U.S. Attorney to Open Inquiry Into Bridge Scandal

[warrior1]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/10/nyregion/christie-controversy-bridge-lane-closings.html?_r=0

Federal prosecutors in New Jersey will begin a preliminary inquiry into the lane closures in Fort Lee, according to a law enforcement source.

A source with knowledge of the plans said that the United States attorney for New Jersey, Paul J. Fishman, would announce the investigation on Thursday morning.

The decision to open an inquiry came after the matter was referred to the office by the inspector general for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which controls the bridge, the source said.

[yeoman6987]

1. The Media

For all the bashing the media takes, this story would not be known if not for the continued work of the media. I can't believe that the U.S. Attorney did not think something was fishy when it happened back in September. Is the investigation being done now just because the media is talking about it? Why didn't they begin the investigation months ago?

[Progressive dog]

7. The NJ legislators

The media reported the e-mails that were obtained by the oversight committees. If it were up to the media, Christie would still be making jokes about it.

[Kablooie]

25. Rachel Maddow is the media and she pursued it.

In fact I suspect that her bringing it to national attention is why we are here now.

[Cha]

32. It was the local NJ media who kept after the story. Rachel

had the reporter, Shawn Buborg, on her show last night. Wildstein bought the domain Shawn Buborg.Com and had the site directed to Shawn's rival newspaper(forgot which one).

If you want to find out more about that.. the link to Rachel's 6 segment show is here..

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=4303029

[geek tragedy]

2. RICO, suave nt

[riqster]

3. Points for the pun.

All the girls like to say, Christie's pretty fly for a Guv Guy.

[sufrommich]

5. I laughed. nt

[JNelson6563]

16. Brilliant.

[calimary]

21. DUzy!

[politicman]

4. question

If one of his aides is charged and convicted and Christie stays Governor, does he have the authority to pardon that person?

You know the way Bush did with libby when he took the fall for Cheney.

[jeff47]

6. Only if they are convicted under state law.

He can't pardon someone for a federal crime.

[iandhr]

8. Bush didn't pardon Libby

He granted clemency which means libby is still considered to be a felon.

[Sanity Claws]

9. Libby was not pardoned.

His sentence was commuted, IIRC. He remains a convicted felon.

[politicman]

12. oops

True, I used the wrong terminology.

Commuted was what I meant, but used Pardoned instead. I am a doofus ::

[Sanity Claws]

13. No, you are not a

doofus.

I used to practice law and I am still far more exacting in the use of legal terminology than laypeople.

[VWolf]

15. Hence Bush's other nickname, The Scooter Commuter n/t

[calimary]

23. Welcome to DU, politicman!

Glad you're here! Who knows? But now, seems to me, he's on the hot seat from here on. I wonder how many new political vendettas will be attempted from here on. Because he's gonna be watched, and watched carefully. And I think he knows it. For his political career, he BETTER know it.

[ffr]

10. I'm falling out of my chair. Rethugs being investigated?

Only about 5 years late, but you have to start somewhere, right?

[W.J. McCabe]

11. Good

That is all.

[calimary]

24. Welcome to DU, W.J. McCabe!

Good to have you with us! Let's hope it's NOT all! I hope this gum stays on both his shoes all the way to 2016 and beyond.

[Coyotl]

14. K&R

Shut down the GOP

[grahamhgreen]

17. It's about to get real:)

[warrior1]

18. sweet

Josh Marshall ‏@joshtpm 29s

Member DC Defnse Bar:"Hes done.If US Atty looking at it, theyll also look @ whether this happened in other instances"

[Hubert Flottz]

19. Well...I guess that will leave the door wide open for another...

Horny Herman Cain pResidential campaign in 2016.

[Ikonoklast]

29. I kinda miss that insane egomaniac, endlessly entertaining.

You'd pull his string, and a different brand of crazy came out each time.

[davidpdx]

36. He's kind of like a nerdy little Chucky doll

except he sells his economic plan 999. As Bachbat said "if you turn it upside down it's 666"

[Spitfire of ATJ]

20. I'm waiting for Republicans to claim this is a politically motivated witchhunt....

....as they argue for local investigations run by Chistie's appointees.

[Cali_Democrat]

22. w00t

[Mr.Bill]

26. Fifth ammendment festival. N/T

[msanthrope]

27. This is the office Christie left his stench in. nt

[another_liberal]

28. Ruin this lying asshole.

Make the Republicans run Ted Cruz in 2016 instead.

[vkkv]

30. Why would the HEAD OF THE PORT AUTHORITY even CONSIDER such a STUPID request by a ChristyCream aide?

Why would the HEAD OF THE PORT AUTHORITY even CONSIDER such a STUPID request by a ChristyCream aide?

Answer - He knew it came from ChristyCream himself.

[Scalded Nun]

31. There are several federal implications with this

RICO come to mind.

AND...where is Issa and his traveling investigative circus? if Christie was a Den I really believe there would be initial hearings starting tomorrow, along with exploring possibilities of how to link this to Benghazi.

[2banon]

33. anyone else spot this phrase: "laid low by something as mundane as a traffic jam." ?

excerpted from the NYT article linked in OP - emphasis mine

but Mr. Christie’s news conference and later apology tour to Fort Lee offered the spectacle of one of nation’s brashest and most outspoken political figures laid low by something as mundane as a traffic jam.

wtf? "mundane as a traffic jam" ? Seriously Old Gray Mare? Are you freaking serious?

this is just another mundane traffic jam? nothing to see here and please don't mention the particular dates involved.

Oh, that's right you didn't. nevermind.

[colsohlibgal]

34. Bye Bye CC

Anyone who thinks Christie isn't behind this seems pretty naïve to me.

[rocktivity]

35. When more than one state is involved, you're supposed to call in the Feds from the get-go

Last edited Fri Jan 10, 2014, 02:16 AM - Edit history (1)

which Governor Soprano would have done if he'd truly known nothing about it -- not to mention firing the people involved on the spot a month ago, and putting the nomination of his chief of staff as state attorney general on hold.


rocktivity

[freshwest]

37. Bridge Music: