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Former aide: Christie knew about closures
TRENTON, N.J. – A former loyalist of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie who oversaw lane closings near the George Washington Bridge says there is evidence that contradicts what Christie said about the shutdown during a two-hour news conference three weeks ago.
David Wildstein’s attorney, Alan Zegas, says evidence exists that suggests the governor knew about the closures as they happened in September. Christie has given a series of statements about when he learned of the lane closures but has denied knowing of any political motive until early January.
Wildstein was Christie’s No. 2 man at the agency that runs the bridge. He has since resigned.
Zegas and Christie’s office did not immediately return messages.
Obama says he’s open to legalizing aliens
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama’s new declaration that he’s open to legalizing many immigrants short of citizenship sounds a lot like House Speaker John Boehner and other GOP leaders, an election-year compromise that numerous Republicans as well as Democrats crave.
But the drive for the first overhaul in three decades still faces major resistance from many Republicans who are wary that the divisive issue could derail what they see as a smooth glide path to winning November’s congressional elections. And they deeply distrust the Democratic president to enforce the law.
Just hours after Boehner pitched immigration to the GOP at a Maryland retreat, Obama suddenly indicated he would be open to legal status for many of the 11 million living here illegally, dropping his once-ironclad insistence on a special path to citizenship.
Democrats, including Obama, and other immigration proponents have warned repeatedly about the creation of a two-tier class system.
Ukraine activist claims captors tortured him
KIEV, Ukraine – The bloody images of Ukrainian opposition supporter Dmytro Bulatov, who says he was abducted and tortured for more than a week, have fueled fears among anti-government activists that extrajudicial squads are being deployed to intimidate the protest movement.
Bulatov, who was in charge of a vocal protest group before he disappeared Jan. 22, recounted a gruesome ordeal, saying his unidentified kidnappers beat him, sliced off part of his ear and nailed him to a door during his time in captivity.
The government has faced two months of major protests that started after President Victor Yanukovych backed out of an agreement to deepen ties with the European Union in favor of Russia.
Associated Press
