GWB scandal: Fort Lee mayor now says Christie campaign courted him for endorsement

[George II]

Source: Bergen Record

Friday, February 7, 2014 Last updated: Friday February 7, 2014, 4:53 PM

BY MIKE KELLY STAFF WRITER

Governor Christie’s administration orchestrated an extensive campaign over two years that involved gifts to Fort Lee — including Port Authority funded shuttle buses, snow plowing, pothole repair and emergency radios — to convince the borough’s mayor to offer his endorsement of the governor during his reelection campaign, Mayor Mark Sokolich said in his most extensive comments to date on the George Washington Bridge scandal.

When Sokolich did not offer his endorsement, he says he was punished by paralyzing traffic jams at the bridge that were ordered by Christie’s appointees at the Port Authority during five days last September.

Sokolich’s comments, in a two-hour interview in his office Thursday night, represent his harshest criticism yet of the Christie administration — and the first time he has linked last September’s gridlock to his refusal to break from his Democratic party and endorse Christie, a Republican.

And while Sokolich said he was never told directly that Port Authority help was connected to Christie’s reelection, he said he came to see it as a quid pro quo.

Read more: http://www.northjersey.com/news/state/Fort_Lee_mayor_now_says_Christie_campaign_courted_him_for_endorsement.html

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More and more is coming out these days. This is a very interesting development! Some interesting revelations later on in the article, like this:

“I’ve been told to be nice to you,” Sokolich remembers Wildstein saying during that tour.

[Botany]

1. But Christie said that he and his administration didn't really know who Mayor Sokolich was.

Not only did Christie say that he never personally asked for such an endorsement from Sokolich, a Democrat, he added that “until I saw his picture last night on television, I wouldn’t have been able to pick him out of a line-up.

“I don’t remember ever meeting Mayor Sokolich,” Christie said at Thursday’s news conference. “Certainly, I never did in that context,” he said, referring to the rumored request for an endorsement.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2014/01/christie-says-he-couldnt-pick-fort-lee-mayor-out-of-a-lineup/

*****
the drip drip drip is gonna become a flood pretty soon

[Swede Atlanta]

2. This smells fishy.......

I saw Sokolich appear on Rachel Maddow several times and he claimed he was never asked for his endorsement.

Now he claims he was asked and offered a basket of goodies in exchange for his endorsement.

There are few possible explanations for this change.

(1) Sokolich suffered from amnesia and now remembers he was solicited
(2) Sokolich was never solicited
(3) Sokolich was solicited, he previously lied about it but something has happened recently that frees him to now tell the truth

This does not look good for the mayor.

I tend to believe the mayor but this looks very fishy indeed...

[George II]

3. I didn't see that interview, but one of the first things he said was that he WAS asked...

....for the endorsement. I'll try to find his first comments later tonight.

[Heather MC]

4. I only saw one interview where he said he was not asked LOL

Here is one interview where he never said one way or another if he was specfically asked
7:50 mark

This interview the subject of the endorsement is not brought up.
I thought he said on the Maddow show, during an interview where he was actually in the studio with her. but i guess I am remembering it incorrectly

[Voice for Peace]

10. I have the same recollection.. Rachel will likely catch it and clear it up

[Kelvin Mace]

6. I listen to Rachel every day

And the story seems to have gone from "I was never asked" to "I was never asked directly", to "I was asked".

Doesn't look good for our side to have these inconsistencies.

[another_liberal]

7. The fact remains the bridge lanes were closed for several days . . .

And there was no reason for that except as a form of reprisal against the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee. That he is now changing his story and admitting he was approached for an endorsement only testifies to how feared Christie's penchant for getting even with perceived enemies was.

[markpkessinger]

12. Correction: LOCAL ACCESS lanes (i.e., lanes leading to toll booths) were closed . . .

. . . NOT bridge lanes. I am seeing this error being repeated with increasing frequency.

[another_liberal]

16. Good catch.

By all means, lets be precise.

[Kelvin Mace]

14. That certainly is one explanation

and may be correct. However, it still weakens our arguments by creating contradictions in the story. I would prefer to leave the contradictory, ever changing explanations to the other side.

If I were sitting on a jury, this witness' credibility just took a hit.

[another_liberal]

17. I'm not sure how great this guy's credibility was to begin with . . .

And you are correct that it's definitely in the trash can now. I still believe, however, that his changing story is more indicative of the fear governor Christie generated in a whole host of lesser politicians and State employees. They don't call him a "bully" just because he bad-mouthed a reporter or two.

[Merlot]

11. Might be a similar situation as Hobokin Mayor Zimmer

She didn't come forward because CC was to popular and she didn't think anyone would believe her, and she didn't want to believe it herself. Mayor Sokolich (sp) may have reexamined the evidence now that the investigations are under way.

I'm curious as to why no one is following up the development deal at the end of the bridge. Even Mayor Sokolich mentioned that in is interview on Rachel Maddow as a possible reason.

[Kelvin Mace]

15. Mayor Zimmer's story has been consistent since day one

and other people have come forward to verify that she mentioned this conversation at the time it happened. She has also provided her diary for evidence Her story didn't start as denying something happened to claiming something happened.

Sokolich's story changed over time. Never a good thing when measuring credibility.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

18. You are reading way to much in to this and/or falling for the headline or Christie admin spin.

He is saying based on the totality of the situation and based on the released emails he now realizes it was a quid pro quo.

The Mayor has always acted with a bit of reluctance to come out and say unequivocally he was being punished.

From the link:

And while Sokolich said he was never told directly that Port Authority help was connected to Christie’s reelection, he said he came to see it as a quid pro quo after emails were made public last month indicating officials in the Christie office, the Port Authority and the governor’s campaign were disappointed with him.

- See more at: http://www.northjersey.com/news/state/Fort_Lee_mayor_now_says_Christie_campaign_courted_him_for_endorsement.html#sthash.HUL0trqA.dpuf

[Nancy Waterman]

21. Sokolich was scared of Christie

At least twice in interviews, he said he feared reprisals from Christie. I think that is why he wouldn't implicate him. Seems likely he is talking now because he thinks Christie has been defanged by all this controversy.

[neffernin]

5. Its these sorts of changing stories

that ruin legitimate cases.

[Merlot]

13. What matters is the evidence the investigations find

It really doesn't matter if CC and Mayor Sokolich agree or disagree as to what constitutes an endorsement.

[neffernin]

22. Very true

I can't help but feel that put on the stand he'd be asked why his opinion varied on such things and people (juries) would take his testimony less seriously.

Since its pretty obvious this was likely decided at the top levels of the Christie organization it would be great for some smoking guns to appear and not just witness testimony.

[soleft]

8. My hope is Rachel interviews mayor and asks pointedly

What's the deal? She's devoted so much time to pointing out every Christie inconsistency. I want to know why we haven't heard about these Wildstein encounters previously. It almost appears to be setting Wildstein up as independent actor.

[Babel_17]

9. Does he say he was asked to endorse?

It sounds like he was wooed but never directly asked to give his endorsement. It looks like he is laying everything out there. Or he is starting to do that.

Someone from the Governor's team asking if you agree that Christie is a dreamboat is not the same as being asked to provide an endorsement.

If I ask a woman I'm dating if she's having a good time it's not the same as asking her to share a bed.

"he believes that was his endorsement was being courted all along."

This is just context. Team Christie leaps into action and is trying to peddle a talking point.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

19. Exactly. I can't believe DUers are falling for Christie spin.

I guess that's how spin works.

[pocoloco]

20. Every group has it's 10 Percenters!

Maybe more than 10% here!