POLICE UNION IMPLICATED IN BRIDGEGATE OWED HUNDREDS OF JOBS TO CHRISTIE

[kpete]

Source: NJ Spotlight

POLICE UNION IMPLICATED IN BRIDGEGATE OWED HUNDREDS OF JOBS TO CHRISTIE
MARK J. MAGYAR | FEBRUARY 18, 2014
Nunziato and Christie

Gov. Chris Christie won the loyalty of the Port Authority police union whose actions are under investigation in Bridgegate by guaranteeing that its rank-and-file would be in charge of security at the new Freedom Tower and by pushing a Port Authority police expansion that added hundreds of union jobs and dues-paying members.

Now the police union and its leaders are under investigation by both the Legislature and the Port Authority for enforcing the George Washington Bridge lane closures, telling disgruntled motorists to call Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich to make sure he knew the lane closures were aimed at him, and backing up the Christie administration’s cover story that the closures were part of a legitimate traffic study.

The police union’s enthusiastic role in the Bridgegate lane closures -- which were ordered by Christie Deputy Chief of Staff Bridget Kelly in apparent political retaliation against Sokolich for not endorsing Christie for reelection -- came nearly eight months after the Republican governor won the endorsement of the Port Authority Patromen's Benevolent Association President Paul Nunziato and his then-1,300 member union.

Read more: http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/14/02/18/police-union-implicated-in-bridgegate-owed-hundreds-of-dues-paying-jobs-to-christie/?p=all

[jsr]

1. "The police union’s enthusiastic role in the Bridgegate lane closures"

Says it all.

[Laelth]

2. k&r for exposure. n/t

-Laelth

[Javaman]

3. This is turning out to be the onion of investigations...

so many layers. the corruption doesn't seem to end.

[christx30]

58. The onion? Because it makes people cry?

I'd prefer to say that this is a parfait of investigations. Everyone loves parfaits!

[Javaman]

59. good one. :) nt

[Botany]

4. But Christie knew nothing

BTW typical republican act ..... cause the problem and then blame a democrat for
that very problem. aka "Call the Mayor of Ft. Lee" BTW part 2 this Hugh! If the
P.A. police were telling motorists to blame the mayor then this is a direct link back
to Christie's administration.

[Cha]

64. LOL.. I just finished a

big ol bowl.

According to one article I read.. they have the witnesses in the form of the very motorists whose lives the Christie admin was playing with those 4 days in September.. including 9/11.

[groundloop]

5. I can hear the GOPers now, using this as ammunition against unions.

[okaawhatever]

6. That was my thought too. The wall streeters probably have their azzes

covered, but the policemen and women won't. Arrrgghhhh.......Crap they should have started investigating the day a union backed a Republican. Should have known something was up.

[SunSeeker]

26. "they should have started investigating the day a union backed a Republican."

Yup.

[VanillaRhapsody]

36. You would be surprised how many Cops and Firemen are Republicans...

even though they are Union.

[SunSeeker]

39. The racism and sexism of the GOP does appeal to many of them.

Which brings me back to my original point. Any union member who votes for Republicans is dirty. Period.

[VanillaRhapsody]

41. I have a friend who is Fireman/Paramedic....we have had MANY arguments

about JUST this subject. They complain and complain about their salaries and benefits package...but you cannot convince them that it is the Republicans that are messing those up!

[okaawhatever]

43. Maybe you should suggest to your friend to look up how much firemen/paramedics make in

right to work states. Even for being unionized in a right to works state, there's a huge difference.

[VanillaRhapsody]

48. OOOH that is an excellent point! This particular friend is in Jax Fla....

Apparently he is even the least bigoted at his station....and his beliefs are stomach churning. I finally had to stop talking to him because his view on guns (even in light of his job) was just too much to bear. Hearing him and having him tell me he is afraid his friends at work will discover that he is not "as rightwing" as they are...just gave me nightmares.

