TRUMP WANTS TO HELP SAVE NORTH KOREAN CITIZENS FROM KIM'S BRUTAL REGIME.
WILL CONGRESS STEP UP AND HELP NORTH KOREA'S SUFFERING PEOPLE??
Sources: The Guardian
***** Donald Trump declares ‘patience is over’ with North Korea
President Donald Trump declared that the US had run out of patience with North Korea over its nuclear drive as he welcomed South Korea’s new leader Moon Jae-In to talks at the White House.
While Moon has been arguing for greater engagement with Pyongyang as the best way to put the brakes on its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, Trump made clear that he was in no mood to pursue diplomacy with a regime he accused of having no respect for human life.
And while Moon announced that Trump had accepted an offer to visit Seoul later this year, the leaders failed to map out any kind of joint strategy on how best to deal with the threat posed by the North Korean leadership.
“Together, we are facing the threat of the reckless and brutal regime in North Korea. The nuclear and ballistic missile programs of that regime require a determined response,” said Trump.
“The North Korean dictatorship has no regard for the safety and security of its people, for its neighbors and has no respect for human life.”
The Trump administration has been growing increasingly exasperated with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un’s regime which has staged a barrage of missile tests in recent months.
There was also deep anger in the United States after Otto Warmbier, an American student who was detained in North Korea on a tourist trip around 18 months ago, was returned home in a coma earlier this month. He died several days later.
Trump had been pinning his hopes on China – North Korea’s main diplomatic ally – to bring pressure to bear on Pyongyang but declared their efforts had failed.
“The era of strategic patience with the North Korean regime has failed, many years it has failed. Frankly, that patience is over,” Trump said at a press briefing in the Rose Garden.
And while he avoided criticising his guest’s approach, Trump made clear he was in no mood to enter dialogue with North Korea but rather saw sanctions as the best way to proceed.
“The United States calls on other regional powers and all responsible nations to join us in implementing sanctions and demanding that the North Korean regime choose a better path and do it quickly and a different future for its long suffering people,” he said.
Washington, South Korea’s security guarantor, has more than 28,000 troops in the country to defend it from its communist neighbor, which has been intensifying missile tests – including five since Moon’s inauguration.
Moon said there was no dispute between his government and Trump over the nature of the threat posed by North Korea.
“The gravest challenge confronting our two nations is the nuclear and missile threat posed by North Korea,” he said. “President Trump and I decided to place a top priority on addressing this issue, and coordinate closely on relevant policies.
“To this end, we will employ both sanctions and dialogue in a phased and comprehensive approach... to seek a fundamental resolution of the North Korean nuclear problem.”
Moon has used his first foreign trip to lobby the Trump administration and congressional leaders to back his policy of engagement with the North.
Before his arrival, Moon argued that Seoul and Washington must offer concessions to Pyongyang if it complies with demands for a nuclear freeze – as a gateway to dialogue, and to eventual dismantlement of its nuclear program.
But the Trump administration’s hardening stance was illustrated on Thursday when it placed sanctions on a Chinese bank linked to North Korea – drawing an angry response from Beijing.
The two leaders also spoke about bilateral trade, with Trump saying the current $17 billion dollar trade deficit with Seoul was unacceptable, highlighting the number of Korean-made cars on American roads.
“I’m encouraged by President Moon’s assurances that he will work to create a level playing field so that American workers and businesses and especially automakers can have a fair shake at dealing with South Korea,” he said.
CNN INTENSIFIES ATTACKS AGAINST TRUMP AS DIRECTED BY OBAMA & SOROS TO UNDERMINE HIM.
TRUMP STRIKES BACK; WARNS WH LEAKERS; DEFEATS ELIZABETH WARREN IN 2020 POLLS.
Sources: Fox News, Boston.com, CNN
******* Trump blasts ‘out of control’ media, defends agenda at heated press conference
President Trump’s feud with the media turned into an all-out war Thursday afternoon.
His early presidency beset by damaging leaks and a burst of staff turmoil, Trump used a hastily called press conference to blast the media’s coverage of his administration in his strongest terms yet. He claimed the press is “out of control,” reports on his team’s ties to Russia are “fake,” and news outlets are attacking him because they oppose his agenda.
"The media’s trying to attack our administration because they know we are following through on the pledges that we made, and they’re not happy about it," Trump declared at the White House.
The president spoke and took questions for more than an hour and 15 minutes, even joking with some reporters toward the end and saying he was having fun. In a bid to preempt negative coverage of his remarks, Trump insisted he was not "ranting and raving." But he lamented that the "tone" of coverage of his administration is one of "such hatred."
"The public doesn't believe you people anymore," he said.
Trump, who is dealing with the roughest stretch of his nascent presidency so far, unleashed the battery of accusations after first announcing his newest pick for labor secretary. After his original nominee withdrew, Trump nominated law school dean and former federal prosecutor Alexander Acosta for the post Thursday.
has had a tremendous career," Trump said, noting he's been through Senate confirmation three times for past positions.
But Trump pivoted to tout his administration's record so far and to blast the media for allegedly underplaying progress made.
"The press honestly is out of control," Trump said, vowing to take his message "straight to the people."
Amid a court fight over his controversial immigration executive order, which he maintained is “lawful,” Trump said he would announce a "new and very comprehensive order to protect our people."
He also staunchly defended his administration’s work on everything from the economy to energy to security. "This administration is running like a fine-tuned machine,” he said.
The press conference was held days after Michael Flynn resigned as national security adviser over a controversy regarding his past contacts with Russia’s ambassador. Those contacts emerged in news reports. Fast food chain CEO Andrew Puzder also withdrew from consideration for labor secretary on Wednesday amid deepening scrutiny of his personal and professional past.
Trump on Thursday personally denied having any contact or connections with Russia, saying: "I have nothing to do with Russia. I have no deals there. I don't know anything."
While acknowledging he sought Flynn’s resignation, he also said Flynn was just doing his job by contacting Russia. He said Flynn was asked to resign because he was dishonest about the details of the call with Vice President Mike Pence.
