General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCNN exclusive: Port Authority job created for Christie ally, source says
By Steve Kastenbaum and Chris Frates, CNN
(CNN) -- Give him a position at the top of the agency; he's a good friend of the governor.
That's how David Wildstein was introduced to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in 2010, according to a former employee with extensive knowledge of the agency's hiring practices.
Soon after, Wildstein was named the director of Interstate Capital Projects, a title that previously had not existed at the bi-state agency...Wildstein catapulted into the national spotlight with his response to the infamous e-mail from New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's aide: "Time for some traffic problems in Ft. Lee," Bridget Kelly wrote. Wildstein responded, "Got it."
A former Port Authority employee told CNN that agency officials were told in 2010 they had to find a place for WIldstein at the executive level and the directive was coming from Christie's office. Soon after, the position was created specifically for WIldstein. When Wildstein started, Deputy Executive Director Bill Baroni, Christie's top appointee at the agency, introduced him to people as a good friend of the governor.
CNN examined documents from the Port Authority showing the names, titles and salaries of nearly 7,000 employees. The reports show that prior to Christie's first term in office there were four people working in the deputy executive director's office, the highest position on the New Jersey side of the agency. When Christie came into office the number increased to six. The documents show that Wildstein's position was created in May 2010...several current and former employees at various levels of the Port Authority who did not want their names used, told CNN it was assumed that when David Wildstein was involved in any discussions at the agency, the information was being passed back to Christie's office.
- more -
http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/16/politics/christie-wildstein-port-authority/index.html
High School Baseball Coach Says Christie, Wildstein Did In Fact Travel In The Same Circles
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024323343
Rockefeller: Port Authority Gave 'Zero Evidence' Of Legitimate Traffic Study
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024341313
ProSense
(116,464 posts)Ikonoklast
(23,973 posts)ProSense
(116,464 posts)Cha
(297,186 posts)herding cats
(19,564 posts)They were promised power & wealth and all they're getting is scorn and subpoenas.
Ikonoklast
(23,973 posts)MADem
(135,425 posts)I'll bet Mister Make-Job did the homework for the Big Man on Campus...!
herding cats
(19,564 posts)sheshe2
(83,750 posts)but, but, but.....Christie said he barely knows him!
Surely you don't think CC was fibbing, ProSense?!
Spazito
(50,326 posts)instead of just creating a position for someone he 'hardly knew', lol.
Christie's lies are being shown as lies so quickly even his new high priced legal team will be hard pressed to cover them. Love it.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)what goes on at the PA. Yet this from the CNN piece:
Follow-up on Christies Half-owned Nonprofit: The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024329168#post3
Spazito
(50,326 posts)outrageous, easily proven lies. His ego has overtaken any smarts he has, imo. He really does believe he is above the law and not subject to any scrutiny.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)"Yep, it is almost breathtaking the hubris with which he has lied...outrageous, easily proven lies."
...the point made here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024336956
Spazito
(50,326 posts)The one I'm also very interested in is Samson, the board chair of the Port Authority now that it looks like he is going to receive a subpoena. Will he throw away a lifetime of building his reputation, law firm, etc., to protect Christie or will he, in the end, cooperate with the investigations and tell all. He, too, is a Christie appointee to the PA, just like Wildstein.
Gonna get even more interesting in the coming weeks for sure!
ProSense
(116,464 posts)"If Wildstein gets immunity, it will get VERY interesting..."
...you know he covered his ass:
It was Bridget Kelly ("They are the children of Buono voters."
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024316517
Liberal_in_LA
(44,397 posts)ProSense
(116,464 posts)winstars
(4,220 posts)Put this in LBN also, but is worth putting it here too. Sorry if I am wrong...
Al Pacino explains to Donnie:
"This is David Wildstein, he is a friend of mine:
Or was he "a friend of ours"???
