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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe 5 Most Damning Revelations In The New Chris Christie Bridge Scandal Documents
http://thinkprogress.org/home/2014/01/11/3150641/damning-revalations-contained-chris-christies-bridge-documents-dumpThe 5 Most Damning Revelations In The New Chris Christie Bridge Scandal Documents
BY IGOR VOLSKY ON JANUARY 11, 2014 AT 2:35 PM
Christies Port Authority chairman knew about the closings.
Though Christie insisted that David Samson, his chairman of the Port Authority, was not involved in the closings, the documents show that he was aware of the new traffic pattern before testing ended on Sep. 13.
In fact, Samson even wrote an angry email to New York Port Authority Official Patrick Foye, a Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) appointee, accusing him of leaking information to the press. Hes playing in traffic, made a big mistake, he wrote:
Christie officials knew that the new traffic patterns were causing massive congestion and raising safety concerns. Still, they continued the study.
Christie appointees Bill Baroni the Deputy Director of the Port Authority and David Wildstein director of interstate capital projects were told on the very first day of the study (Monday) that the new traffic patterns were causing massive delays in Fort Lee and impeding public safety. Fort Lee Police Department Chief called the new traffic pattern a miserable failure. Still, the officials kept the bridge lanes closed for three additional days:
Officials were also told that the tests were very expensive and labor intensive:
A PowerPoint presentation prepared after three days of snarled traffic, titled EARLY assessment of the benefits of the trial. The conclusion: T.B.D. (To be determined):
- snip -
Port Authority officials blamed the traffic on the Mayor of Fort Lee.
- snip -
Christie appointees tried to squash press stories about the study.
After reporters from the Wall Street Journal, New York Daily News, the Star Ledger, and other outlets began sending press inquires about the lane closures in September and then again as the controversy heated up in November, Christie appointees repeatedly instructed the press team to keep quiet and avoid comment.
Baroni specifically told Foye to avoid any public discussion about the matter:
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They are so FUCKED! Stick a fork in all of them! Could possible jail time be around the corner?
ProSense
(116,464 posts)"The 5 Most Damning Revelations In The New Chris Christie Bridge Scandal Documents "
...is that the list is missing a few. 6) Christie Cabinet Member Told of Bridge Lane Closures (WSJ)
Scathing bridge complaint reached Christies staff (updated)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024315957
spooky3
(34,452 posts)The top five.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)spooky3
(34,452 posts)And children he harmed and put at risk with his bad behavior.
A complete narcissistic sociopath.
I'm sure there are other instances we do not know about.
GreatCaesarsGhost
(8,584 posts)Yet.
catbyte
(34,386 posts)particularly galling. Who knows what other kinds of shit they've pulled? This wasn't their first rodeo. Shitheads. They should all be fired & forced to refund their salaries.
Rex
(65,616 posts)Probably just a dream, but someone should pay for the death of the elderly woman caught in that political show. She died for no good reason.
2naSalit
(86,612 posts)Oilwellian
(12,647 posts)He posted this on Facebook. My sense is, Christie's minions were attempting to avoid the mayor.
Why were Gov Christies office staff screening Ft Lee mayors calls?
One of the emails from the massive bridge-gate document dump that I found particularly interesting has not gotten much attention thus far. It is an email from Christie aide Christina Genovese Renna to Christies then Deputy Chief of Staff, Bridget Anne Kelly. In it, Renna describes a phone call that another Christie aide, Evan J Ridley, fielded from Ft. Lees mayor, Mark Sokolich.
The most interesting part of the email is the first paragraph, in which Renna explains why Ridley answered the phone, saying:
This paragraph leads me to believe that Renna felt she needed to justify Ridleys behavior (speaking to Mayor Sokolich). It also implies that Governor Christies staff would have been familiar with Sokolichs number if he had called directly.
The last paragraph is also enlightening. According to Renna, Ridley told the mayor that he was unaware that the toll lanes were closed. This was in the afternoon of September 12, the fourth day of the lane closures.
JECarter
magical thyme
(14,881 posts)That sounds like a maneuver to get around their "radio silence." That he knew by then that if they recognized his number they would not pick up the call, so he had to get in under their radar to actually speak to anybody.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)rocktivity
(44,576 posts)He was covering the Ft. Lee traffic closures, and wondered why the usual traffic study protocol hadn't been followed.
P.S. Wildstein took his name, purchased its URL, and pointed it a rival newspaper!
rocktivity
catbyte
(34,386 posts)That Wildtein sure is a petty bastard. That's Nixonian ratfucker low.
rocktivity
(44,576 posts)I believe the legal term is "consciousness of guilt..."
rocktivity
catbyte
(34,386 posts)spin
(17,493 posts)looking like a true leader who accepted responsibility for the actions of his staff and fired those who screwed up.
