John Boehner, the House speaker, ruled out ever running for president, during his first appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, explaining, “Listen, I like to play golf. I like to cut my own grass. You know, I do drink red wine. I smoke cigarettes. And I’m not giving that up to be the president of the United States.”
Scott Thorson, 54, a former lover of Liberace who was the subject of Behind the Candelabra, an HBO film on the pianist’s life, was sentenced to eight to 20 years in a Nevada prison for failing another court-ordered drug test while on probation for burglary and identity-theft convictions.
Philip Chism, a 15-year old Massachusetts boy accused of raping and killing his math teacher, Colleen Ritzer, last year, was indicted on a second aggravated-rape charge.
Joseph Gillies, 18, who is accused of shooting a woman and man with a blowgun in two separate attacks in Washington state, made his first court appearance on assault charges and told KREM-TV he’s sorry for the dart attacks, but offered no explanation other than saying, “I’m a moron.”
Andrew Stiern, 27, whom police in Colorado Springs, Colo., had sought on three active felony warrants, attempted to escape through the roof of a dental office while being chased by officers but fell through the ceiling and took refuge in a bathroom before negotiating with police and surrendering.
Mayor Bill de Blasio
of New York gave a speech at a gala of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee in midtown Manhattan, assuring its members that “part of my job description is to be a defender of Israel.”
Lisa Davis, an Oklahoma County judge, ruled that Oklahoma’s law that makes it harder for women to obtain the morning-after pill is unconstitutional and prohibited its enforcement.
Rick Perry, the Republican governor of Texas, defended Colorado and Washington’s legalization of marijuana during the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, saying it was an issue of states’ rights, while touting initiatives in Texas as national models for not incarcerating people for minor drug offenses.
Alexei K. Pushkov, a Russian lawmaker, said at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland that his country plans to extend its offer of asylum to former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden beyond August.
Front Section, Pages 1 on 01/25/2014