And he dismissed recent reports that campaign aides had been in contact with Russian officials before his election. Trump called the reports a "ruse" and said he had "nothing to do with Russia." Trump added, "Russia is fake news. This is fake news put out by the media."
In a free-wheeling event that, before Trump, would have been unprecedented in a modern presidential news conference, the president by turns teased and lambasted members of the press corps.
Toward the end of the press conference, Trump summed up his complaints by suggesting he was being blamed for problems that have existed for years: “I didn’t come along and divide this country. This country was seriously divided before I got here.”
He also blasted Senate Democrats for holding up his Cabinet nominees.
His latest pick for Labor Department might have an easier time. If confirmed, Acosta would be Trump’s first Latino Cabinet member. According to top GOP sources, Republican Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and other Hispanic leaders are enthused about the pick.
Acosta currently is dean of Florida International University College of Law. He previously served as the first Hispanic assistant attorney general and as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida, as well as on the National Labor Relations Board.
In the wake of the Flynn reports and other damaging stories, Trump also has vowed to root out those leaking sensitive information.
“We’re going to find the leakers. ... They’re going to pay a big price for leaking,” Trump said at a meeting ahead of the press conference.
NETANYAHU PLEASED WITH TRUMP'S DECISION TO DITCH PALESTINIAN STATE DEAL:
ISRAEL & AMERICA ARE FRIENDS ONCE AGAIN.
Sources: ABC News, NY Times, YouTube
******* Trump, Meeting With Netanyahu, Backs Away From Palestinian State
President Trump jettisoned two decades of diplomatic orthodoxy on Wednesday by declaring that the United States would no longer insist on the creation of a Palestinian state as part of a peace accord between Israel and the Palestinians.
Hosting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel for the first time since becoming president, Mr. Trump promised a concerted effort to bring the two sides together, suggesting a regional effort involving an array of Arab nations. But he said that he was flexible about how an agreement would look and that he would not be bound by past assumptions.
“I’m looking at two-state and one-state” formulations, Mr. Trump said during a White House news conference with Mr. Netanyahu. “I like the one that both parties like. I’m very happy with the one that both parties like. I can live with either one.”
At the same time, Mr. Trump urged Mr. Netanyahu to temporarily stop new housing construction in the West Bank while he pursues a deal, echoing a position past presidents have taken. “I’d like to see you hold back on settlements for a little bit,” he told Mr. Netanyahu.
Mr. Trump’s position on a two-state solution discarded a policy that has underpinned America’s role in Middle East peacemaking since the Clinton administration and raised a host of thorny questions.
Palestinians are highly unlikely to accept anything short of a sovereign state, and a single Israeli state encompassing the Palestinians would either leave them as second-class citizens or would no longer be majority Jewish, given the growth rate of the Arab population.
Still, long before Mr. Trump’s ascension, momentum for side-by-side states had faded not just in Washington but also in the Middle East, where many Israelis and Palestinians have given up hope or changed their minds about the concept. The leaders of both sides face domestic difficulties and seem unenthusiastic about the compromises that might be required to get to a mutually agreeable resolution.
The trick is that no one has offered a plausible alternative that would satisfy both camps, leaving the conflict in a state of suspended animation. Mr. Netanyahu is under pressure from his right-leaning coalition to abandon the two-state solution and even annex parts of the West Bank. And the Palestinian Authority faces pressure from Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza and is sworn to Israel’s destruction.
Mr. Trump did not address these dynamics, instead emphasizing his confidence that he could produce a breakthrough. “I think we’re going to make a deal,” he said, describing that as personally important to him. “It might be a bigger and better deal than people in this room even understand.”
He emphasized that Israel would have to be flexible in any future talks. “As with any successful negotiation, both sides will have to make compromises,” Mr. Trump said.
Turning to Mr. Netanyahu, he asked, “You know that, right?”
Mr. Netanyahu responded with a smile. “Both sides,” he said, emphasizing the first word.
Nonetheless, Mr. Netanyahu, who nominally supports a two-state solution, quickly embraced Mr. Trump’s declaration, saying he preferred to deal with the “substance” of a deal rather than “labels.”
He noted that the concept of a two-state solution meant different things to different people. And he repeated his two prerequisites: that the Palestinians recognize Israel as a Jewish state and that Israel maintain security control over the entire West Bank. He said the obstacle to peace was Palestinian hatred, demonstrated by the building of statues to those who carry out terrorist attacks and the payment of salaries to their families. “This is the source of the conflict,” he said.
Mr. Trump’s dismissal of the two-state solution seemed reminiscent of his remark during the transition that the United States should not be bound by the decades-old “one China” policy that recognizes a single Chinese government in Beijing and withholds diplomatic ties from Taiwan. That statement infuriated the Chinese leadership, and Mr. Trump eventually circled back to endorse the policy.
If Mr. Trump is serious about pursuing peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians, several analysts said, he may inevitably find his way back to the two-state solution.
“If you do a systematic analysis of the situation, there is no other option,” said Daniel C. Kurtzer, a former United States ambassador to Israel and Egypt. “There are Israelis who believe they could get away with giving the Palestinians minimal political rights, but they are fooling themselves. Unless the Palestinians do a 180, it is just inconceivable.”
Palestinian leaders lamented Mr. Trump’s stance, seeing it as an abandonment by the United States, which has been the main patron of the Palestinian Authority. But Ghaith al-Omari, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said Palestinians could draw comfort from Mr. Trump’s eagerness for a new peace push and his warning to Israel on settlements.
Palestinians are highly unlikely to accept anything short of a sovereign state, and a single Israeli state encompassing the Palestinians would either leave them as second-class citizens or would no longer be majority Jewish, given the growth rate of the Arab population.
Still, long before Mr. Trump’s ascension, momentum for side-by-side states had faded not just in Washington but also in the Middle East, where many Israelis and Palestinians have given up hope or changed their minds about the concept. The leaders of both sides face domestic difficulties and seem unenthusiastic about the compromises that might be required to get to a mutually agreeable resolution.
The trick is that no one has offered a plausible alternative that would satisfy both camps, leaving the conflict in a state of suspended animation. Mr. Netanyahu is under pressure from his right-leaning coalition to abandon the two-state solution and even annex parts of the West Bank. And the Palestinian Authority faces pressure from Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza and is sworn to Israel’s destruction.
