Why did they really shut down the bridge traffic??

[kentuck]

I have heard several theories and none of them make sense to me.

I have heard the political retaliation argument and the real estate development argument. The argument that the Governor wanted to punish the Mayors that did not support him, etc, etc. But none of it ties together for me.

Why would someone want to tie up traffic on the busiest bridge in America or, maybe, the world? Who would benefit? Usually stories without a plausible understanding can be traced to the money trail?

But who?

What would have happened if there had been a terrorist attack when that happened? Was Homeland Security aware of this "incident"? Was it a national security matter?

Or is the Governor really such a petty operator that he would try to use the Port Authority funds to pay for a presidential run? Does his mind operate like the stereotypical "mobster" of New Jersey? Or are we to believe that is just the way politics is in New Jersey?

I find this whole story totally puzzling and difficult to remain interested in, sort of like Watergate.

[Berlum]

1. "Why did you and your Republicronies make America vulnerable to terrorism, Governor." - Homelanders

"Are we ever going to get a straight answer from you freaking RepubliWankers? Enough of your mendacious lying. Show some respect for America and the truth, for once in your gawdforsaken lives." - Homelanders

[arely staircase]

2. to be total dicks

about what specifically remains to be seen. could be the endorsement business. could be something else. we will find out eventually as they all turn on one another. but it was done out of a general spirit of dickishness that seems to be their bread and butter.

[yortsed snacilbuper]

3. "I find this whole story totally puzzling and difficult to remain interested in"

If you aren't interested in this story you must be a very incurious person!

I hope it stays in the news all year and ends with chri$tie in jail.

[kentuck]

8. I'll finish the sentence for you.

"... sort of like Watergate."

[warrior1]

4. I think it's Rachel's theory

To get back at the Senate leaders (democrats) who CC had just called a week before animals.


http://www.phillymag.com/news/2014/01/10/rachel-maddow-alternate-theory-christies-bridgegate-scandal/

By last August, Supreme Court Justice Helen Hoens, a Republican, was up for renomination. When state Senate Democrats signaled they would challenge Christie’s nomination, the governor said he wouldn’t renominate Hoens.

“I simply could not be party to the destruction of Helen Hoens’s professional reputation,” Christie said during an August press conference. “I was not going to let her loose to the animals.”

As Maddow pointed out, the press conference was the evening before Christie’s deputy chief of staff, Bridget Anne Kelly, sent an email requesting “traffic problems in Fort Lee” to David Wildstein, one of Christie’s top aides at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which runs the bridge.

What’s more, Fort Lee is represented by Sen. Loretta Weinberg, the state Senate Democratic leader.

snip
read the last paragraph at the link

[Adrahil]

7. I find this the most credible explanation. Nt

[LiberalEsto]

9. And to show the Democrats who is boss in NJ

It was a message that essentially said, mess with me and you'll be very, very sorry

[4bucksagallon]

30. It's still the most plausible story that I have heard.

[WinkyDink]

5. Extortion and revenge. There ya go.

[BlueStreak]

6. The original explanation is patently absurd for 2 reasons

1) Who would ever expect a DEMOCRATIC mayor to endorse a REPUBLICAN Governor? That's ridiculous. Even the most corrupt, partisan hack wouldn't expect that. It makes no sense.

2) Shutting down the bridge didn't hurt Fort Lee in the main. It mostly hurt people from the entire region who needed to PASS THROUGH Fort Lee on their way to Manhattan. Most of the people inconvenienced by the shenanigans have probably never even been to Fort Lee in their entire lives.

There is some other reason why Christie's people did this.

[LiberalEsto]

12. Christie wanted Democratic endorsements that he could wave in his presidential bid

and be able to claim, "See, both Republicans and Democrats in NJ love me."

[BlueStreak]

13. Not buying it.

Yeah, maybe he wanted some endorsements like that. But both the Governor and Mayor said they barely knew each other, and who gives a shit whom the Mayor of Fort Lee endorses? This is just not something that could rationally lead to this kind of retribution. There must be much more to the story.

[bettyellen]

21. Um, both your reasons have been well documented as incorrect

1) Christie pushed for a lot of Dem mayoral endorsements- and he got many. Trying to show he was getting bi-partisan support in order to bolster his position running for president. He was trying to show he could screw with a large proposed development there, that hes friends had been shut out of- and punish the senate leader who had rejected his judicial nominees. A three-fer for an area that had shown him some resistance.

