train carrying chlorine gas wrecked earlier this week, causing one of the nation's deadliest chemical spills in years. The worker was found inside the Avondale Mills textile plant in Graniteville, where five workers died after being overcome by the fumes. A total of nine people were killed and more than 250 sickened by the toxic vapors. The search for the worker delayed crews patching a hole in the train car that was carrying the chlorine gas when the wreck occurred Thursday about 10 miles from the Georgia state line.

Syndicate drops writer for accepting money

CHICAGO -- A conservative columnist has been dropped by a major syndication service because he accepted a payment from the Bush administration to promote the No Child Left Behind law to fellow blacks and to give the education secretary media time. Armstrong Williams, one of the nation's leading black conservative voices, has acknowledged that a company he runs was paid $240,000 by the Education Department, and he called criticism of his relationship with the department "legitimate." Tribune Media Services said it told Williams on Friday that it was halting distribution of his weekly newspaper column.

Senator's 2000 campaign finance director indicted

WASHINGTON -- The finance director for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's 2000 campaign is charged in a federal indictment with intentionally understating contributions for a Hollywood fund-raising gala for the senator. The four-count indictment, unsealed Friday in Los Angeles, charged David Rosen with filing false reports with the Federal Election Commission. The charges focus on an Aug. 12, 2000, dinner and concert supported by more than $1.1 million in "in-kind contributions" -- goods and services provided for free or below cost. The event was estimated to cost more than $1.2 million.