Mr. Trump did not address these dynamics, instead emphasizing his confidence that he could produce a breakthrough. “I think we’re going to make a deal,” he said, describing that as personally important to him. “It might be a bigger and better deal than people in this room even understand.”
He emphasized that Israel would have to be flexible in any future talks. “As with any successful negotiation, both sides will have to make compromises,” Mr. Trump said.
Turning to Mr. Netanyahu, he asked, “You know that, right?”
Mr. Netanyahu responded with a smile. “Both sides,” he said, emphasizing the first word.
Nonetheless, Mr. Netanyahu, who nominally supports a two-state solution, quickly embraced Mr. Trump’s declaration, saying he preferred to deal with the “substance” of a deal rather than “labels.”
He noted that the concept of a two-state solution meant different things to different people. And he repeated his two prerequisites: that the Palestinians recognize Israel as a Jewish state and that Israel maintain security control over the entire West Bank. He said the obstacle to peace was Palestinian hatred, demonstrated by the building of statues to those who carry out terrorist attacks and the payment of salaries to their families. “This is the source of the conflict,” he said.
Mr. Trump’s dismissal of the two-state solution seemed reminiscent of his remark during the transition that the United States should not be bound by the decades-old “one China” policy that recognizes a single Chinese government in Beijing and withholds diplomatic ties from Taiwan. That statement infuriated the Chinese leadership, and Mr. Trump eventually circled back to endorse the policy.
If Mr. Trump is serious about pursuing peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians, several analysts said, he may inevitably find his way back to the two-state solution.
“If you do a systematic analysis of the situation, there is no other option,” said Daniel C. Kurtzer, a former United States ambassador to Israel and Egypt. “There are Israelis who believe they could get away with giving the Palestinians minimal political rights, but they are fooling themselves. Unless the Palestinians do a 180, it is just inconceivable.”
Palestinian leaders lamented Mr. Trump’s stance, seeing it as an abandonment by the United States, which has been the main patron of the Palestinian Authority. But Ghaith al-Omari, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said Palestinians could draw comfort from Mr. Trump’s eagerness for a new peace push and his warning to Israel on settlements.
“They will see an opening in, how do you translate the president’s desire for peace into something concrete?” Mr. Omari said.
Mr. Trump and Jared Kushner, his son-in-law and senior adviser, have been exploring an approachcalled the “outside-in” strategy, which involves enlisting Arab nations that have already found common cause with Israel against Iran, their mutual enemy, to help broker a settlement with the Palestinians.
Until now, Mr. Trump’s team has largely avoided conversations with Palestinian leaders. But Mike Pompeo, the C.I.A. director, met with Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Authority president, in Ramallah in the West Bank on Tuesday, according to news reports.
The idea of an independent Palestinian state comprising the West Bank and Gaza became the central theme of Middle East peacemaking in the 1990s after the Oslo Accords were signed. Bill Clinton was the first president to endorse a two-state solution, saying in a speech in January 2001, just two weeks before leaving office, that the conflict would never be settled without “a sovereign, viable Palestinian state.”
His successor, George W. Bush, picked that up later that year, becoming the first president to make it official American policy. Barack Obama considered a two-state solution the unquestionable bedrock of Washington’s approach. But those presidents never got to the point of an agreement between the two parties, and Mr. Trump picked as his ambassador to Israel a lawyer, David M. Friedman, who opposes the two-state solution.
Mr. Netanyahu looked forward to Mr. Trump’s inauguration as the first time in his four terms as prime minister that he would have a Republican president as a partner. After years of tension with Mr. Obama, who pressed Israel for more concessions for peace, Mr. Netanyahu anticipated vigorous support from the new president.
But Mr. Trump’s focus on the Palestinian conflict and his push for a pause in settlements distracted from the topic Mr. Netanyahu preferred to address, the threat from Iran. At the news conference, Mr. Trump again called Mr. Obama’s nuclear agreement with Iran “one of the worst deals I’ve ever seen,” but said nothing about abandoning it or even renegotiating it. Instead, he simply vowed to keep Iran from becoming a nuclear power. “I will do more to prevent Iran from ever developing — I mean ever — a nuclear weapon,” he said.
Nor did he repeat his campaign vow to move the American Embassy to Jerusalem, saying only, “I’d love to see that happen” and, “We’ll see what happens.”
But he made a show of warmly welcoming Mr. Netanyahu, even inviting the prime minister’s wife, Sara, to stand during the news conference. The Israeli first lady was then treated to a museum tour by Mr. Trump’s wife, Melania.
Still, the president was pressed by an Israeli reporter about a rise in anti-Semitic attacks across the country since his election. The reporter asked what he would say to those “who believe and feel that your administration is playing with xenophobia and maybe racist tones.”
In a meandering response, Mr. Trump cited his victory in the Electoral College, then promised “to do everything within our power to stop long-simmering racism.” He pointed to Mr. Kushner, who is Jewish, and his daughter Ivanka, who converted when she married Mr. Kushner, to dispel suggestions of anti-Semitism.
“As far as Jewish people, so many friends — a daughter who happens to be here right now, a son-in-law and three beautiful grandchildren,” he said, vowing to promote comity. “You’re going to see a lot of love.”
Donald Trump on Tuesday went on a sustained frontal assault against the media during a contentious news conference.
The billionaire had called the news conference to announce an accounting of his at least $5.6 million in fundraising for veterans groups, but spent most of the 40 minutes criticizing and insulting reporters -- collectively and at times individually -- as "dishonest," "not good people," sleazy, and among the worst human beings he has ever met.
And he vowed the White House briefing room would be just as combative as the Trump Tower lobby, where the developer addressed reporters Tuesday, should he ascend to the Oval Office.
"Yeah, it is going to be like this," Trump said when asked if this is how he would behave with the press as president. "You think I'm gonna change? I'm not gonna change."
At one point, Trump fumed: "I'm the only one in the world who can raise almost $6 million for the veterans, have uniform applause by the veterans groups, and end up being criticized by press."
