DOCSLIB.ORG

Christie Stuck in a Jam Over GWB Lane Closings - News - Northjersey.Com

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Christie Stuck in a Jam Over GWB Lane Closings - News - Northjersey.Com Christie stuck in a jam over GWB lane closings - News - NorthJersey.com http://www.northjersey.com/news/christie-says-he-was-misled-on-gwb-la... Christie stuck in a jam over GWB lane closings JANUARY 8, 2014, 9:13 AM LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 2014, 10:50 PM BY SHAWN BOBURG STAFF WRITER THE RECORD Christie aide tied to Ft. Lee closures Wisniewski & Weinberg demand answers from Christie, say laws were broken. Full Coverage: Chris Christie and the GWB lane closure controversy A cache of private messages linking Governor Christie’s office to vindictive lane closures at the George Washington Bridge in September plunged the administration into a deep crisis on Wednesday, threatening Christie’s national profile as a straight-talker and feeding criticism that his administration has used its power to bully political enemies. Update: Gov. Christie apologizes for GWB scandal The explosive e-mails and text messages, obtained and first reported by The Record, sparked a political firestorm that extended far beyond New Jersey and Fort Lee — which was gridlocked for days as a result of the closures — and appeared destined to stretch into the foreseeable future. They also pushed Christie to expand on his previous claims that his office had no involvement in the closures and forced him to join the chorus of outraged officials at all levels Gov. Chris Christie, left, and Deputy Chief of Staff of government condemning the messages exchanged between one of his deputy aides and his Bridget Kelly. two executives at the Port Authority. Christie said in a terse statement Wednesday that he was “misled” by one of his staffers. He called the messages — which expressed delight over delayed school buses shuttling children to their first day of class and included taunts aimed at the Fort Lee mayor — “completely inappropriate” and “unacceptable.” He added, without any specifics, “people will be held responsible for their actions.” There was no immediate indication that Christie had taken any action against the senior aide who sent an e-mail weeks before the lane closures that appeared to give a Port Authority executive approval to go ahead with a plan to exact revenge against the Fort Lee mayor. Read emails between Christie administration and Port Authority executives: View The documents raise doubts about Christie / Download administration claims that GWB lane closures were part of a traffic study initiated by the Port Authority. “Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee,” Bridget Anne Kelly, one of three deputy chiefs of staff for Christie, wrote on Aug. 13. The recipient of the e-mail was David Wildstein, a longtime political operative who went to high school with the governor and was hired to be the governor’s eyes and ears at the Port Authority. Wildstein, who ordered the closures three weeks after the message and resigned last month amid the escalating scandal, wrote back: “Got it.” The fallout was evident on Wednesday: Christie, who usually addresses controversies head-on and in person, canceled a previously 1 of 5 10/8/2014 6:49 PM Christie stuck in a jam over GWB lane closings - News - NorthJersey.com http://www.northjersey.com/news/christie-says-he-was-misled-on-gwb-la... scheduled event that drew scores to hear about Sandy relief and remained silent except for the four-sentence statement issued late in the day. And Democrats signaled that they intended to carry on their investigation in an effort to find out whether Christie or anyone else in his inner circle knew about the lane closures beforehand. Assemblyman John Wisniewski, the Middlesex Democrat who is leading the legislative probe, said Wednesday that he plans to call Kelly to testify at some point. The revelations, which also included messages from Christie’s reelection campaign manager and his spokesman, surfaced on the eve of legislative hearings in Trenton planned for today in which Wildstein was summoned to appear to testify under oath. Wildstein supplied the records that surfaced Wednesday in response to a committee investigating the unannounced closures, which paralyzed Fort Lee during morning rush-hour for four days. Timeline of events around GWB lane-closure controversy Wildstein’s attorney waged a late legal bid on Wednesday evening to stop the hearing, asking a judge to invalidate the committee’s subpoena. The