Kornacki has new reporting on Christie this morning

[malaise]

Starting now

[A-Schwarzenegger]

1. "Liar-in-Chief, Chris Christie."

[A-Schwarzenegger]

3. Actually "Liar-in-Chief" is a quote from the Kornacki roundtable.

But good luck with your fat jokes.

[JNelson6563]

4. Any details for us without TV?

[malaise]

10. The Fort Lee ReDevelopment Project

Huge huge huge!!!

[Laura PourMeADrink]

36. Background on Area 5 from Tucker Development's website

Developers, NJ Officials Set Plans for Mixed-Use
By Debra Hazel

Hudson Lights
FORT LEE, NJ-Tucker Development Corp., Fort Lee Redevelopment Associates and the local governing body have reached an agreement that will allow a mixed-use project to be built on a long-vacant 16-acre site next to the George Washington Bridge. The Hudson Lights project will feature at least 165,000 square feet of ground-level retail space, as many as 475 residences in two high-rise towers and possibly hotel and office buildings on three separate blocks. A new road, Hudson Street, will include at least three restaurants, and a 1.75-acre public park also will house dining.

“It’s a very exciting beginning,” Tucker Development Corp’s CEO and president Richard Tucker tells me. Construction will begin sometime in 2012, with completion 18 months later.

The agreement resolves several disputes among the developers and the borough regarding what was known as Redevelopment Area 5. Tucker acquired the western portion of the site in 2009, and submitted proposals to the borough for the redevelopment of that portion of property, Tucker says.

When borough officials chose Fort Lee Redevelopment Associates, Tucker filed suit in 2010, claiming that Fort Lee Redevelopment’s proposal did not comply with the borough’s plan. FLRA is comprised of SJP Residential Properties, Bergen County attorney James Demetrakis and a private equity fund managed by Palisades Financial. In January, a Superior Court Judge ruled in favor of the borough’s claim that it the planning board and its members could not be included in litigation, though it did not dismiss Tucker’s charges of impropriety.

Under the agreement, Tucker will redevelop the West Parcel and FLRA the East Parcel. FLRA will build and donate to the borough an 11,000-square foot space to accommodate a three-screen cinema, as well as a 2,000-square foot public space that may be used for a historical museum. Tucker declines to comment on the litigation or on the agreement details.

“The reality is that they are two separate projects,” with Tucker building mixed-use and FLRA a resident project, Tucker says. Martha Washington Way separates the two parcels, and the developers will cooperate on common issues, he says. “This accord is the product of an arduous negotiation which delivers substantially the program which the borough proposed, but with even more public space and more amenities, in exchange for a somewhat greater density of development,” said Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich, who helped create the agreement, according to the agreement announcement.

“The mayor and other officials were important to making this a win/win,” Tucker says. Tucker Development also is developing two projects in Newark, including the Courtyard by Marriot and ground floor retail adjacent to the Prudential Center.

The borough will amend the Redevelopment Plan for Redevelopment Area 5 to reflect the agreed upon programs proposed by Tucker and FLRA. Neither developer will receive municipal subsides, tax abatements, payments in lieu of taxes or any other form of financial support from the borough.

http://www.tuckerdevelopment.com/announce.asp?NewsID=90

[Mike Nelson]

5. The panel doesn't seem to believe...

...Christie's denials. Six top aides knew and he didn't - they think it's not plausible. I get the feeling they think someone will get immunity and squeal. I do, too.

[MoonRiver]

28. Time for these little guys to start talking!

[Voice for Peace]

52. NSA picking something up

[alfredo]

32. That was the reason for one aide pleading the 5th. He's trolling for immunity.

[flamingdem]

40. good, underlings like him

singin like canaries to stay out of the slammer

[alfredo]

48. Scare the crap out of the lackeys, and they will talk. Of course if they are more

afraid of Christy than prison, they won't.

[Voice for Peace]

53. Little Shop of Horrors

This picture reminds me of somebody and somebody

"Ocean City's 'Little Shop of Horrors' cast meets giant, man-eating star"

[alfredo]

59. Feed Me!

[Trekologer]

42. Technically the individual who invoked the 5th wasn't an aide

He was a Christie appointee to the Port Authority of NY and NJ, a bi-state agency which runs the bridges and tunnels between NJ and NYC, the area airports (including Newark, JFK, and LaGuardia), the PATH train, bus terminals, the seaports, and the World Trade Center.

