Why you gotta lie, Diddy?

 Score one for all the haters. If you were disgusted by Sean “Diddy” Combs complaining on video that he couldn’t afford to keep using his private jet because of gas prices, fret no more: Diddy lied. Federal Aviation Administration records show no aircraft registered to the Didster, Bad Boy Records or any of his other companies. The Palm Beach Post reports that, instead, Combs’ reps admit that he’s just one of thousands of wealthy travelers who use the services of NetJet, a company that sells air-travel hours. So when you see “your boy” Diddy making the supreme sacrifice he announced by sitting in commercial first-class, be sure to point and laugh at him – as you make your way to the coach section.

Cigarette legislation clears the house.

Legislation that gives the U.S. Food and Drug Administration broad authority to regulate cigarettes and other forms of tobacco cleared the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday. The White House issued a statement voicing “serious concerns” about the bill and said advisers would recommend a presidential veto. Backers, including public health groups and many Democrats, said the measure would help curtail youth smoking, prevent heart disease and reduce rising health-care costs. “With this legislation, we will place sharp and sorely needed limits on access to tobacco products and on tobacco advertising and marketing,” said Rep. John Dingell, a Michigan Democrat who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The White House, however, said the legislation would “put an enormous burden on the FDA” that could detract from other public health responsibilities. Requiring the FDA to oversee tobacco products also “could be perceived by the public as an endorsement that these products are safe, resulting in more people smoking,” the White House said. The bill, which cleared the House in a 326-102 vote, would authorize the FDA to police cigarette labeling and recall tobacco products seen as unreasonably harmful. The FDA also would have to approve all new cigarettes and other tobacco products, and set standards for so-called reduced-risk products. The agency would not be empowered to ban cigarettes or require nicotine levels of zero.

The civil rights leader says he’s “grateful to God” that it’s over

The feds are finally giving the Rev. Al some slack. Last year, federal prosecutors announced that they had issued subpoenas to at least 10 of the Rev. Al Sharpton’s associates, demanding all records related to the civil rights leader’s personal finances, business dealings and transactions associated with his organization, the National Action Network. Sharpton has admitted being behind on his taxes, and, between the IRS, the state of New York and the city, he owes somewhere in the neighborhood of $1 million. He has also failed to file taxes for several consecutive years or to obtain workers’ compensation insurance for employees with the network. “We learn from every experience to be more cautious, more accountable,” Sharpton told The Associated Press. While the Harlem-based minister does not collect a salary from the National Action Network, he earns “several hundreds thousand dollars a year in personal income from his nationally syndicated radio show, book royalties and speaking fees,” according to AP. “I’m just grateful to God and my family, and all of our supporters” that the feds have dropped the criminal case, he said.

First Black judge on Louisiana high court dies

Justice Revius O. Ortique, a seminal civil rights figure and the first African American elected to the Louisiana Supreme Court, died Sunday following a stroke a week earlier. He was 84 years old. The New Orleans native and World War II veteran earned his bachelor’s degree from Dillard University, a master’s from the University of Indiana and his law degree from Southern University in 1956, according to HistoryMakers.com. Ortique began his own private law practice in 1956, working on any type of case but focusing primarily on estate cases. His practice became one of the largest estate practices in the State of Louisiana. As the President of the Community Relations Council, Ortique served as “chief negotiator” for the peaceful desegregation of lunch counters, hotels and other public facilities in New Orleans. Between 1965 and 1967, Ortique served as the president of the National Bar Association. In 1970, after the National Guard shot to death four students and wounded four others who were protesting the war in Southeast Asia, then-President Richard Nixon appointed Ortique to the President’s Commission on Campus Unrest. Four years later, Nixon named Ortique to the newly created Legal Services Corporation, designed to guarantee equal access to the criminal justice system by providing legal assistance to poor defendants. In 1992, Ortique was elected to the Louisiana Supreme Court; he retired two years later. He was named an alternate to the United Nations General Assembly by President Clinton in 1999, HistoryMakers.com says.

Program aims to give minorities money help
The Federal Reserve System is hoping that a new project will give minority-owned banks a much-needed leg up in providing access to credit and financial services, particularly in poor communities. The Partnership for Progress program will give innovative outreach and technical assistance at minority institutions. “The program’s overarching mission is to preserve and promote minority-owned institutions and to enhance their vital role in providing access to credit and financial services in communities that have been historically underserved,” said Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben S. Bernanke. “The Federal Reserve is committed to helping minority-owned and de novo banks achieve long-term success.” The Partnership for Progress provides insight on key issues in three distinct stages of a bank’s life cycle: “Start a Bank,” “Manage Transition,” and “Grow Shareholder Value.” Topics covered include credit and interest-rate risk, capital and liquidity, and banking regulations. To ensure broad access to the program, all aspects of the training will be available through workshops, online courses, and the program’s interactive Web site. “This cutting-edge program, which draws on insights from economics, accounting, finance, and regulatory compliance, will become a valuable resource for institutions at different stages of their development,” said Federal Reserve Board Governor Randall S. Kroszner.