emergency court hearing was scheduled for this morning, hours before the planned hearing in Trenton. The documents supplied by Wildstein don’t spell out the precise reason for the apparent retribution. But they lay bare a disdain for the Fort Lee mayor — who said Wednesday that he was convinced it was because he declined to endorse Christie — and an indifference to the hardships suffered by North Jersey residents who sat in traffic backups that lasted up to four hours. In one exchange of text messages on the second day of the lane closures, Wildstein alludes to messages Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich had left complaining that school buses were having trouble getting through the traffic. “Is it wrong that I’m smiling,” the recipient of the text message responded to Wildstein. The person’s identity is not clear because the documents are partially redacted for unknown reasons. “No,” Wildstein wrote in response. “I feel badly about the kids,” the person replied to Wildstein. “I guess.” “They are the children of Buono voters,” Wildstein wrote, making a reference to Barbara Buono, the Democratic candidate for governor, who lost to Christie in a landslide in November. In another exchange, on Sept. 9, the first morning of the lane closures, Kelly asked in an e-mail if Sokolich’s numerous calls to Port Authority officials had been returned. “Radio silence,” Wildstein replied. “His name comes right after mayor Fulop,” an apparent reference to Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, who also said this week that the Christie administration had retaliated against him last year because he didn’t endorse the governor for reelection. When reached Wednesday morning, Kelly said: “I’m literally in the middle of a conference call. “I’m going to have to call you right back.” As of Wednesday evening, she had not returned the call. The e-mails could damage Christie’s credibility at a time when he has emerged as a frontrunner for the Republican nomination for president in 2016. And they are likely to raise questions about whether the governor’s office was involved in what Democrats have said was a coordinated coverup that has stretched on for months, as damaging details slowly emerged. David Samson, the Port Authority chairman and one of the governor’s closest advisers, who was also mentioned in the messages, said Wednesday that he was “extremely upset and distressed.” In one of the messages, Wildstein reports to Christie’s deputy chief that Samson is helping to “retaliate” against a New York official who reversed the lane closures after he found out about them. “To be clear, neither I nor anyone on the Board had any knowledge of these lane closures until” the New York appointee, Port Authority Executive Director Pat Foye, sent out an angry internal e-mail reversing the lane closures. The records obtained Wednesday show that Trenton was aware of the Port Authority’s first public explanation of the sudden lane closures. On Sept. 12, the fourth day of the lane closures, Wildstein emailed Kelly and Michael Drewniak, the governor's spokesman, a statement that was later issued by the Port Authority in response to inquiries by The Record. That statement read, in part: “The Port Authority is reviewing traffic safety patterns at the George Washington Bridge to ensure proper placement of toll lanes.” Since then, the governor and his representatives have described the closures as a study aimed at seeing if Fort Lee got more than its fair share of access lanes onto the bridge. He dismissed questions about the issue as overblown, joking that he moved the cones himself. At a Dec. 13 press conference, Christie defended the lane closures as a matter of fairness, echoing the defense previously offered by his top Port Authority appointee, Bill Baroni, who subsequently resigned. “The fact is, I didn’t know Fort Lee got three dedicated lanes until all this stuff happened, and I think we should review that entire policy 2 of 5 10/8/2014 6:49 PM Christie stuck in a jam over GWB lane closings - News - NorthJersey.com http://www.northjersey.com/news/christie-says-he-was-misled-on-gwb-la... because I don’t know why Fort Lee needs three dedicated lanes to tell you the truth,” Christie said at the time. “And I didn’t even know it until this whole, you know, happening went about.” He added later: “The fact that one town has three lanes dedicated to it, that kind of gets me sauced.” Wisniewski on Wednesday seemed skeptical that Christie was unaware that members of his staff and his appointee at the Port Authority organized the lane closures. “There are two possibilities,” he said. “Either the governor doesn’t know … or there’s lying going on.” Wisniewski said none of the documents his committee received have shown that the governor was directly involved in the matter, but he didn’t rule out subpoenaing Christie in the future, should the documents lead in that direction. Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, D-Teaneck, also questioned how Christie could say he did not know about the lane closures. “Either his staff lied to him or the governor was less than truthful with the people of New Jersey,” she said. Wisniewski said the Port Authority’s “entire apparatus is utilized for political purposes.” Wisniewski said he has received 3,000 to 5,000 pages of documents, which he described as a puzzle he is trying to piece together.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • United States Attorney District of New Jersey
    United States Attorney District of New Jersey FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Matthew Reilly July 12, 2017 Office of Public Affairs www.justice.gov/usao/nj (973) 645-2888 FORMER PORT AUTHORITY OFFICIAL SENTENCED FOR HIS ROLE IN SCHEME TO PUNISH FORT LEE MAYOR FOR NOT ENDORSING GOVERNOR’S RE-ELECTION NEWARK, N.J. – A former official of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey was sentenced today to three years’ probation for using the authority’s resources to facilitate and conceal the cause of traffic problems in Fort Lee, New Jersey, to punish that borough’s mayor for not endorsing Gov. Chris Christie’s re-election. David Wildstein, 55, the former director of Interstate Capital Projects at the Port Authority, pleaded guilty on May 1, 2015, before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to an information charging him with two counts of conspiracy for his role in the scheme. Judge Wigenton imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court. Wildstein, William E. Baroni Jr., 45, former deputy executive director of the Port Authority, and Bridget Anne Kelly, 44, former deputy chief of staff to Gov. Christie, engaged in a scheme to manufacture traffic problems in Fort Lee by reducing from three to one the number of local access lanes to the upper level of the George Washington Bridge. Baroni and Kelly were both convicted at trial for their respective roles in the scheme. On March 29, 2017, Judge Wigenton sentenced Baroni to 24 months in prison and Kelly to 19 months in prison. “As we said in our motion to the Court, although David Wildstein was the architect of this criminal scheme and a force behind its cover-up, he accepted responsibility for his actions and admitted his guilt,” Acting U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • 2017 NJSBA Annual Meeting Pursuing Truth and Justice: An
    2017 NJSBA Annual Meeting Pursuing Truth and Justice: An Examination of How Independent Courts and an Independent Media are Essential to Our Democracy Co-Sponsored by the Media Law Committee and the New Jersey State Bar Foundation Moderator/Speaker: Ralph J. Lamparello, Esq., NJSBA Past President Chasan Lamparello Mallon & Cappuzzo, PC, Secaucus Speakers: Thomas Cafferty, Esq. Gibbons, PC, Newark Kate Coscarelli, Senior Managing Director of Communications and Media Relations New Jersey State Bar Association Tom Moran, Editorial Page Editor The Star-Ledger Paula Saha, Director of Events, Audience & Donor Development NJ Spotlight Charles Stile, Columnist The Bergen Record Capitol Report January 30, 2017 REGULATING 'FRAUD NEWS' By Ari Melber Melber is the chief legal correspondent at MSNBC. He served on a panel discussion, “Election Politics and More,” presented by the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education last fall. Barack Obama hates it. So does Donald Trump. The rise of ‘fake news’ has drawn widespread condemnation, though the meaning of the label itself is now a matter of political dispute. Obama has criticized fake news based on its original definition—patently false disinformation masquerading as journalism. A few weeks after the November election, he lamented the impact of "active misinformation" that is "packaged" to deceive, so it "looks the same when you see it on a Facebook page" as a legitimate article. A false item claiming the Pope endorsed Trump, for example, was one of the top election ‘stories’ on Facebook, according to a Buzzfeed analysis. That means millions of Americans wrongly thought they were reading and sharing something that happened (it didn't) from a news source (it wasn't).