2) It did hurt Ft Lee more than any place else- it actually helped commuters who were already on the highways feeding into Ft. Lee a bit, as they had increased access to the bridge. It tied up local street traffic in Ft Lee and surrounding towns that would normally be flowing 3X faster onto the bridge.


Not providing links, as there are literally hundreds that explain both- and none that support your points. Have you actually gone beyon skimming the headlines at all?

[kentuck]

24. But, if you follow the money...

it will take you straight to the PA (Port Authority). They are rolling in dough. And they just passed another increase in the tolls. Do we know where that money is going? Do we know where the $50 billion in Sandy Relief has gone or is going? Chris Christie must feel like King Midas?

[bettyellen]

25. sure he used the stick on Ft Lee, and the carrot - PA money and Sandy money in other communities...

I am wondering if, like in Hoboken, there was any attempt to get the PA involved in the redevelopment plan at the GW bridge? They are infamous for trying to "partner" in very big projects near transportation hubs. They end up paying no taxes - and cooking the books that they show no profit- so they don't give back "payments in lieu of taxes" either, and bleeding the community dry.
I know in Hoboken they have tried to start up huge projects before and someone (I think on the city council) tried to suggest they help with a feasibility study on the Rockefeller skyscraper (it is near the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel) that they were pressuring Zimmer to get behind. It is bizarre how the more corrupt pols around here try and get the PA hands on everything. Been like that for 20 years! They are flush right now w/ profits since the tolls went up so high.

[kentuck]

26. Let's see....

New Jersey. The Mob. Money. Politics. Favoritism. Payoffs. Criminals.

Naw!

[bettyellen]

27. Samson's law firm repped developers who did not get the bid for the FT Lee Project....

as well as the other builders for the proposed Hoboken project. The PA also funded a study done for Hoboken that ignored large parcels of Hoboken adjacent to the proposed skyscraper, basicallygiving all the marbles to Rockafeller and screw every body else laying in their shadow. It's a tiny town, they are trying to adhere to a plan that works for all 30 acres in question.

[bettyellen]

28. Interesting- just read the PA study for Hoboken recommended the area for "redevelopment"= 30 yr tax

abatements + ability to use imminent domain to purchase more properties VS "rehabilitation"- only 5 year tax abatements, no eminent domain. The city went with "rehabilitation" status, and is currently soliciting plans for the whole area, one of which the planning board shld approve
.
Also, apparently the Rockefeller group made an agreement with NJ Transit to add a light rail train station to this area, without ever consulting the city. Zimmer asked to see all docs on that.

This is all from yesterday's Hoboken Reporter.

[left is right]

10. "Why did they really shut down the bridge traffic??"

Because he thought he could get by with it. He is a mean. snake of a man; I don’t think he needs a real reason beyond it would screw with peoples’s life. In the case of the bridge closing, it would screw with a lot of lives—a double plus good for him

[Archae]

11. Crass, corrupt petty politics from a bully.

"My way or the highway," or "You're with us, or against us..."

[Cracklin Charlie]

14. I think the money angle might be a good place to look for an explanation.

Republicans have had severe money problems for at least the last two presidential elections. I think money problems forced John McCain to put Sarah Palin on his ticket. And I wonder what the 2012 Republican campaign may have looked like, had not Mitt Romney been independently wealthy. I think they've been having problems fundraising for all these years. Christy would need to raise LOTS of money before any presidential run.

If Christy would appropriate Hurricane Sandy money for his 2016 campaign war chest, and I believe he (they) did; then why wouldn't he take Port Authority money as well? The bridge closing scandal always seemed to me like a diversionary tactic, to take people's eye off the real scandal. How would New Jersey voters react to the news that their governor had misappropriated federal hurricane relief dollars?

I think it's about money.

[moondust]

15. General political mischief heading into an election?

Perhaps directed at constituents of both Sen. Loretta Weinberg over Supreme Court justices and Mayor Mark Sokolich over his non-endorsement, maybe assuming constituents would blame the Democrats? Political calculation being that the bigger his margin of victory in Blue Jersey the more attractive he would be in a Presidential race? "I can win blue states and win them BIG! I'm a shoo-in for President!"

There may be some significance to the fact that the the "Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee" e-mail was sent on Aug 13 but the lanes weren't closed until Sept 9, 10, 11, and 12. Christie & Co. may have figured commuters would blame it on fumbled 9/11 anniversary security and again blame "incompetent" Democrats going into the gubernatorial election, which Christie then won in a landslide on Nov 5.

In short, Christie's team knows they have some big money backers at Fox News and elsewhere and their chances of moving into the White House improve if they can show some real political muscle.

