Page 7 - ARUBA TODAY

A7
U.S. NEWS Monday 26 august 2019

Ex-congressman Gary Ackerman accused of

violating a teenager

NEW YORK (AP) — Former The Boy Scouts should have
U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman been aware that Acker-
is being called a sexual man was a "known preda-
"predator" in a lawsuit ac- tor" with the potential to
cusing the New York Demo- harm kids, according to
crat of violating a teenager court papers cited by the
at a Boy Scout camp five newspaper. The Boy Scouts
decades ago. told the Post they had no
The New York Post re- record of any allegations
ported Saturday that the against him.
now 76-year-old Acker- Attorney Oscar Michelen
man allegedly abused the told the Post that the mar-
17-year-old while he was a ried father of three denies
director at the Ten Mile Riv- any wrongdoing, and to
er Camp near upstate Nar- call him a "predator" is tan-
rowsburg, west of Pough- tamount to slander. In this Tuesday, June 28, 2011, file photo, then-U.S. Rep. Gary
keepsie, according to pa- Michelen did not respond Ackerman, D-N.Y., visits a protest in Jerusalem.
pers filed in state Supreme Saturday to a message Associated Press
Court. from The Associated Press
In the lawsuit, the teen said requesting comment. Nor ed Child Victims Act gave is not named — hears Ack-
Ackerman — then 23 — did Jordan Merson, the at- his now 70-year-old client erman's name, "he goes im-
drove him to a back road torney for the alleged vic- the chance to come for- mediately into PTSD symp-
where he tried to fondle tim who told the Post that ward. toms, and anxiety," Merson
him before forcing oral sex. New York's recently enact- Whenever his client — who told the Post.q

This Oct. 17, 2018 file photo shows damage to the Hudson River
rail tunnel in New York.
Associated Press
New plan cuts more than

$1B off New York rail

tunnel cost

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — New ing century-old tunnel that
York and New Jersey sub- was damaged in 2012's
mitted a new plan for a Superstorm Sandy, and is
rail tunnel project under a source of frequent de-
the Hudson River that cuts lays due to crumbling infra-
nearly $1.5 billion off the structure, would cost about
previous cost estimate, as $1.8 billion, or about $200
officials seek to break a million more than previous
funding impasse with the estimates. Department offi-
federal government that cials have said the low rat-
has stalled progress in re- ings are justified because of
cent years. the total cost of the request
The plan announced Fri- — which dwarfs any other
day envisions design and project around the country
construction savings that — and because the states
would reduce the new tun- plan to fund their share of
nel's estimated cost from the project, between $5
just over $11 billion to $9.5 billion and $6 billion, with
billion. Repairing the exist- federal loans. q