    [Show full text]
  • Lgbt Power List S
    Photos courtesy of Jeremy Lentz, Teaneck INSIDER NJ’S 2020 INSIDER OUT 100: LGBT POWER LIST S We’reHere making it easierwhen to get the care you you need, like chatting with a nurse or having a virtual doctor needvisit 24/7us at no most. cost. NowHorizonBlue.com/Coronavirus and always. Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. The Blue Cross® and Blue Shield® names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. The Horizon® name and symbols are registered marks of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey. © 2020 Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey. Three Penn Plaza East, Newark, New Jersey 07105 2 F Magenta, Yellow, Black Message from the Author 2020 LGBTQ POWER Welcome to InsiderNJ’s 2020 OUT 100 Power List, our 3rd annual tribute to politically influential LGBTQs in New Jersey politics. This year’s list let’s us venerate some amazing, brilliant LGBTQ people, veterans of the AIDS crisis, harnessing and channeling wisdom and expertise to battle P.O. Box 66 COVID-19. Verona, NJ 07044 Politicians are listed separately this time. Since we like to keep things fresh, the [email protected] 2020 OUT 100 Power List includes over 20 newbies. So if you don’t see your www.InsiderNJ.com name this year, I’ll say thank you for making room for new faces and tomorrow’s faves. Many of the names below were called to action by America’s indifference to the AIDS pandemic.
    [Show full text]
  • Krista Jenkins 973.443.8390; [email protected] MURPHY, GUADAGNO HA
    For immediate release Thursday, February 9 3 pages Contact: Krista Jenkins 973.443.8390; [email protected] 11111111 MURPHY, GUADAGNO HAVE EARLY LEAD IN GUBERNATORIAL PRIMARY, BUT MOST VOTERS BEGIN THE CAMPAIGN UNSURE Fairleigh Dickinson University, February 9, 2017 – Although most Democrats and Republicans in the state have no clue who they intend to support in the gubernatorial primaries, a few frontrunners are emerging. The most recent statewide survey of registered voters from Fairleigh Dickinson University’s PublicMind finds Phil Murphy in the lead among Democrats and Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno at the top among Republicans. Murphy’s 17 percent support among Democrats is the same as that registered for “someone else.” Among other named Democrats, State Senator Raymond Lesniak earns the support of seven percent, Assemblyman John Wisniewski garners six percent, and former Treasury official Jim Johnson comes in with two percent. Collectively, however, these names are eclipsed by the uncertainty that most Democrats express with 50 percent saying they don’t know who they like at this point. “Murphy has pumped a bundle of his own money into this race and received early endorsements from power brokers across the state as well as raised a considerable sum from donors. His lead over other long term public officeholders seems to be an indication that his investment was well spent. Still, the field is fluid and a majority are taking a wait and see approach to who will be their party’s standard bearer in the race to replace Governor Christie,” said Krista Jenkins, professor of political science and director of PublicMind.
    [Show full text]
  • A Historical Timeline 1970S and Before
    NJ Election Law Enforcement Commission- A Historical Timeline By Joseph Donohue, Deputy Director (Updated 10/2/17) 1970s and Before October 16, 1964- Governor Richard Hughes enacts New Jersey’s first lobbying law (Chapter 207). It requires any lobbyist who makes $500 or more in three months or spends that much to influence legislation to register with the Secretary of State. Trenton attorney John Heher, representing American Mutual Insurance Alliance of Chicago, becomes the state’s first registered lobbyist.1 New Jersey Education Association, historically one of the most powerful lobbyists in the capitol, registers for the first time on December 15, 1964.2 September 1, 1970- The interim report of the bipartisan New Jersey Election Law Revision Commission concludes “stringent disclosure requirements on every aspect of political financing must be imposed and enforce at every election level….If there were full public disclosure and publication of all campaign contributions and expenditures during a campaign, the voters themselves could better judge whether a candidate has spent too much.” It recommends creation of a 5-member Election Law Enforcement Commission and a tough enforcement strategy: “withhold the issuance of a certificate of election to a candidate who has not complied with the provisions of this act.”3 November 13, 1971- A new lobbying law (Chapter 183) takes effect, repealing the 1964 act and transferring all jurisdiction to the Attorney General. It requires lobbyists to wear badges in the Statehouse for the first time and file quarterly reports that list the bills they are supporting or opposing. April 7, 1972- Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 requires disclosure of campaign contributions and expenditures for federal candidates.4 June 17, 1972- Break-in occurs at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, DC.