"I think the political press is among the most dishonest people that I have ever met, I have to tell you. I see the stories, and I see the way they're couched," he added.
The news conference did not mark a radical departure from Trump's relationship with the press, which has been strained throughout the brash mogul's year-long campaign -- but Tuesday was a surprise escalation, especially at a time when many supporters want him to start acting more presidential.
Over the last year, Trump has repeatedly called out individual reporters on Twitter and in interviews for everything from what he viewed as insufficient crowd camera shots to biased reporting. And attacking the press is a regular part of the presumptive Republican nominee's stump speech, during which he typically rips reporters as "scum," "slime," "dishonest" and "disgusting" — often prompting jeers from the crowd.
The news conference came four months after Trump claimed to have raised $6 million for veterans groups, but then dodged reporters' questions about which groups had received the donations.
Trump kicked off his litany of media attacks Tuesday by accusing reporters of cynically turning what should have been a positive story about his charitable work into a negative one.
Reporters had for months repeatedly asked Trump to provide an accounting of the donations, requests that were frequently rebuffed or side-stepped by Trump and his campaign staff.
Trump said Tuesday he didn't "want the credit" for his fundraising, "but I shouldn't be lambasted."
Hillary Clinton later told CNN's Jake Tapper on "The Lead" that Trump did not deserve any credit for following through on his promise, arguing that he had only done so because of increased scrutiny of the donations from the media.
"Look, I'm glad he finally did it, but I don't know that he should get much credit," she told Tapper. "It took a reporter to shame him into actually making his contribution."
The subject of the news conference quickly turned away from the veterans donations as Trump accused reporters of writing stories they "know" to be false, and of spinning the truth.
He lashed out at individual reporters, calling ABC's Tom Llamas a "sleaze," referring sarcastically to CNN's Jim Acosta's live reports as a "beauty," and refusing at one point to call on CBS's Major Garrett.
Trump repeatedly blasted the media for the way it has covered his fundraising for vets.
"All of the money has been paid out," Trump said. "The press should be ashamed of themselves, and on behalf of the veterans, the press should be ashamed of themselves."
"There are so many people who are so thankful for what we did," Trump said, adding that the final figure could top $6 million once all the donations are in.
Trump listed the vets groups -- there were more than 40 -- that he said had received money and the amounts given to each. He said there were no administrative costs deducted from the donations.
Trump himself gave $1 million last week to the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation, a charity that helps support the families of fallen Marines and law enforcement officers to which Trump's foundation has previously donated.
Amid reporters' questions over the last few months, Trump and his campaign have repeatedly offered conflicting accounts of how much money was raised. The campaign has insisted it was working on disbursing the funds, but said it was waiting on some donors to make good on their pledges and also needed time to properly vet the charities in the running to receive the funds.
Three veterans groups earlier Tuesday confirmed donations from the Trump Foundation. The Bob Woodruff Foundation and the Boston Wounded Vets Run each got $75,000. The Racing For Heroes Foundation also received what the group's president described as a "large" donation.
Clinton's campaign on Tuesday morning fired off a statement tweaking Trump over his accounting of the donations amid a multi-pronged push to counter Trump's news conference.
And Clinton herself clashed with Trump's description on Tuesday that she had done "nothing" on veterans' behalf, pointing to money she raised for the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund alongside Arizona Sen. John McCain and work done to re-acclimate veterans returning from combat.
She said "of course" she had contributed personally as well. But she didn't provide further details, such as how much she donated and to whom.
6 NJ RESIDENTS SUE STATE.....CHRISTIE.....& PORT AUTHORITY OVER "BRIDGEGATE" BUT THEY WON'T GET ANYTHING DUE TO SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY.
Documents detailing an Investigation of the "BRIDGEGATE" Scandal will be released Friday by members of the NJ General Assembly.
Can you say "2016 Politics"??
#BRIDGEGATE
BREAKING CHRISTIE BEFORE 2016 ARRIVES: DEMOCRATS & THE TEA PARTY
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2016 NOMINATION HILLARY CLINTON & MARTIN O' MALLEY!!
Although I still believe NJ Gov CHRIS CHRISTIE handled himself very well Thursday during his "BRIDGEGATE" Presser, it ain't over yet!
By the time OBAMA'S Election Machine (for HILLARY)........NSA "Big Brother" Surveillance......and CLINTON Loyalists, are through with CHRISTIE I doubt he'll be in any shape to ever seek Public Office again.
That's too bad.
I really wanted to see another Meat & Potatoes Campaign in 2016 between HILLARY & CHRISTIE, just as it was with OBAMA & ROMNEY in 2012.
Unfortunately for CHRISTIE even the TEA PARTY hates him.
People like LINDSEY GRAHAM and his SOUTH CAROLINA RACISM are sitting somewhere laughing hard right about now.
RAND PAUL appears to be a good guy but he's linked to the TEA PARTY.
The TEA PARTY has undeniably RACIST Roots.
I don't care if there are a few BLACKS in the TEA PARTY (David Webb), it's still by and large a RACIST Organization.
So thanks to Stupid RACIST TEA PARTY Supporters, DEMOCRATS are most likely going to WIN again in 2016.
Why??
There is absolutely NO way a TEA PARTY Candidate can Defeat HILLARY CLINTON.
NEVER!!
So when HILLARY'S name is called as the WINNER in Nov 2016, I don't want to hear a peep from the GOP.....RNC.....nor any TEA PARTY Leaders because You had someone who could have went toe-to-toe with HILLARY and You blew it!
2016 WILL BE A WALK IN THE PARK FOR HILLARY.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2016 NOMINATION HILLARY CLINTON & MARTIN O' MALLEY!!
I CAN HARDLY WAIT.
BREAKING CHRISTIE BEFORE 2016 ARRIVES: DEMOCRATS & THE TEA PARTY
Six New Jersey residents have filed a federal lawsuit against Gov. Chris Christie, the state of New Jersey, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and others over traffic jams in September.
The suit filed in federal court Thursday appears to be the first civil claim over traffic that appear to have been caused as political punishment for the Fort Lee mayor.
