January 1, Desperate Housewife Huffman Gets Jail Time | NY AG: OxyContin Pharma Family Hid $1B | Students Protest Liberty’s Falwell, Jr.

This Day in History |1814 

Francis Scott Key writes a poem originally titled “The Defense of Fort McHenry.” The poem is later set to music and its title is changed to the “The Star-Spangled Banner.” In 1931, it officially becomes the national anthem.

Good morning Middle Americans!

‘I was stupid’

Those were the words used by actress and former Desperate Housewives star Felicity Huffman to describe her decision to try and bribe and cheat her daughter’s way into college. She’s going to spend 14 days behind bars as a result of that stupidity. 

New York’s attorney general contends in court papers filed Friday that the family that owns OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma used Swiss and other hidden accounts to transfer $1 billion to themselves. Also, students at Liberty University in Virginia protest in the wake of news reports containing allegations that the Christian school’s president, Jerry Falwell Jr. “presides over a culture of self-dealing” and improperly benefited from the institution. Read all about it below. 

– Fraser Dixon

Felicity Huffman Gets Jail Time in College Admissions Scandal

(The Daily Beast) – When Felicity Huffman finally received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2012, she and husband William H. Macy were bookended by their grinning blonde daughters, Sophia and Georgia.

Seven years later Huffman’s star came crashing down when she was caught trying to cheat Sophia’s way into college as part of the nation’s largest ever higher education bribery scheme, dubbed “Operation Varsity Blues” by the FBI. The resulting scandal froze Huffman’s award-winning career and left her relationship with her teenage daughters in tatters.

Learn more from the Daily Beast here

Court Docs: Purdue Pharma’s Sackler Family Used Hidden Accounts to Transfer $1B

(Fox News) – “While the Sacklers continue to lowball victims and skirt a responsible settlement, we refuse to allow the family to misuse the courts in an effort to shield their financial misconduct. The limited number of documents provided to us so far underscore the necessity for compliance with every subpoena,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James in a statement.

Read more from Fox News

Liberty University Students Protest in Wake of Reports about Jerry Falwell, Jr.

(AP)– Students at Liberty University in Virginia gathered Friday to protest in the wake of news reports containing allegations that school president Jerry Falwell Jr. improperly benefited from the institution and disparaged students in emails.

“I couldn’t stay silent anymore,” the 20-year-old said. “I would like to see President Falwell address this himself and for there to be an investigation into the allegations to see whether or not they’re true.”

At least one student held a sign that read: “I TRUST JERRY.”

Find out more from the Associated Press