Vitter aide resigns amid report of legal charges

WASHINGTON — Louisiana Sen. David Vitter accepted the resignation of a longtime aide Wednesday after a news report disclosed repeated brushes with the law dating to the 1990s, the Republican's office said Wednesday.

1. Other political news of note
   1. Holder says drone strikes since 2009 have killed four U.S. citizens

      On the eve of a major address by President Barack Obama on his counterterrorism policy, the Obama administration revealed Wednesday that drone strikes since 2009 had killed four Americans overseas – one of whom, Anwar al-Aulaqi, was targeted in Yemen because he’d planned and was planning terrorist attacks on the United States – principally the plot to blow up an airliner over Detroit on Christmas Eve 2009.

   2. Reid appears to back away from 'nuclear option' on filibusters
   3. Lawmakers grill officials for inaction on IRS, Lerner denies wrongdoing
   4. Republicans target Democrats in conservative districts
   5. Public relations gone bad for White House on IRS

ABC News reported that the aide, Brent Furer, pleaded guilty in 2008 to charges stemming from a knife-wielding altercation with an ex-girlfriend and still is wanted on an open warrant in Baton Rouge stemming from an unresolved misdemeanor DWI charge.

The report said Furer eventually pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor charges, including threatening harm and destruction of property, in connection with the altercation with his ex-girlfriend.

Vitter spokesman Joel DiGrado said Vitter's office was aware of that incident two years ago, and that the aide left the office for several months during that time as the court adjudicated the case, ordering a fine and community service.

But Digrado said Vitter was unaware of any other legal issues until the ABC News report.

"Senator Vitter accepted the employee's resignation today after learning of the other incidents," said DiGrado.

Vitter, a 49-year-old first-term Republican, is up for re-election in November. Vitter has apologized for a "very serious sin in my past" after it was disclosed that his phone number was among those called several years ago by a Washington-area escort service that prosecutors have said was a front for prostitution.