The plaintiffs want it certified as a class action.
Lawyer Rosemarie Arnold says she filed it after learning this week that lane closures on an approach to the George Washington Bridge were "deliberate actions." She says that her clients were late for work and that one suffered a panic attack.
Christie has denied involvement. His spokesman did not respond to an email seeking comment.
The Assembly committee investigating the George Washing Bridge lane closures unanimously referred the actions of David Wildstein to authorities to be considered for a contempt charge.
Wildstein, the former Port Authority executive at the center of the lane closing controversy, refused to testify saying the Constitution protected him from self incrimination Thursday after a Superior Court judge refused to block the Legislature’s subpoena.
The statement came after Governor Christie gave a lengthy press conference apologizing for the lane closures and the part senior members of his staff played in the closure.
Assemblyman John Wisniewski, head of the transportation committee, asked questions during the hearing with Wildstein, who gave the order to close two of three entrance lanes from Fort Lee to the George Washington Bridge, repeatedly asserting that he is using his right to remain silent.
Wildstein’s statements came at the advice of counsel.
During an earlier news conference on Thursday, Christie disavowed Wildstein as a friend and a close colleague. Numerous media reports have said that Christie and Wildstein are high school friends.
“That conveys and emotional closeness that doesn’t exist,” Christie said.
Christie said that he met Wildstein for the first time in 1977 as a volunteer for Gov. Tom Kean’s campaign. But they did not remain friends.
“I was class president and an athlete in high school,” Christie said. “I don’t know what he was doing.”
Furthermore, he said that he could not remember any instance when he had a personal meeting with Wildstein.
Christie said that he did not want to speak to Wildstein, former Port Authority Executive Director Bill Baroni and others expected to be called to testify at the Assembly hearings because he wanted to avoid accusations of witness tampering.
On Thursday, when Wildstein informed the committee he would not answer their questions, the audience groaned.
After Wildstein asserted his right to remain silent, Wisniewski continued to ask questions about specific emails that landed in the Record yesterday connecting members of Christie’s senior staff to the decision to close lanes leading up to the bridge.
As Wisniewski continued to question Wildstein, two screens displayed their content on each side of the room near the witness table.
This morning, Wildstein’s attonery, Alan Zegas, tried to quash the subpoena in Superior Court and failed.
Superior Court Judge Mary Jacobson ruled Thursday morning the Assembly Transportation committee has the power to compel former Port Authority executive Wildstein to testify.
Wildstein went to court to try to quash a subpoena compelling him to testify before the Assembly’s transportation committee at noon today.
The lawsuit was filed yesterday after emails and text messages linked the decision to close the lanes to Christie’s staff and indicated it was done in retaliation, presumably for Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich’s decision not to endorse the governor for reelection.
The judge said the subpoena powers provided to Middlesex Democrat John Wisniewski’s committee were broad enough to withstand any objections by Wildstein’s lawyer.
The judge said she had the power to rule on one of the three problems cited in Zegas’s lawsuit – the jurisdiction of the subpoena, which was first issued to investigate the Port Authority’s decision to raise tolls.
“[The subpoena] certainly seems to fall within this very broad charge,” said Jacobson.
Zegas afterward said he disagreed with the judge’s ruling but would not comment about whether he would file a further appeal or whether or not Wildstein would appear at noon today.
Zegas said before a determination could be made, he would need to speak with his client.
The appeal began a whirlwind day of hearings, press conferences and media attention to what role Christie played, if any, in the closing of the George Washington Bridge in September.
Zegas questioned the validity of Assemblyman John Wisniewski's signature on the subpoena but Judge Jacobson said she could not rule on that matter.
Governor Christie has fired Bridget Anne Kelly, the deputy chief of staff who ordered the lane closure at the George Washington Bridge in September as political payback to the Fort Lee mayor who did not endorse the governor for re-election.
Christie also instructed his close advisor Bill Stepien to withdraw from pursuing state GOP chairmanship and his consultancy for the Republican Governor’s Association – the powerful group that Christie is leading in 2014.
At a packed news conference in Trenton where he announced the firing, Christie apologized “for my failure to understand the true nature of this problem sooner than I did.”
At a packed news conference in Trenton where he announced the firing, Christie apologized “for my failure to understand the true nature of this problem sooner than I did.”
He also said he had "no knowledge or involvement in this issue, in its planning or execution" and was stunned by the "abject stupidity that was shown." Nevertheless, he said, he was responsible for what happened.
He said it was “completely unacceptable and showed a lack of respect for the appropriate role of government and the people we're are trusted to serve.”
He also said he had "no knowledge or involvement in this issue, in its planning or execution" and was stunned by the "abject stupidity that was shown."
Nevertheless, he said, he was responsible for what happened.
He said it was “completely unacceptable and showed a lack of respect for the appropriate role of government and the people we're are trusted to serve.”
The governor said he has instructed his staff to cooperate with the General Assembly investigation, the Port Authority Inspector General Investigation and any law enforcement investigation.
“I have nothing to hide,” Christie said. “We have nothing to hide. My administration has nothing to hide.”
He said he plans to personally interview his staff to root out if others had knowledge of or were involved in the lane closures. He said that if anything else is discovered he will make it public.
Christie said he was "embarrassed and humiliated" by his staff, one day after emails and text messages revealed his administration may have closed highway lanes to exact political retribution.
He added he was firing Kelly, "because she lied to me."
Christie said he is going to Fort Lee later today to apologize to Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich and borough residents.
The mayor has said he does not want to meet with the governor, but Christie is traveling to Fort Lee anyway.
The Record and other media reported Wednesday that Kelly, one of Christie's deputy chiefs of staff, had sent an email to David Wildstein, a Christie appointee at the Port Authority, saying "It's time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee."
While many believed the closures were retribution against Sokolich, a Democrat who did not join other members of his party in endorsing Christie, Christie said previously that his staff and campaign had no knowledge of what caused the days-long tragic jam in Fort Lee. He said he believed Bill Baroni, who he appointed as deputy executive director of the transportation agency, who said the traffic jams were caused by a traffic study.
Both Wildstein and Baroni have resigned.