    [Show full text]
  • Supreme Court of the United States
    No. 18-1059 IN THE Supreme Court of the United States BRIDGET ANNE KELLY, Petitioner, v. UNITED STATES, Respondent. On Writ of Certiorari To The United States Court of Appeals For The Third Circuit JOINT APPENDIX (VOLUME II OF II) (Pages 511–1017) Jeffrey B. Wall Yaakov M. Roth Counsel of Record Counsel of Record ACTING SOLICITOR GENERAL JONES DAY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE 51 Louisiana Ave., NW 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20001 Washington, DC 20530 (202) 879-3939 (202) 514-2217 [email protected] [email protected] Counsel for Petitioner Counsel for Respondent United States (Additional counsel listed on inside cover) PETITION FOR CERTIORARI FILED FEBRUARY 12, 2019 CERTIORARI GRANTED JUNE 28, 2019 Michael A. Levy Counsel of Record SIDLEY AUSTIN LLP 787 Seventh Avenue New York, NY 10019 (212) 839-7341 [email protected] Counsel for Respondent William Baroni (continued from front cover) i TABLE OF CONTENTS Page VOLUME I Docket Entries, United States of America v. Bridget Kelly, No. 17-1818 (3d Cir.) .............................................. 1 Docket Entries, United States of America v. William Baroni, Jr., No. 17-1817 (3d Cir.) .............................................. 8 Docket Entries, United States of America v. William Baroni, Jr., et al., No. 2:15-cr-00193 (D.N.J.) ................................... 13 Materials from District Court Proceedings No. 2:15-cr-00193 (D.N.J.) Indictment (Dkt. # 1) (04/23/2015) .......................................... 20 Excerpts of Memorandum in Support of the United States of America’s Motions In Limine (Dkt. # 149) (08/09/2016) ...................................... 61 Excerpts of Trial Transcript (Dkt. # 190) (09/19/2016) ...................................... 66 Excerpts of Trial Transcript (Dkt.
    [Show full text]
  • Power List 2019
    NEW JERSEY GLOBE POWER LIST 2019 1 NEW JERSEY GLOBE POWER LIST 2019 PROVEN LEADERS IN THE LEGAL COMMUNITY With a unique blend of public sector insight and private sector expertise, O’Toole Scrivo delivers effective and innovative solutions to its clients, especially when the stakes are highest. www.oslaw.com 14 Village Park Road, Cedar Grove, NJ 07009 • 973.239.5700 Empire State Building, 350 Fifth Avenue, 59th Floor, New York, NY 10118 • 888.663.1117 2 OS_2018 NJGlobe_ad.indd 1 10/4/18 10:29 PM NEW JERSEY GLOBE POWER LIST 2019 3 NEW JERSEY GLOBE POWER LIST 2019 is proud to support NEW JERSEY GLOBE & CONGRATULATES OUR COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS named to the 2019 NEW JERSEY GLOBE POWER LIST Sean M. Darcy, President PO Box 397, Belmar, NJ 07719 | 609-610-0543 NEW JERSEY GLOBE POWER LIST 2019 EDITOR’S NOTE NE OF THE POLITICAL allegories of The Wizard of Oz came when Dorothy threw a bucket of water on the Wicked Witch and melted her. That caused the palace guards, once fiercely loyal to the powerful witch, to drop to their knees and Oproclaim, “Hail to Dorothy, the Wicked Witch is dead.” Everybody wants to be with the winner, espe- cially in New Jersey. That’s why political power is ephemeral, on a good day. The way to know that is this: start writing down the names of every person who served as chief of staff to the governor of New Jersey. There’s a decent chance you’ll miss Amy Cradic, who held the job less than two years ago.
