Lawmaker now facing serious questions. The murder mystery outside new york city. The womans body discovered in a suitcase. Tonight, what weve now learned. The urgent manhunt this evening for the gunman after a wife was killed while setting up for a garage sale. The horrific case of apparent road rage. The driver opening fire on a school bus, hitting the driver twice. A young student onboard. The abc news exclusive tonight in the jayme closs case. She was abducted for 88 days. Tonight, you will hear from the alleged kidnappers father. And his visits to that house while jayme closs was being held captive under a bed. What his son allegedly did to keep her from yelling for help. And tonight, right here, we celebrate a baseball legend, a trail blazer and his remarkable career. Good evening as we come on the air in the west tonight. Its great to have you with us. We have several developing stories, and were going to begin tonight with amazon ceo jeff bezos, in a battle tonight with the National Enquirer. Tonight, bezos has just gone public with what he says was an extortion plot involving compromising photos. Abcs chief Business CorrespondentRebecca Jarvis leading us off. Reporter tonight, a stunning turn in the ongoing battle between jeff bezos and the leaders behind the National Enquirer. It all began when bezos first made the surprise announcement on twitter that he and his wife were divorcing after many years. The National Enquirer later publishing an article alleging bezos was having an affair, sharing personal Text Messages between him and the woman. Bezos hiring an investigator, he says, to determine whether that article was politically motivated. Now, just moments ago, bezos releasing these stunning email exchanges he claims are with representatives from the National Enquirer, alleging theyre trying to blackmail and extort him with nude photos. The owner of the National Enquirer, david pecker, a wellknown friend of president trump, an outspoken critic of the washington post, which bezos owns. Bezos writing tonight, of course i dont want personal photos published, but i also wont participate in their wellknown practice of blackmail. Bezos claims representatives from the enquirer tried to get him to agree to a deal to not publish explicit photos, and in exchange, bezos would release a Public Statement that he, quote, has no knowledge or basis to suggest the reporting was politically motivated. David, we reached out to the National Enquirer will well continue to follow this story tomorrow morning. All right, rebecca, thank you. There is another breaking headline as were on the air here in the west. The arrest of an American Airlines pilot tonight. The flight bound for the u. S. The flight did not take off from the uk. One of the pilots was taken into custody on suspicion of being over the limit for alcohol before flying. Abcs Senior Transportation correspondent david kerley with that story. Reporter british authorities detained the American Airlines flight crew member in manchester before the a330 took off for philadelphia. An aviation source telling abc news, it was one of the three pilots, but it is unclear if it was the captain or one of the first officers who tonight is being investigated for suspicion of performing an aviation function when over the prescribed limit of alcohol. American canceled that flight, rebooking passengers and saying in a statement, safety is our highest priority and we apologize to our customers. The limit for alcohol in pilots is half that for drivers,. 04. This pilot arrested two years ago in detroit. And some like this former jetblue pilot faced federal charges. Did you put 270 passengers at risk . No comment. This is an ongoing issue youve reported on before. David kerley with us again tonight. Were aware of this latest arrest, and has American Airlines taken any action, other than canceling the flight, david . Reporter no, so far, thats all they have done. American says they are cooperating with the british authorities who are investigating this incident. David . David kerley tonight. David, thank you. Next, to the deadly storm on the move at this hour. 50 million americans under Winter Weather advisories. Blizzard conditions, snow, ice and at least five reported tornadoes at this hour. Blizzard warnings and blinding snow in minnesota. Look at this lightning, part of an ice storm in missouri, coating trees, downing branches and power lines there. Cars and this bus under water from flooding in tennessee. Fierce winds derailing train cars in dexter, missouri. 20 states from the dakotas down to tennessee, all the way up to the northeast. This will affect travel coast to coast. Abcs alex perez tonight in the storm zone. Reporter tonight, daring high water rescues across middle tennessee. That powerful winter storm dumping a months worth of rain in just hours. First responders using flashlights to reach this submerged car, pulling two people to safety. Were going to need some hands getting them up the hill. Reporter at least one person swept away and killed elsewhere in the state. All that rain washing away roads. This is whats left of state route 66. In southeast missouri, 50mileanhour wind gusts knocking this train off its tracks. Tornadoes reported in several states. Meanwhile, in the northern plans, blizzard conditions. Up to a foot of snow closing interstates. Visibility so poor in st. Cloud, minnesota, this stormchaser nearly slamming into a tractor trailer. Whoa reporter in the midwest, up to half an inch of ice coating roads, trees and power lines, threatening to knock out power to thousands. In overland