[iemitsu]

16. Yep, classic "war of attrition" techniques.

Make the enemy spend all their resources, putting out brush fires, and they can't fulfill the promises they made to the voters.
A wonderful strategy that "establishes" the inadequacy of those in charge and makes their subsequent lost elections seem a natural part of the democratic process.

[Stuart G]

17. I may be wrong, but I think time will tell the truth.

This story is like Watergate..it has lots of legs and aspects to it. It is not just the bridge, but the misuse of money, and extortion, misuse of governmental power, cover up and more....

Watergate was not just about the break in, but the cover up, and money raised to cover up. Also, missing evidence, meetings about illegal activities..etc.

If it were just the "bridge closing" and not telling the truth about it, maybe that would be a thing Christie could survive from. But it is not just about the bridge closing, it is more than that. And I believe like Watergate, it will not go away. There are too many people in this story. Too many that could go to "jail" that might make deals to avoid "JAIL"

this play has a large number of acts.. Who Knows???

good show though...

[kentuck]

19. I agree.

There may some embezzlement involved also, with the huge sums of money the Port Authority is taking in?

On edit: It may go all the way to the leadership of the National Republican Committee?

[Cracklin Charlie]

20. I read an article here at DU

I think it said that (at that point) the only subpenas that had been issued were for the RNC, and some lawyer guy, who was quietly fired in December, from his position in, I think it said, responsibility for the accounting of the hurricane recovery funds. Appointed by Christie.

I'm gonna go back and look for it.

[kentuck]

18. Could this have something to do with it?

http://nypost.com/2013/11/30/port-authority-bridge-and-tunnel-tolls-go-up-sunday/

<snip>
Get ready to pay more when you use Port Authority bridges and tunnels between New York and New Jersey.

The third of five scheduled annual toll hikes is scheduled to go into effect on Sunday.

Cars bearing E-ZPass tags will pay 75 cents more when they cross the George Washington, Bayonne and Goethals bridges and Outerbridge Crossing, or enter the Lincoln and Holland tunnels.

That makes the E-ZPass peak round-trip toll $11, with the off-peak toll at $9.

Cars paying cash will continue to pay $13.

.....more

==============

And how much money are we talking about here?? And who handles the money and who audits the money? How close are they to Chris Cristie?

Just guessing but I would say we are probably talking about hundreds of millions of dollars here?

[bettyellen]

22. Christie pushed that through very quickly, he is rewarding his pals at the PA that he installed to

do his bidding. Giving them a bigger war chest to work with. And part of his bidding was redirecting money that was to be used for the ARC tunnel, to communities where he was getting big support. And it appears he was doing the same with Sandy recovery money.

[kentuck]

23. Do you think?

Any of the money was being filtered for political purposes, perhaps to the RNC? Or promises to the RNC?

[bettyellen]

29. Sandy money for sure- to Belleville and East Brunswick. And it seems the PA was steering Hoboken to

designate the Rockefeller development area in a way that would give developers 30 year tax abatements, instead of 5 year abatements- and no shot at seizing properties though eminent domain. They also did not want to adhere to a master plan developed by the city, and wanted to just overdevelop their parcels and leave the other areas starved for business, too small to compete any time soon.
So, with the abatements- trying to screw over the citizens again, and help the developers at any cost.

Also, Sandy money went big to Haley Barbour connected clean up crew- and they were fired quiety for being inept. Hoboken had ratty old tow trucks from Alabama and Georgia towing hundreds of cars out. Now we know why. Up on MSNBC covered that this weekend..

[malaise]

31. 30 years tax abatements?

Freaking wow!!!

Thanks for this - shock doctrine indeed - all for the boys!!

[bettyellen]

32. Yeah sis, I just sent you the link....

I needed to know the deets of the study the PA was so KIND as to pay for to "help" a Hoboken out, LOL. Give Samson's clients a huge tax break.

I figured you might want to bookmark the Hob Reporter. The comments flesh out even more details. Good stuff.

Follow the local news here: http://hudsonreporter.com/pages/hoboken

[malaise]

33. Bookmarked it

Thanks

[bettyellen]

35. happy to share that... I KNOW you will make good use.

So Samson's lawyers' preferred developers were shut out of FT Lee and Hoboken.
And the loan approval for FT Lee dev was being considered the very week of the lane closings. They tried to f***k that deal up. Get another shot for their developer. Wonder if the PA helped with any "studies" there too?

[spanone]

34. political hubris....egos gone wild. power corrupts....all of the above?