    [Show full text]
  • Hearing Unit Cover and Text
    Committee Meeting of ASSEMBLY TRANSPORTATION, PUBLIC WORKS AND INDEPENDENT AUTHORITIES COMMITTEE “The committee has subpoenaed David Wildstein, the former Director of Interstate Capital Projects for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, concerning the decision by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to reduce, without prior public notice, the number of access lanes to the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee, New Jersey, from September 9, 2013 through September 13, 2013” LOCATION: Committee Room 11 DATE: January 9, 2014 State House Annex 12:00 p.m. Trenton, New Jersey MEMBERS OF COMMITTEE PRESENT: Assemblyman John S. Wisniewski, Chair Assemblywoman Linda Stender, Vice Chair Assemblywoman Marlene Caride Assemblyman Upendra J. Chivukula Assemblyman Thomas P. Giblin Assemblyman Gordon M. Johnson Assemblyman Ruben J. Ramos Jr. Assemblywoman Celeste M. Riley Assemblyman John F. Amodeo Assemblyman Scott T. Rumana Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf Assemblyman David W. Wolfe ALSO PRESENT: Charles A. Buono Jr. Jillian Dempsey Glen Beebe Patrick Brennan Assembly Majority Assembly Republican Office of Legislative Services Committee Aide Committee Aide Committee Aides Meeting Recorded and Transcribed by The Office of Legislative Services, Public Information Office, Hearing Unit, State House Annex, PO 068, Trenton, New Jersey TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Alan L. Zegas, Esq. Representing David M. Wildstein 2 David M. Wildstein Private Citizen 12 APPENDIX: *Note: Due to the size of the Appendix material, all Appendix documents are available online at the New Jersey Legislature’s website at www.njleg.state.nj.us Exhibit A submitted to the Assembly Transportation, Public Works and Independent Authorities Committee from David M.
    [Show full text]
  • Documents in the Appeal Numbers Assigned to the Filing Appellant, Filed
    No. 18-1059 IN THE Supreme Court of the United States BRIDGET ANNE KELLY, Petitioner, v. UNITED STATES, Respondent. On Writ of Certiorari To The United States Court of Appeals For The Third Circuit JOINT APPENDIX (VOLUME I OF II) (Pages 1–510) Jeffrey B. Wall Yaakov M. Roth Counsel of Record Counsel of Record ACTING SOLICITOR GENERAL JONES DAY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE 51 Louisiana Ave., NW 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20001 Washington, DC 20530 (202) 879-3939 (202) 514-2217 [email protected] [email protected] Counsel for Petitioner Counsel for Respondent United States (Additional counsel listed on inside cover) PETITION FOR CERTIORARI FILED FEBRUARY 12, 2019 CERTIORARI GRANTED JUNE 28, 2019 Michael A. Levy Counsel of Record SIDLEY AUSTIN LLP 787 Seventh Avenue New York, NY 10019 (212) 839-7341 [email protected] Counsel for Respondent William Baroni (continued from front cover) i TABLE OF CONTENTS Page VOLUME I Docket Entries, United States of America v. Bridget Kelly, No. 17-1818 (3d Cir.) .............................................. 1 Docket Entries, United States of America v. William Baroni, Jr., No. 17-1817 (3d Cir.) .............................................. 8 Docket Entries, United States of America v. William Baroni, Jr., et al., No. 2:15-cr-00193 (D.N.J.) ................................... 13 Materials from District Court Proceedings No. 2:15-cr-00193 (D.N.J.) Indictment (Dkt. # 1) (04/23/2015) .......................................... 20 Excerpts of Memorandum in Support of the United States of America’s Motions In Limine (Dkt. # 149) (08/09/2016) ...................................... 61 Excerpts of Trial Transcript (Dkt. # 190) (09/19/2016) ...................................... 66 Excerpts of Trial Transcript (Dkt.
    [Show full text]
  • New Jersey's "Bridgegate" Scandal: What Comes Next? an Expert Overview of the Federal Charges Filed Over the Partial Closure of the World's Busiest Bridge
    New Jersey's "Bridgegate" Scandal: What Comes Next? An expert overview of the federal charges filed over the partial closure of the world's busiest bridge. M ay 6, 2015 What is the ?Bridgegate? scandal, and why has it led to federal charges? From September 9-13, 2013, officials of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey shut down access lanes of the George Washington Bridge between New Jersey and New York City for a ?traffic study? that gridlocked the small city of Fort Lee, New Jersey for hours each day. In the following weeks, evidence emerged of political motives behind the bridge closure, spurring federal prosecutors to announce an investigation in January 2014. On M ay 1, 2015, Paul Fishman, U.S. Attorney of New Jersey, charged that two defendants illegally closed the bridge to punish Fort Lee?s mayor for refusing to endorse Governor Chris Christie for reelection in 2013. Who are the defendants? The defendants are Bill Baroni, former Deputy Director of the Port Authority, and Bridget Anne Kelly, former Deputy Chief of Staff for Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs in the Governor?s Office. Baroni and Kelly are alleged to have conspired with David Wildstein, formerly the Director of Interstate Capital Projects for the Port Authority and now a cooperating witness for the Government. Wildstein has already pleaded guilty to charges in connection with the bridge?s closure. What are the charges? - Intentional misapplication of resources of a federally-funded program (the Port Authority), in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 666. - The violation of the civil rights of the people of Fort Lee, NJ to travel freely, in violation of 18 U.S.C.