[alfredo]

47. Thanks. Anyway his pleading the 5th doesn't do Christy and favors.

[VanillaRhapsody]

56. He is not just trolling...he outright ASKED for it!

He is the guy that has the goods....and he is the guy currently facing possible jailtime...he is looking to do any time...at the very least in a cushy White Collar crime facility....He is asking because he has capital to spend on what his life is like in the next few years!

[alfredo]

58. The worst that could happen is getting a cell with Christy.

Christy would need to take the bottom bunk.

[NBachers]

55. Which Rat Fink will get down first?

[A-Schwarzenegger]

6. WOW.

Kornacki just came up with a brand-new theory on the motivation for the closure. A BIG LAND DEVELOPMENT PROJECT in FORT LEE that could have been undermined by the closed lanes... Way too complex for me to explain but we will hear more about it.

[Ilsa]

7. The financing, everything about it is complicated.

I got distracted part of the way through. I'm a little lost about all of the nuances of what is happening with this. It's a billion dollar deal.

My first reaction: Another lawsuit from the developers if the deal goes south or if the financing suddenly gets more expensive due to perceived risk.

On edit: I wonder if someone was trying to sour the deal to cheapen the land to make a higher profit for someone who "saves" it, like a Donald Trump, and then gets the lanes open for it.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

9. "Without those lanes it is not a billion dollar project any more..."

[Ilsa]

13. Yes, and check my edit that I added just as you replied... nt

[lindysalsagal]

37. The expert calle the bridge an asset. So by closing the bridge with traffic, the asset is devalued,

and then the investors get cold feet. The poject falls and as you said, someone else gets the opportunity to run in and have it.

Now, THAT's a motive that makes sense to me. Punishing mayors over indorsements or even legislators over appointees doesn't explain why thousands of regular people were stranded in traffic.

But a big investment/development project is. It certainlly is.

Watching that this morning with local jersey experts coing out on tv made total sense: They're watching the coverage and decided to help us get to the real heart of it: MONEY.

[malaise]

15. Who won which big for this project

Who was muscling in?
makes sense - always follow the money

[Laura PourMeADrink]

29. That's what I am trying to understand. This is Area 5 and there are two

parcels east and west...both can have access to GW entrance (3 lanes) - upping the value of each.

the West Parcel (Tucker Development) was in the midst of trying to get financing and traffic issues could hinder this.

the East Parcel was developed by someone else - and Tucker sued Ft Lee saying they weren't picked fairly.
http://www.07020.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9413
don't know if this has anything to do with anything - but it is interesting.

What I don't get is...why would Christie want Tucker Development to fail? Best I can tell - they've been buddies in past - with he and Booker praising development in Newark.

Booker heaped thanks on the developer, Richard Tucker, but also credited his partnership with Christie for helping to usher in much of Newark’s economic development boom.

“It happened because I have a governor who put partisanship aside, stood by this city and delivered for us. We’re seeing it today,” Booker said.

Christie returned the praise, saying he looked forward to working with Booker when he takes office in the U.S. Senate.

http://www.nj.com/essex/index.ssf/2013/10/booker_and_christie_bond_over_groundbreaking_of_newark_shop-rite.html

SO...why would Christie want a project of Tucker's (which there is no evidence he was against) to fail?

[Voice for Peace]

54. the mob wanted it.

[flamingdem]

41. Remember the Mayor of Fort Lee saying that they are a progressive city in NJ

-- and very successful in their redevelopment efforts -- he pointed to the idea that this bothered the Repukes and others talked about those who wanted to take Fort Lee down a notch

[malaise]

8. This is another Oh shite moment - shaking my head big time

On with more on that now - follow the money.

Dayum!!!!

[A-Schwarzenegger]

11. Yep... this rings truer than Rachel's theory (to me)...

$$$

[malaise]

12. THey may all be connected

because the billion dollar redevelopment project would benefit all representatives and Fort Lee.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

14. Youre right.... power, $$$, politics, land...

[malaise]

17. Bids bids bids as suggested

Who was demanding a piece of the pie?

[Skidmore]

16. This makes the most sense.

Follow the money. Rs are all about money.

[George II]

21. I don't think two lanes closed down for a few days or week...

...is going to "undermine" a land development project of that magnitude.