Christie said he was “blindsided” by the news.
Christie said he first learned of the issue after he had finished his workout and was called by communications staff that the story had broken on The Record’s website: NorthJersey.com.
“This is not the tone I set over the last four years in this building,” Christie said.
After the documents revealed Christie's staff and campaign had knowledge of the lane closures and Kelly apparently ordered them, the governor cancelled a planned Superstorm Sandy recovery announcement Wednesday. Six hours later Christie released a statement saying he had been "misled" by a staff member and that "people will be held responsive for their actions."
Christie said he knew nothing about the lane closures until they were eventually reopened four days later.
“I first found out about it after it was over,” he said.
He said he isn’t a micro-manager and gives his subordinates — staff and cabinet — discretion to make decisions. Christie said he didn’t know his campaign was even trying to pursue Sokolich’s endorsement. “I didn’t see this as political retribution because I didn’t see him do anything to us,” Christie said of Sokolich.
Christie said has not spoken to Kelly since the e-mail came out and does not know why she ordered the lane closure. He said he spoke to Port Authority Chairman David Samson on Wednesday and was convinced he did not know about the lane closure scheme.
Christie also apologized for a flip remark he made at a previous news conference that he had arranged the traffic cones himself when asked about the closures.
“I would never have made that joke if I knew the facts that came out yesterday,” Christie.
Christie said Stepien, his campaign manager on his last year’s reelection, was asked to leave his organization at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
Kelly was fired at 9 a.m. today, Christie said.
He said Stepien had told him earlier that he had no involvement in the lane closures.
“I lost confidence in his judgment,” Christie said.
A gunman barged into a crowded suburban Denver theater during a sold-out midnight screening of the new Batman movie "The Dark Knight Rises," hurled a gas canister and opened fire, killing 12 and injuring 58.
The number of casualties makes the incident the largest mass shooting in U.S. history.
The suspected gunman was identified as 24-year-old James Holmes, a native of San Diego. Investigators were confident he acted alone and were not looking for any other suspects.
There was no immediate word of any motive.
Holmes is a PhD student who recently withdrew from his neuroscience studies at the University of Colorado. He grew up in San Diego and attended high school there before moving to the Inland Empire, where he graduated from UC Riverside in spring 2010 with a degree in neuroscience. Riverside officials said he had no history of arrest while he lived in the city from 2006 to 2010.
The shooting began around 12:30 a.m. MT Friday at the Century 16 Movie Theaters at the Aurora Town Center, during a midnight showing of "The Dark Knight Rises." It was initially reported that 14 people were killed, but Aurora police revised that figure following further investigation. There were 70 people shot - 10 people were declared dead at the scene, two died at a local hospital and 58 people were injured.
Emergency room doctors at an area hospital confirmed that a 4-month-old was among the victims treated and released. Most of the victims were injured by gunfire but a "handful" during the ensuing chaos, Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates said. One person was hit in an adjacent theater. Eleven patients remained in critical condition Friday night, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper said during a 7 p.m. MT news conference.
Authorities had removed all the bodies from the theater by around 5 p.m. MT, and the coroner's office was expected to notify family members around 8 p.m. MT after the deceased are identified.
According to ABC News, Holmes bought a ticket to the movie and went into the theater as part of the crowd. After the movie started, he left through an emergency exit and propped open the door. That's when he geared up and re-entered the theater, tossed the gas canister and began shooting.
Holmes was dressed all in black and was wearing a ballistic helmet, a gas mask, ballistic gloves, a bullet-resistant tactical vest and leggings, and throat and groin protection. A witness told ABC News that it all happened during a shooting scene in the movie, leading moviegoers to believe it was some sort of stunt for the film.
"It took me a second to realize what was actually going on," said moviegoer Donovan Tate. "And as people were running away, I hit the ground so I wouldn't be hit."
"I see a guy next to me, a gentleman sitting right next to me getting shot, and then that's when I realized that this is not part of the movie, there's a gunman and he's shooting everyone," said witness Chris Ramos.
Holmes then slowly made his way up and down the theater aisles, shooting at random people - only stopping to reload.
"He ended up shooting people behind me and the bullet casings were just on my forehead, they were burning, I just smelled gunshots," witness Jennifer Seeger told "Good Morning America."
"All I could think was if I stand up he's going to shoot because that's what he was doing, and I was just trying to think how I was going to get my kids out of there," Patricia Legarreta said through tears.
Holmes was apprehended within minutes of the shooting at his white Hyundai parked behind the theater. He did not resist arrest.
He was carrying three weapons, including a .223 caliber Smith & Wesson assault rifle equipped with a drum magazine, which can hold upwards of 100 rounds, a Remington 12 gauge shot gun, and a .40 Glock handgun. A fourth handgun was found in the vehicle. ABC news confirmed that they were all purchased legally.
According to police sources, Holmes told arresting officers that he was "The Joker." He also spoke of possible explosives in his home. Investigators rushed to the apartment complex, which was quickly evacuated, as well as four other surrounding buildings. Police say the apartment was booby-trapped and loaded with incendiaries and small improvised explosive devices. The ATF has not yet decided how to proceed without setting off explosions.
"The pictures we have from inside the apartment are pretty disturbing considering how elaborate the apartment is booby trapped," police said outside of the apartment complex today. The "flammable and explosive" materials could have blown up Holmes' apartment building and the ones near it, police said.
The apartment complex is home exclusively to University of Colorado Medical Center students, patients, and staff members, residents told ABC News.
The U.S. Department of Defense said three members of the U.S. Armed Forces were wounded in the shooting and one is unaccounted for. One Navy sailor was injured by shrapnel, treated and released. Another sailor, known to have been at the theater, is currently unaccounted for. The sailors are part of a Navy Cyber Command unit at nearby Buckley Air Force base. Two Air Force airmen were also wounded.
The third installment of the Batman trilogy opened to packed auditoriums around the country at midnight showings and features a villain named Bane who wears a bullet-resistant vest and gas mask. Trailers for the movie show explosions at public events including a football game. Though many moviegoers dressed in costume to attend the opening night screening, police have made no statements about any connection between the gunman's motives and the movie.