[rustbeltvoice]

50. There is a prevailing police mentality..

that is punitive, and i can go further, but you get the gist. There is no reason to be surprised that police are often Republicans. Most police have no problem coming down on labor in a protest. Recently in Ohio, Governor Kasich pushed for Senate Bill 5, the Cleveland police union president encouraged members to go and protest at the Capitol building, he did admit supporting Kasich over Governor Strickland a couple of months before. It is not unusual for Republicans to be against unions, and other sorts of things supported by most Democrats, UNTIL they get personally bit in the ass.

[Kelvin Mace]

7. And Bill Maher claims this is all nonsense

and the Christie will emerge from the scandal stronger than ever.

Apparently all the weed smoking is causing him to confuse Chris Christie with Obiwan Kenobi.

[WinkyDink]

17. Or his next network made him an offer .....

[kimbutgar]

21. Bill Maher is probably personal friends with Chrispie creep

Maher is also from New Jersey.

[VanillaRhapsody]

38. No they are not...that is ridiculous...

Is Chris Christie personal friends with Bruce Springstein too?

[Kelvin Mace]

45. He's tight with Ann Coulter

which I have never understood.

[kidgie]

49. Apparently they dated for a brief period.

[Kelvin Mace]

54. How could anyone date someone

with that black a soul?

[kidgie]

55. because he doesn't believe in souls.

[whathehell]

61. ..or because his is as black as hers. n/t

[navarth]

24. Not what I heard him say at all...

Last week he said Christie is '350 pounds of toast'.

I watch him every week, usually agree with him, not always.

When did you hear him say this?

[Kelvin Mace]

44. On his blog

linked below.

I missed the "350 pounds of toast" remark from last week.

However he seems inconsistent:

http://www.politico.com/story/2014/01/bill-maher-chris-christie-bridge-scandal-miley-cyrus-102195.html

The HBO show host said Tuesday’s TV coverage was further proof of Christie’s benefit from the controversy.

“All I saw was every network covering Chris Christie’s State of the State speech. When did you ever see networks cover a governor’s state of the state speech? He’s just a bigger star than ever right now,” Maher said.

Maher also thinks the episode could play well with the Republican base.

“I also don’t think that this is going to be a scandal that is going to affect him negatively with the people in his own party. He keeps saying ‘I’m not a bully.’ Sure he’s a bully, and that’s what they like about him,” Maher said. “If he is not a bully, who is he? He is just [Sen.] Lamar Alexander. They’re always looking for a bully in that party.”

I think Maher is missing the high incriminating political corpses that may be unearthed by Christie's scandal

[navarth]

57. I wouldn't worry

He might have said that Tuesday but I think Bill will skewer him from now on.

[SunSeeker]

27. Link?

[Kelvin Mace]

42. Here you go

sorry, should have provided one:

http://www.real-time-with-bill-maher-blog.com/index/2014/2/14/msnbc-ya

[SunSeeker]

46. Poor Bill, if only MSNBC would feature Playboy models, maybe he'd still be interested.

Maher can be quite the douchebag at times.

Seriously Bill, Bridgate is like Benghazi? Except that one was a made-up scandal and the other was an intentional stoppage of traffic for a week on our nation's busiest bridge for no other reason than illegal political retribution by the administration of the GOP's leading contender for 2016. Yeah, nothing to see here. Move along.

[dixiegrrrrl]

33. When did he say that???

Link????
I watch him every week and I see him poking at Christie all the time, have never heard him say the investigation, and etc. were nonsense.
Where did you hear that????
I don't belive it until I see it.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

37. Here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024516896

[Kelvin Mace]

40. From his blog

It's Valentine's Day, and I cannot go on any longer living a lie. MSNBC...we need to talk.

Whatever we had is not working any more. You're obviously interested in another man: Chris Christie. You're obsessed with him. So I wanted you to hear it from me first. I'm going to start seeing other news organizations. I'll miss what we had. It was a rocket ship ride. We were both passionate flaming liberals and we didn't care what the world thought of us. It was a glorious time. We finished each other's Sarah Palin jokes. But now we never talk about any of the things we used to talk about: global warming, gun control, poverty... All because Chris Christie came along and put you under his spell.

Look at yourself. You're turning into Fox News. Bridgegate has become your Benghazi, and this isn't easy to say, but you and I are no longer on the same news cycle. Sure, you read me the results of a recent Gallup poll, but you never really ask me how I'm feeling. It's not you, it's... Chris Christie.

