Nation briefs 4/6/16

Alabama governor may be impeached

MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- A Republican Alabama lawmaker said Tuesday he is filing an impeachment resolution against GOP Gov. Robert Bentley in the wake of a scandal involving one of the governor's top aides, who has resigned. The resolution by Rep. Ed Henry of Hartselle likely will be sent to the House Rules Committee for consideration, and it's not clear whether it has enough support to move forward. The Alabama Constitution lays out a loose procedure for impeachment for offenses including moral turpitude, willful neglect of duty and corruption, among other things. Henry said his filing accuses Bentley of all those things, as well as incompetence. Bentley last month admitted making inappropriate remarks to his former senior political adviser, Rebekah Caldwell Mason, 44, but denied accusations of an affair. Dianne Bentley, the governor's ex-wife, filed for divorce in 2015, saying their 50-year marriage had suffered an irreparable breakdown.

Ebola funds moved to combat Zika

WASHINGTON -- Congressional officials said the Obama administration has decided to transfer leftover money from the largely successful fight against Ebola to combat the growing threat of the Zika virus. Most of the $600 million or so would be devoted to the Centers for Disease Control, which is focused on research and development of anti-Zika vaccines, treating those infected with the virus and combating the mosquitoes that spread it. The officials spoke Tuesday on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it publicly before an official announcement expected from the White House today. Researchers fear Zika causes microcephaly, a serious birth defect in which a baby's head is too small.

Keystone pipeline to remain closed

FREEMAN, S.D. -- The Keystone pipeline likely will remain shut down for the rest of the week while officials investigate an apparent oil spill in southeastern South Dakota. Oil covered a 300-square-foot area in a farm field ditch 4 miles from a Freeman-area pump station, about 40 miles southwest of Sioux Falls. It was discovered Saturday. TransCanada hasn't released the amount of oil. About 100 workers are investigating where the oil came from and removing the contaminated soil. No pipeline damage had been found as of midmorning Tuesday, company spokesman Mark Cooper said. TransCanada also said it had found no significant environmental harm.

Ex-coal CEO faces 1 year in prison

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Former coal executive Don Blankenship could receive up to a year in prison and a fine of $250,000 in connection to the deadliest U.S. mine disaster in four decades when he is sentenced one day after the tragedy's sixth anniversary. But the ex-Massey Energy CEO may remain free while he appeals the ruling. Blankenship could be in and out of prison by the time he gets an appellate ruling, his defense attorneys have said in court filings. Blankenship is scheduled to be sentenced today for a misdemeanor conspiracy to willfully violate mine safety standards at Upper Big Branch Mine.

-- From wire reports