The Paris premiere of the movie has been canceled following news of the shooting, and director Christopher Nolan and cast members Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway and Morgan Freeman have also canceled their press interviews.
President Barack Obama addressed the tragedy in remarks in Ft. Myers, Fla. Mr. Obama canceled his Friday campaign event in light of the Colorado shooting and returned to Washington to be briefed.
The president released a statement saying he is "shocked and saddened" by the deadly shooting and urged the nation to "come together as one American family." He said he and first lady Michelle Obama were shocked by the "horrific and tragic" shooting and that his administration will do everything to support the people of Aurora, Colo.
The FBI said there is no indication that the shooting has any connection to terrorism.
A San Diego woman identifying herself as Holmes' mother spoke briefly with ABC News. She had not been contacted by authorities, but when she first heard the news, she immediately expressed concern that her son may have been involved.
"You have the right person," she said, speaking on gut instinct. "I need to call the police. I need to fly out to Colorado."
A neighbor who attended high school with Holmes described him as very smart but didn't really stand out otherwise. Holmes' father Robert was seen leaving his home in the Rancho Penasquitos neighborhood in San Diego with bags packed. Reporters caught up with him at the airport, but he did not have any comment about the incident.
Holmes' family members issued a statement Friday saying their "hearts go out to those who were involved in this tragedy and to the families and friends of those involved" and that they are cooperating with authorities in San Diego and Aurora.
Aurora is located about 10 miles from downtown Denver.
The 24-year-old accused of shooting 71 people early Friday morning was a former honor student and recent graduate school dropout who apparently booby trapped his apartment and left the stereo blaring non-stop techno music before he headed to the local movie theater where police say he killed 12 people.
James Eagan Holmes of 1690 Paris Street surrendered to police in the parking lot outside the theater "without any significant incident," Aurora police Chief Dan Oates said.
Oates said Holmes made a statement to officers about possible explosives in his home. That prompted police to evacuate five buildings nearby and begin searching his third-floor apartment using a police robot and camera attached to a long pole.
Inside, officers found trip wires attached to 1-liter plastic bottles that contain an unknown substance.
Police Chief Dan Oates said the explosive devices were "pretty sophisticated." "We could be here for days," he said at midday.
Holmes grew up in San Diego and graduated from Westview High School there in 2006. In 2010, he earned a degree in neuroscience from the University of California Riverside, a spokeswoman for the university said.
Chancellor Timothy White said Holmes distinguished himself academically, graduating with highest honors, but that he did not walk at his commencement ceremony. "Academically, he was the top of the top," White said.
The Mai family has lived next door to the Holmes family for abut 15 years on a middle-class street in suburban San Diego.
Christine Mai, 17, said she never saw James Holmes act violent or inappropriately.
She never knew him or his family to have weapons or any conflicts.
He grew up with a younger sister who plays guitar and attends San Diego State University.
Christine Mai said Holmes' father went to Colorado to be with his son and his mother was holed up inside her home and didn't want to have any visitors.
Dozens of reporters were camped outside the house.
The Holmes had Christmas parties in their front yard and often exchanged gifts with the Mai family, she said. Last year, they shared hot apple cider in the front yard with other neighbors.
"He seemed like a nice guy," she said. "His mother used to tell us he was a good son."
Holmes left home to attend UCR, but returned home after graduation and had a hard time finding work. He took a part-time job at a nearby McDonald's to pay for school, she said.
"He didn't have a job,"she said. "I felt bad for him because he studied so hard. My brother said he looked kind of down, he seemed depressed."
Christine Mai and her father, Tom said they never saw Holmes socializing
with friends, partying at his house or with any girlfriends.
"James was nice and quiet," Tom Mai said. "He was studious, he cut the grass, and cleaned the car. He was very bright."
Julie Adams said her son played soccer with Holmes at Westview High. Holmes played his freshman and sophomore year, she said.
While most of the other kids — her son Taylor included — played league soccer and continues the sport throughout high school, Holmes wasn't as involved, she said.
"I could tell you a lot about every single kid on that team except for him," Adams said. "He was more aloof."
She was shocked to discover this morning that the helicopters were circling her San Diego neighborhood because Holmes' alleged rampage.
"Taylor remembers playing soccer with him. He said he was quiet, reserved and a respectful kid," Adams said.
According to her son's yearbook, Holmes also ran cross country as a freshman but did not continue the sport.
Holmes enrolled in the graduate program in neurosciences at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora in June 2011 but was in the process of withdrawing, university spokeswoman Jacque Montgomery said Friday.
In an e-mail message to members of the campus community, Doug Abraham, Chief of Police for the university, said Holmes left the school in June and his access to campus buildings was terminated while his withdrawal was being processed. He said officials do not believe
Holmes had been on campus since then, but authorities evacuated non-essential personnel from the research buildings as a precautionary measure while they wait for bomb-sniffing dogs to do a search of the buildings "to add another level of assurance."
In an apartment rental application he submitted for a different apartment early last year, Holmes described himself as a "quiet and easy-going" student. Other tenants in his building — which is reserved for students, faculty and staff of the medical campus — described him as a recluse.
A pharmacy student who also lives in the building told The Post he called 911 around 12:30 a.m. because there was a song blaring from the stereo inside apartment 10, where Holmes lived.
The student, who wanted to be identified only as Ben, said he couldn't make out the song but that it seemed to be playing on repeat.
Kaitlyn Fonzi, a 20-year-old biology student at University of Colorado Denver, lives in an apartment below Holmes.
Around midnight, Fonzi said she heard techno music blasting from Holmes apartment.
She went upstairs and knocked on the door. When no one answered, she put her hand on the door knob and realized the door was unlocked.
Fonzi decided not to go inside the apartment.
The music turned off at almost exactly 1 a.m., Fonzi said.
Police received several reports of the shooting at the Century 16 Movie Theaters at the Aurora Town Center around 12:39 a.m. Witnesses told police that a man entered the dark, packed theater and opened fire after throwing two smoke canisters.
Oates said he was dressed in black and wearing a ballistic helmet and vest, ballistic leggings, throat and groin protector and gas mask and black tactical gloves. He was armed with three weapons.