I think they've run out of blockbusters so they're now fishing for new dirt. Kornacki has to realize that this isn't Watergate and he's not Bob Woodward.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

23. See the Christie presser earlier in December

in which he posits that Fort Lee "might" deserve one lane,
but certainly not more than that. Why go to insulting Kornacki?

[avebury]

24. I agree. Christie seemed to imply

that the number of lanes for Ft Lee might be reduced which would impact the redevelopment deal. Christie's news conference directly links the political payback angle. He was really stupid to go in that direction because it feeds right back into the story if it does relate to the redevelopment deal.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

25. And the reason these alternative theories resonate

is that the payback-to-the-mayor-for-not-endorsing-Christie theory
seems so absurd, childish, not worth the risk. But these
idiots just might have been so stupid with power that
they did pull this stunt for such a simple-minded motivation.
I think time will tell, and sooner than later.

[George II]

27. Insulting? Where?

[otohara]

38. Bob Woodward??

Besides Watergate what pray tell has he done since that's worthy of high praise? His books on Bush were cringe-worthy and pro-war.

Steve Kornacki worked for the "got it" guy in Christie's administration.

[nenagh]

33. I heard exactly that from Christie... Fort Lee might deserve one lane only..

I think Christie may be able to prove that if Fort Lee is cut to one lane that commuter traffic from farther out in the country than Fort Lee would get to the bridge faster (IIRC, maybe up to 4 minutes)

Then, if Christie cuts Fort Lee lanes permanently he is giving greater access/speed to the outer areas... and probably would get their votes..

rather, similar to Rob Ford who gets his votes mainly from outside the downtown Toronto area.

[NJCher]

50. right-o

The guy has done excellent work. He has a new fan here.


Cher

[NJCher]

26. maybe it was just a "little demonstration"

I don't think two lanes closed down for a few days or week...

Maybe those lane closures were just a "tweet:" Look what we can do to you!"

Unfortunately for them, it blew up in their faces and it showed the capos on Christie's team what they couldn't do to them.


Cher

[Laura PourMeADrink]

35. thinking the same -- but -- christie was for one lane onto GW -- so why

would he create a demonstration that would surely prove himself wrong?

I still think the key here is to figure out what the Mayor did wrong. Because it is a given that they wanted to get retribution against the little serbian.

On the flip side, why would Christie was to potentially harm the Tucker Development - can't find any evidence he was against them in any way.

don't think anyone has gotten there yet...but it will happen. so exciting.

[starroute]

43. The thing about Jersey is that everything is interconnected

My aunt was peripherally involved in New Jersey politics when I was a kid -- and though I never knew the details, I definitely got the impression that it was very small-town-y. Everybody knew everybody and had for years, and there were grudges that went back for decades.

To take one current example, State Senator Loretta Weinberg -- who features in Maddow's theory of events -- was Corzine's running mate in 2009 and was hammering Christie pretty hard about his past improprieties. Does that figure into what's happening now? I think in some way it's got to, if only to the extent of coloring other motivations and attitudes.

The bottom line here is that it may be impossible to pinpoint one single cause. State politics is a unified system, where moving one piece affects all the others, and politicians are always looking for an optimal course of action that will reward their friends and settle old scores at the same time.

Especially in this case, it seems unlikely something as risky as this lane-closing stunt would have been undertaken unless it seemed to promise multiple different payoffs. And that is something we should keep in mind.

[questionseverything]

44. you nailed it....

promise multiple different payoffs.

[NJCher]

49. yes, too delicious to resist

unlikely something as risky as this lane-closing stunt would have been undertaken unless it seemed to promise multiple different payoffs.

Also, a friend of mine keeps pointing out the lack of logic in Christie's decisions. This person is eminently rational, so of course he sees the world that way. He doesn't think Christie would do things this "dumb."

Based on what I've seen, Christie is not a logical thinker. He has, I think, an emotional basis for his decisions. That and some sort of twisted psychological basis as well.

This lane closure option, when it arose, must have been so appealing to Christie on a number of levels.


Cher

[bigdarryl]

18. As they say FOLLOW THE MONEY!!!

[malaise]

19. Kornacki's program has been excellent this morning

Love these new developments.
Can't wait for the new subpoenas tomorrow.
Should be another week of fun.
Will Samson resign??