    [Show full text]
  • Hare-Brained Bridgegate Scandal 'Begrimed Everyone It Touched'
    Opinion: Hare-Brained Bridgegate Scandal ‘Begrimed Everyone It Touched’ CARL GOLDEN | MAY 8, 2020 | OPINION Despite former Gov. Chris Christie’s protests to the contrary, it will be a considerable part of his legacy, forever associated with his administration It was in some ways anticlimactic. When the United States Supreme Court agreed to hear the appeal of two former New Jersey state ofõcials convicted for their roles in the Bridgegate scandal, the universal reaction was that both would be cleared. Carl Golden Yesterday, the court made it ofõcial, pitching a 9-0 shutout and overturning the convictions of Bridget Anne Kelly, a deputy chief of staff to former Gov. Chris Christie, and Bill Baroni, former deputy executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. When the court accepted the case nearly a year ago, speculation spread quickly that it did so to bring clarity to laws governing misbehavior by public ofõcials and viewed the Bridgegate appeals as an opportunity to warn prosecutors against bringing indictments based on political acts or motives. Why else, the reasoning went, would the nation’s highest court agree to hear a case of relatively trivial consequence other than to use it to caution against overzealous prosecutions of individuals carrying out purely political decisions. Not a federal crime As Justice Elena Kagan pointed out in the ruling, while Kelly and Baroni used deception to reduce access lanes to the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee in September of 2013 as an act of political punishment, “not every corrupt act by a state or local ofõcial is a federal crime.” Neither proõted õnancially from the lane restrictions and, therefore, were not guilty of violating federal fraud laws, Kagan wrote.
    [Show full text]
  • Law Offices of Alan L. Zegas 552 Main Street Phone: 973-701-7080 Chatham, New Jersey 07928 Fax: 973-701-7081
    Law Offices of Alan L. Zegas 552 Main Street phone: 973-701-7080 Chatham, New Jersey 07928 fax: 973-701-7081 website: www.zegaslaw.com Alan L. Zegas (NJ and NY Bars) Judson L. Hand (NJ, E.D.N.Y. and S.D.N.Y. Bars) Stephanie G. Forbes (NJ and PA Bars) January 31, 2014 By Email and Regular Mail Darrell Ruchbinder General Counsel The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey 225 Park Avenue South lS•h Floor New York, NY 10003 Re: David Wildstein Dear Mr. Buchbinder: I am writing in response to your email of January 24, 2014, in which you deny the December 13, 2013, request of Mr. Wildstein for the Port Authority to pay for his legal representation in connection with legislative proceedings where Mr. Wildstein was subpoenaed to appear and provide documents and testimony. You state that "[Bjased on the current facts and circumstances, it is apparent that the Port Authority's provision of legal representation .... would not be warranted under the Port Authority's By-Laws. Copied on your email were Scott Rechler, Patrick Foye, and Deborah Gramiccioni. You had previously written to Mr. Wildstein on December 27, 2013, and, in addition to the foregoing persons who had been copied, was David Samson, whose name does not appear on your January 24, 2014, correspondence. I would request that you kindly reconsider the Port Authority's decision to deny Mr. Wildstein payment of his legal fees and indemnification. I would also request that the Port Authority pay for Lhe legal fees of Mr.
    [Show full text]