If a smoking gun is discovered, Christie"s political career is dead. The question is will any evidence show up to prove Christie ordered the shutdown.
I feel the media is hoping for a Presidential race between Hillary and Christie as it will help ratings.
Still many Republicans do not believe Christie is conservative enough to represent their party. I feel it is unlikely that Christie will win in the primary race. The Republicans most likely will chose a super conservative candidate who will get his ass kicked in the Presidential race by his Democratic opponent, whoever that may be.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)looking like a true leader who accepted responsibility for the actions of his staff and fired those who screwed up.
If a smoking gun is discovered, Christie"s political career is dead. The question is will any evidence show up to prove Christie ordered the shutdown.
I feel the media is hoping for a Presidential race between Hillary and Christie as it will help ratings.
Still many Republicans do not believe Christie is conservative enough to represent their party. I feel it is unlikely that Christie will win in the primary race. The Republicans most likely will chose a super conservative candidate who will get his ass kicked in the Presidential race by his Democratic opponent, whoever that may be.
...Christie has been pulling this bullying act for too long, and now he has proven that he is a dangerous and despicable fuck.
I don't give a damn about 2016, Hillary or Christie.
That despicable fuck is the Governor of my state, and I hope he is forced to resign in disgrace.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)I'm pissed at Christie and the MSM pundits.
Thanks for your comment, spin.
spin
(17,493 posts)Or perhaps the investigation into the scandal will uncover some other scandal that will ruin his career.
Considering the political history of your state, I would not be surprised to find that Christie was involved in some corrupt activities.
JustAnotherGen
(31,823 posts)Not me. And Tuesday - if Dowd dares to go for confirmation - it's going to be real interesting in Trenton.
This isn't going away. Not for Christie.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)"I care about the issue in front of us. Here we go again . . . With folks saying 'just go ith it. It's helpless to try.'"
...Christie keeps getting away with his BS. This time it's a bridge too far.
Christie: Vindictive ass or incompetent buffoon
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/01/09/1268391/-Christie-Vindictive-ass-or-incompetent-buffoon
Given those two choices, he should be impeached and face criminal charges or his ass should be forced to resign.
Either way, for the good of the state.
JustAnotherGen
(31,823 posts)O'Dowd to make his move. Do you think he will bow out? If he's as arrogant as Christie - he won't.
But it looks like Prieto is going to keep up with it. He wants answers - same ones I'm sure Sweeney and Wiesnewski want.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)"O'Dowd to make his move. Do you think he will bow out? If he's as arrogant as Christie - he won't. "
...that Christie withdrew the nomination: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024313002#post2
I haven't seen any other confirmation of this.
olegramps
(8,200 posts)If he becomes the GOP candidate, the videos of his outrageous bullying will play 24/7 on campaign ads for Hilary. Also, he will not be able to escape the aura of being a part of this dangerous fiasco. The undiscerning dupes that daily eat the slop feed to them by the likes of Rush, FOX. etc. will be his only supporters to what will be a bitter and fitting end of his career.
spin
(17,493 posts)Realize that I am not a strong Hillary supporter and have often posted here on DU, "No more Clintons and no more Bushes."
SoapBox
(18,791 posts)I agree with your post.
TeamPooka
(24,226 posts)rocktivity
(44,576 posts)if he can keep blowing off the press and undermining the investigation on the state level: his chief of staff is about to become state attorney general, and the state assembly investigators are about to lose their subpoena power. Of course, what happens on the federal investigative level will be another matter.
As for showing off his ability to "accept responsibility," that ship has sailed: He should have fired people and called in the feds himself well over a month ago.
rocktivity
SoapBox
(18,791 posts)I'll lay odds that Gov. Bully will remain.
I'm very happy to eat lots of crow if I'm proven wrong.
Politicalboi
(15,189 posts)Where was his outrage? Why didn't he fire Bridget then? I would think in order for him to clear his name, he's got to be the one pushing the investigation. And he was going to still appoint his friend to the AG spot even though he was involved. He knew what was going on IMO.
spin
(17,493 posts)at the very least, everyone can see the kind of vile people he trusts in his inner circle
lindysalsagal
(20,686 posts)and of course, no one has claimed to be the originator of the "traffic study."
SHRED
(28,136 posts)vlyons
(10,252 posts)would that bully, Chris Christie, and his reckless staffers drag us into, if he ever became POTUS? OMG! what a frightening thing to ponder.