park, kansas, a High School Principal taking a tumble out of his truck. He posted the video with a laugh, but the ice, no joke. In illinois, a brief thaw causing major ice jams along a frozen kankakee river. Homeowners like jojo broadwell, who live along the river, bracing for the worst. Its like a bulldozer coming up. Theres nothing stopping this ice. It will destroy anything in its path. Reporter and david, i want to show you why there is so much concern here. You can see, theres a home right here, and if you take a walk with me, just about 20 feet away, theres a growing iceberg slowly creeping into the backyard here. Luckily, officials say, the river is now moving and the water is receding. David . Alex perez tonight. Alex, thank you. And next here, to the political crisis in virginia. In an unbelievable turn, growing yet again tonight. First, it was the governor under pressure to resign for that racist image in his medical school yearbook, then it was the Lieutenant Governor, who would serve next, hes now facing that allegation of sexual assault, followed by the state attorney general, revealing he wore blackface once back in college. All three democrats. And now, tonight, another top lawmaker, a republican, facing questions about his past. Abcs chief National Affairs correspondent tom llamas from richmond, the state capital, again tonight. Reporter tonight in virginia, Governor Ralph Northam has all but vanished. No word from him at all in a nearly a week. An avalanche of headlines telling the tale state of turmoil, political crisis escalates, what next . Lieutenant governor, how are you doing . Tom llamas from abc news. Virginias secondhighest ranking official, Lieutenant Governor justin fairfax, now fending off an allegation of sexual assault. Dr. Vanessa tyson alleging he forced her to perform oral sex in a hotel room at the 2004 Democratic National convention. Fairfax says their encounter was consensual. Do you remember dr. Tyson ever crying . Good to see you, man. Reporter do you remember dr. Tyson ever crying . Good to see you guys. Were heading to session. Reporter now, some national democrats, even those running for president , calling for an investigation. The letter written by the woman reads as a credible account. Reporter the states thirdhighest ranking official, attorney general mark herring, another democrat, also engulfed in scandal after admitting he, too, wore blackface once in the 1980s. And now, a fourth top official coming under fire, as well. This time, a republican. The virginia pilot newspaper reporting that Senate Majority leader thomas norment, was managing editor of the 1968 yearbook of the Virginia Military institute, which featured several students in blackface and contained racial slurs. Senator, do you regret whats in that yearbook . Do you regret whats in the yearbook . Do you regret it . Do you apologize at all . Im here to talk about the budget. Reporter senator norment later saying he was not in any of those photos, and that he advocated for racial integration when he was at vmi. Is there anything we can all learn from whats happened here in virginia over the last few days . Well, i dont know about anything that we all can learn, but i will say that probably in the news media, youre smarter when you look in the rearview mirror. And tom llamas with us again tonight from the state capital in richmond, virginia. And tom, word tonight that the governor, governor northam, has reached out to the Lieutenant Governor . Reporter thats right, david. After days of no communication, the governor and the Lieutenant Governor spoke this morning. We understand that conversation was cordial. Both men wished each other well. And at one point, they both said they were praying for each other. David . Tom llamas again tonight. Thank you, tom. This evening, the manhunt for a killer in texas is under way, after a woman was killed while setting up a garage sale. Surveillance showing the gunman approaching the woman in her driveway, exchanging some words and then firing point blank. Tonight, police are now asking for the publics help, and abcs marcus moore is on the scene. Reporter this terrifying Surveillance Video showing elizabeth barrazas executionstyle murder has investigators outside houston puzzled. Just four minutes after her husband left for work, the 29yearold was murdered while setting up a garage sale in her own driveway. That suspect shooting barraza four times at pointblank range early in the morning on january 25th, then running away on foot before driving off in this darkcolored truck. Police say its unclear whether barraza was targeted. She had only put out signs for that garage sale that morning. And investigators dont even know if the shooter is a man or a woman. Definitely it is possible they were trying to disguise their appearance. Reporter her family making a plea for the public to help find the killer. I had to trade our fifth anniversary for her funeral. Reporter and david, this garage sale in the driveway here was to raise money for an anniversary trip with her husband. Authorities say they have generated new leads overnight, but this case remains a mystery. David . All right, marcus, thank you. President trump tonight is lashing out, as democrats who now control the house have stepped up their oversight. The president calling it, quote, president ial harassment, saying the dems are, quote, going nuts. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi pushing back tonight, calling the scrutiny on the president their constitutional responsibility. And tonight, one target . The president s taxes. Abcs mary bruce up on the hill. Reporter democrats in congress are kicking their investigations of the Trump Presidency into high gear. I think overwhelmingly the public wants to see the president s tax returns. Reporter unlike previous president s, trump has refused to release his returns. Im not releasing the tax returns, because, as you know, theyre under audit. Reporter but now, democrats have the power to go after them. We will ask the question, does the public have a need to know that a person seeking to hold the highest office in our country obeys the tax laws . Reporter with democrats digging in, the president is lashing out, tweeting, unlimited president ial harassment. The dems and their committees are going nuts. Is there any concern that youre in danger of appearing like youre overreaching . Whatever the president says about us, hes projecting his own unruliness. Hes a projector, and thats what its about. Reporter the House Intelligence Committee is launching a sweeping investigation into the president , his family, his finances and possible russia ties. And tonight, a standoff between the House Judiciary Committee and the president s acting attorney general, matthew whitaker. Committee chairman Gerald Nadler had threatened to subpoena whitaker if he doesnt show up at a scheduled hearing tomorrow. Whitaker then refusing to appear unless the congressman drops that threat. All right, so, lets get to mary bruce live, because there are fastmoving parts on this story tonight. Just moments ago, mary, the white house now releasing a statement about the acting attorney general . Reporter yes, and david, the chairman here still isnt ruling out that subpoena, saying it depends on how whitaker answers their questions, if he shows up here tomorrow. But tonight, the white house says the chairman is, quote, playing pointless political games. David . Mary bruce with us, as always. Thank you, mary. Now, to an abc news exclusive tonight, in the case of jayme closs. The father of her accused kidnapper is now breaking his silence. His son, Jake Patterson, is accused of holding closs captive for 88 days after killing her parents. Tonight, his father, who actually visited that home, not knowing closs was there. Heres abcs linsey davis. Reporter Jake Patterson is accused of abducting jayme closs and killing her parents, and now his father is speaking exclusively to abc news. I most definitely want jaymes family, everyone to know that our hearts are broken for their family. Reporter on wednesday, patterson made his first court appearance. And do you understand the charges against you at this time . Yes. Reporter Patrick Patterson is still struggling to make sense of it all. I would like to humbly ask people to pray for a complete healing of jaymes heart, mind and soul. Reporter patterson allegedly targeted the 13yearold after seeing her board a school bus in october, telling police, he knew that was the girl he was going to take. Hes accused of killing jaymes parents in a Home Invasion and holding her captive for 88 days barricaded her under his bed for 12 hours at a time until she escaped. Im very sorry for everything that has happened. Reporter patterson allegedly confessed that there were multiple times when his father would come over and was just feet away from jayme and had no idea, because she was barricaded under the bed with the radio turned up. David . Wow. All right, linsey davis with the exclusive tonight. Linsey, thank you. There is still much more ahead on world news tonight this thursday. Celebrating a baseball legend tonight. A true trail blazer. Also, the horrific case of apparent road rage. New images tonight, the driver opening fire on a school bus, hitting the driver twice. There was a young student onboard. The murder mystery outside new york city tonight. The womans body discovered in a suitcase, and this evening, what weve now learned about her identity. And the stunning image this evening. The young girl saved after 18 hours buried under the rubble of a collapsed building. You will see the moment she is rushed to safety. A lot more news ahead tonight. S ahead tonight. Ahead tonight. D when it comes to managing your type 2 diabetes, what matters to you . Lets see. Most of you say lower a1c. But only a few of you are thinking about your heart. Fact is, even though it helps to manage a1c, type 2 diabetes still increases your risk of a fatal heart attack or stroke. Jardiance is the first type 2 diabetes pill with a lifesaving cardiovascular benefit for adults who have type 2 diabetes and heart disease, jardiance significantly reduces the risk of dying from a cardiovascular event and lowers a1c, with diet and exercise. Lets give it another try. 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Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take and if you have any medical conditions. Isnt it time to rethink your type 2 diabetes medication . Ask your doctor about jardiance and get to the heart of what matters. Ask your doctor about jardiance 98 of us dont get enough omega3s. Which is why megared advanced 4in1 packs more omega3 power into one small softgel. It supports your heart. Brain. Eyes. And joints. Megared. Were going to turn now to that apparent road rage shooting in minneapolis. A driver shooting a School Bus Driver and hitting the bus driver twice. Heres abcs Clayton Sandell with the new surveillance. Reporter what police say started as a fender bender between a car and a school bus, tonight, a case of attempted murder. Captured tuesday on this minneapolis traffic camera, police say this is 31yearold kenneth lilly, stopped in traffic, walk