NBC News said law enforcement officials told them the weapons were bought from local stores of two national chains — Gander Mountain Guns and Bass Pro Shop — beginning in May.
His neighbors in Aurora said he kept to himself and wouldn't acknowledge people when they passed in the hall and said hello.
"No one knew him. No one," one man said.
Fonzi said Holmes seemed normal and studious.
The maintenance person at Holmes' last apartment in Riverside remembered Holmes much the same way.
Jose Torres,45, said he didn't remember Holmes having a roommate and said he wasn't social. Torres gasped when he realized Holmes was the accused shooter in Colorado.
"He did not talk too much," Torres said after looking at a photograph of Holmes. "He don't say hi. He was just quiet with no problems."
When told of the booby traps authorities found in Holmes' apartment in Aurora, Torres appeared shocked.
"He didn't destroy this apartment when he left," Torres said. "When he left it was in good condition."
Authorities began searching Holmes' Aurora apartment building around 2 a.m.
A resident of the building who didn't want to give his name said he answered his door to see police with rifles. An officer asked if he had seen a white guy with crazy hair, possibly dyed unnatural colors, the man said.
It was unclear if the officer was referring to Holmes.
Wes Bradshaw and his mother Lavonne watched the search of the third-floor apartment from their apartment, they said. The two watched a police robot enter the building right before they heard a small explosion.
The two, along with the rest of the building's tenants, were ordered to evacuate soon after, they said.
Residents of the area were huddled on street corners waiting for news. Police at the scene told them it could be hours before they are allowed to return to their homes.
About 6:30 a.m., three police officers on a fire truck bucket were looking through the window of the third-floor apartment and taking pictures.
Using a long pole, responders broke into the window from the basket atop a ladder truck.
Aurora Deputy Fire Chief Chris Henderson said authorities could see several "string-like contraptions" inside.
"We're not sure exactly where they connect to," Henderson said.
Jim Yacone, special agent in charge of the Denver FBI, said they were working on "how to disarm the flammable or explosive material."
Neighbors in a fourth-floor apartment one building had a bird's eye view of the suspect's apartment.
They said the curtains are usually closed and they never see any movement inside the apartment.
Even at night, there are no lights or anything in that apartment, said Yesenia Lujan, 24, who has lived in her apartment for seven months.
Using a camera with a zoom lens, Lujan's roommate said he could see into the suspect's kitchen, where a poster of Will Farrell in the movie "Anchorman" was hanging on the wall.
Holmes is scheduled to appear in court in Arapahoe County on Monday morning.
The suspect in a shooting that killed or wounded 71 people early Friday in a suburban Denver movie theater is not talking to investigators, a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation told The Associated Press.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity in discussing the ongoing case. The person also said police found jars of chemicals in James Holmes' booby trapped Aurora apartment with wires nearby. Those who knew the 24-year-old describe him as a shy, intelligent person raised in California by parents who were active in their well-to-do suburban neighborhood.
Holmes, who was studying neuroscience in a Ph.D. program in Colorado, grew up in San Diego, where his parents still live on a quiet, street of two-story homes with red tile roofs. He played soccer at Westview High School and ran cross country before going to college.
Neighbors say the family belonged to a Presbyterian church and hosted a Christmas party for residents. Many families choose the San Diego neighborhood because it is part of the well-regarded Poway Unified School District, one of the best in California. On Friday morning, police escorted the suspect's father, a manager of a software company, from their San Diego home. The mother, a nurse, stayed inside, receiving family visitors who came to offer support. The suspect also has a younger sister.
San Diego police spokeswoman Lt. Andra Brown, spoke to reporters in the driveway of the Holmes' home, on behalf of the family.
"As you can understand, the Holmes family is very upset about all of this," she said. "It's a tragic event and it's taken everyone by surprise. They are definitely trying to work through this."
The family in a written statement said "our hearts go out to those who were involved in this tragedy and to the families and friends of those involved. We ask that the media respect our privacy during this difficult time."
Police in Colorado said Holmes fired into a crowded movie theater in the Denver suburb of Aurora while wearing a gas mask, killing 12 people and wounding 59 others. He was in police custody in Colorado and the FBI said there was no indication the attack was tied to any terrorist groups.
There have been no indications so far that Holmes had any run-ins with the law before Friday. San Diego Superior Court spokeswoman Karen Dalton said there were no records found under his name, not even for a traffic ticket. Riverside County prosecutors also have no criminal record for him, said John Hall, a spokesman for the district attorney's office.
A furniture mover who lives several blocks from the suspect's Aurora apartment building said he shared a beer with him Tuesday at a neighborhood bar where they talked about Denver Bronco Peyton Manning.
Jackie Mitchell said he recognized Holmes' photo on television as the guy he met at the bar. He described him as smart with a "swagger."
"We just talked about football. He had a backpack and geeky classes and seemed like a real intelligent guy and I figured he was one of the college students," he said.
There was no reference made to a planned shooting, Mitchell said.
Anthony Mai, a 16-year-old who grew up next door to Holmes, said Holmes largely kept to himself but his behavior was nothing out of the ordinary.
"He felt a little bit concealed, but it wasn't too much. It was alright" he said. "This is just a feeling in my gut, but I felt like he had something, like he was being picked on or something."
His father, Tom Mai, a retired electrical engineer, said he was a "shy guy" who came from a "very, very nice family."
Rose To said the Holmes family set up chairs in their garage for the Christmas party a few years ago, giving neighbors a chance to mingle.
"They were really nice people, good neighbors," she said.
Mai said the mother told him the suspect couldn't find a job after earning a master's degree from a University of California school and so went back for another degree.
Holmes graduated from University of California, Riverside, in the spring of 2010 with a bachelor of science degree in neuroscience, said university spokesman Sean Nealon. No other details were immediately available about his life on campus, Nealon said.
In 2011, Holmes enrolled in the Ph.D. neuroscience program at the University of Colorado-Denver but was in the process of withdrawing, said spokeswoman Jacque Montgomery. University officials earlier said he was a student at the university's medical school.
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