Hope the Obama administration is on serious national security watch because men need a serious distraction right about now.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

20. Hmm, the mayor's brother is a real estate broker...

http://www.zillow.com/blog/2014-01-10/fort-lee-nj/

The Mayor has spearheaded development projects that he says will spur growth in what was a “tired” downtown Fort Lee. The centerpiece of Mayor Sokolich’s plans involves a one million square foot commercial development site at the former Hudson Light property. He called the $1 billion development project a key to Fort Lee’s continuing renaissance.

[malaise]

45. Interesting

[A-Schwarzenegger]

22. Developer secures financing for first phase of project in Fort Lee

http://www.northjersey.com/news/225457352_Developer_secures_financing_for_first_phase_of_project_in_Fort_Lee.html

[Grammy23]

30. The plot thickens. Some big things revealed on today's edition of UP.

It seems that , as some have suspected, there is more to this story than meets the eye. The story about the "billion dollar" real estate project complicates the story but gives more directions for the reasons why the Traffic Problem in Ft. Lee may have happened. Mr. Christie needs to face up to the fact that he has not been successful in swatting this pesky story away. This issue ain't going away....no matter how SAD he is that the incident happened.



Keep talking, Governor. We're all ears.

[NJCher]

31. boo hoo, show will not be re-broadcast

So sorry I missed it. I was hoping it might be re-broadcast, but I checked all the schedules and nothing, zip, zilch, zero.




Cher

on edit: I do note that at Steve Kornacki's site, they put up 18-20" segments, so maybe they will put part of the show up.

http://www.msnbc.com/up-with-steve-kornacki

[alfredo]

34. You should be able to see the segment tomorrow on the UP site.

[beachbum bob]

39. we do know this was a "pay back" moment

we just don't know who the pay back was directed at. I have a hard time thinking it was related to mayor and I don't really believed it was anything to do with a development proposal, though that makes a little more sense the mayor...

Maddow still has a good theory in my view. Time will tell.

[starroute]

46. I'm also starting to wonder about Christie killing the Trans-Hudson Tunnel

There was something odd about that from the start -- and now I'm starting to think about it in terms of who would have benefited.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/11/nyregion/christie-stands-by-his-decision-to-cancel-trans-hudson-tunnel.html?_r=0

April 10, 2012

Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey defended on Tuesday his decision to cancel a train tunnel long planned to relieve increasing congestion across the Hudson River, saying it was a matter of principle.

Responding to a report by the Government Accountability Office that found he had overstated the cost of the tunnel to New Jersey, the governor also derided the tunnel plan, though he had said when he canceled the project in October 2010 that he believed in its merits. While the tunnel would have expanded the number of subway lines available to those who commute to Pennsylvania Station in New York City, he characterized it on Tuesday as a dead-end to a department store.

“So when they want to build a tunnel to the basement of Macy’s, and stick the New Jersey taxpayers with a bill of three-to-five billion dollars over — no matter how much the administration yells and screams, you have to say no,” he said in a speech at a conference on taxes and the economy in Manhattan held by the George W. Bush Institute.

“You have to look them right in the eye, no matter how much they try to vilify you for it, and you have to say no,” the governor told an audience that included Mr. Bush, Karl Rove and other prominent Republicans and business executives. “You have to be willing to say no to those things that compromise your principles.”

Rove's name really jumped out at me there -- because he urged Christie to run for governor back while he was still a US Attorney. During the 2009 campaign, Corzine's running-mate -- who was none other than State Senator Loretta Weinbarg -- was raising suggestions that it might have been a violation of the Hatch Act. And Christie's habit of messing with the processes for appointing judges in New Jersey is also reminiscent of Rove's strategy going back to the 1990s of making the courts more business-friendly.

It's easy to be paranoid about Rove -- especially since he's been staying out of the limelight lately while raising gazillions of dollars in dark money. But whether or not he's had a hand in Christie's actions, I do think we have to look at whether messing with Fort Lee could be part of a multi-year political strategy. The only question is -- why? What would Republican leaders and business executives have to gain from making it harder to get in and out of New York City?

[Laxman]

51. Kornacki's Theory Just Might Have Some Merit...

Understand just what the relationships between the Christie administration, real estate developers, Port Authority Chairman Samson, and his law firm are:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024322305

corruption and real estate development are never far from one another.

[flamingdem]

57. Kudos to Kornacki and

Maddow, great dot connecting going on.