ProSense
(116,464 posts)New Jersey State Assemblyman John Wisniewski, the leader of the committee charged with investigating New Jersey Governor Chris Christie in the wake of the bridgegate scandal, said he will not rule out subpoening Christie during an interview on All In Thursday.
We need to get to the bottom of a very simple question: What possessed Bridget Kelly to say Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee? So we need to know what was the conversation before it You had to have had a conversation before to understand what it meant. What was that conversation and who was it with? Thats what were going to try to find out.
Asked if he was expecting a protracted legal battle, Wisniewski told Hayes, Im hoping that we dont have one.
<...>
Wisniewski said the committee would not rule out subpoenaing Christie, but said its premature.
- more -
http://www.msnbc.com/all/christie-subpoena-not-ruled-out
Christie Created Wildstein's Exec-Level Position at the Port Authority UPDATED 20 Subpoenas w/Names
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/01/16/1270232/-Christie-Created-Wildstein-s-Exec-Level-Position-at-the-Port-Authority
flamingdem
(39,313 posts)He didn't have to make those statements regarding Wildstein, he really stepped in it! Plus, others in the circle will/can attest to their relationship.
That manner of thinking makes the idea of an affair with the woman who got the loan and cush job is entirely possible.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)ProSense
(116,464 posts)By KATE ZERNIKEJAN
TRENTON As the New Jersey Assembly voted unanimously on Thursday to authorize an investigation into abuses of power by Gov. Chris Christies administration, Mr. Christie seemed to be maneuvering against the inquiry, hiring a high-powered defense lawyer and resisting questions about whether he would cooperate with the Legislatures efforts.
The investigative panel created by the Assembly issued subpoenas to 17 individuals and three organizations that members believe may be able to answer why Mr. Christies deputy chief of staff gave the signal to close lanes onto the George Washington Bridge in September in an act of political punishment.
Mr. Christies administration announced that it had hired Randy M. Mastro, a longtime associate of former Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani of New York City, to conduct an internal review and cooperate with the investigation announced last week by the United States attorneys office into the lane closings, which gridlocked emergency vehicles, commuters and school buses in Fort Lee, N.J., for four days.
But while the statement said that Mr. Mastro would also assist with other appropriate inquiries, it left unsaid whether Mr. Christie intended to cooperate with the Legislature. When asked directly whether the governor considered the legislative inquiries appropriate, a spokesman for the governor, Colin Reed, declined to answer. I have nothing to add beyond the statement, he said.
- more -
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/17/nyregion/christie-bridge-inquiry.html
Lex
(34,108 posts)with any of this. I read too fast for my own good sometimes.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) sought to bolster the confidence of Republican donors in his state Thursday, assuring them that his embattled administration would "get through" the scandal surrounding lane closures on the George Washington Bridge in September.
Christie made the comment at a fundraiser in Mountain Lakes, N.J. for former Republican Senate candidate Steve Lonegan, who is now running for a seat in the House. Lonegan said Christie "calmly" told the donors that "we will get through this," according to ABC News.
Its unfortunate, it was a mistake, it was obviously upsetting, Lonegan recalled Christie saying, as quoted by ABC News. He said we have 1,400 days in this administration and lots of challenges for the governing of this state and we will continue to move ahead and those successes over time will overshadow all this negativity.
<...>
For his part, Lonegan, Christie's one-time gubernatorial rival, dismissed the scandal itself as mere partisan politics.
Its just theatrics, he told ABC News. This governor is confident, you can tell from his demeanor. He was saddened by having to let key people go, but he didnt know about this and it was one of these unfortunate instances, but it will be behind us and every day its going to fade and fade. They can have all their bogus investigations and their hearings, but it is all political theatrics.
- more -
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/christie_reassures_donors_we_will_get_through_bridge_scandal
LOL!
rocktivity
(44,576 posts)If he reported directly to Governor Soprano, I guess he was a "made" member!
rocktivity
Blue Owl
(50,355 posts)n/t