You've stopped leaning forward. Look, I'm no good at being noble, but it doesn't take much to see that the problems of three little lanes of traffic don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. You're a young news channel. You'll meet other viewers. It's for the best. You can focus on your career. And we can still be friends. We'll always have Obamacare.

Here's looking at you, kid.

http://www.real-time-with-bill-maher-blog.com/index/2014/2/14/msnbc-ya

[KansDem]

8. You know, this makes one wonder how much of this kind of shit goes on everyday...

...across the United States. Just how corrupt are American institutions?

[dixiegrrrrl]

30. the rot is very very widespread

and has been going on for at least 15 years..plenty of time for it to be a norm.

[geek tragedy]

9. when does his pal RICO show up? nt

[marias23]

10. Huey Long is smiling

Christie is brilliant. Can you imagine what would happen if we let him loose with federal police forces.

[flamingdem]

12. The USA would start to resemble Mexico and

Paraguay!

[Scuba]

11. Spin alert: the word "union" is overused, perhaps not even germane, in this article.

The fact the jobs were union jobs doesn't make this a union conspiracy.

[groundloop]

13. Explain that to the media

Of course you're correct, but the media along with their GOPer owners will grab onto this and it instantly becomes a nationwide story of union corruption.

[AtheistCrusader]

15. Hardly matters in this day and age.

Nuance, my friend, that's how headlines are made.

[catbyte]

14. I don't know know how the PA interacts with NY & NJ, but how could Christie guarantee

Freedom Tower jobs if it's in Manhattan? Does NJ have jurisdiction over all PA locations? I thought NY was involved too.

[Beacool]

16. This guy is such a sham.

"The Port Authority police union’s backing was the second major labor endorsement Christie lined up as part of his campaign to convince national Republican leaders that he could pull in votes from organized labor and other traditional Democratic constituencies, such as African-Americans and Hispanics, if he ran for the White House in 2016. The first major union endorsement came the month before from the Laborers International Union of North America led by Ray Pocino, whom Christie had appointed to the boards of both the Port Authority and the New Jersey Turnpike Authority."

He geared his entire reelection, not toward the citizens of NJ, but to boost his presidential aspirations.

Like Bill Maher said, "Chris Christie is 350 pounds of toast".

[lindysalsagal]

18. The police and firemen in my town are directly connected to elected officials, as well.

It all stinks, but it distracts us from the multinational corruption called the Koch brothers, and others.

[IAmKirak]

19. Franky, the union workers get what they deserve.

I hope the leadership goes down in flames.

[A Simple Game]

22. So what do you think they deserve? Other than endorsing Christie what did they do wrong?

Do you really think the union members made any of the decisions to close the lanes or blame the mayor? Those are management decisions. Rank and file just do as they are told.

[Plucketeer]

31. I think you misunderstood the troll

He said that union members named FRANKY were to get what they deserved. And how many union workers go by "Franky"?

[A Simple Game]

47. So it's worse than I thought, they are picking on individual members. n/t

[IAmKirak]

56. I think the members should vote out theirs current leadership.

I think they should take their union votes a as seriously as their political votes. I think they should reject any leadership or political candidate with a hint Blue Doggery.

As to what they deserve? Well, when you back a teabagger, which Christie is, I guess they can expect collective bargaining repealed, or pensions stolen.

Choices have consequences.

[A Simple Game]

60. I don't disagree with regard to the union leadership, it may be bad and probably is.

But the problem mentioned in the OP is that the rank and file of the union are getting blamed for management decisions, or do you think the union just decided on it's own to close the lanes leading to the bridge and blame it on the mayor?

As for union leadership, often you get who is willing to run, it is often a thankless job.

[Tom Rinaldo]

20. I'm Pro-Union and of course I know some unions go bad

I'm pro-Democratic Party and of course I know some Democratic elected officials go bad. I'm sure even the most rabidly Pro-Business Republicans concede that some Business owners go bad also. That's why we have a criminal justice system, among other things.

[Le Taz Hot]

23. Great. Fodder for the anti-unionists. n/t

[Fred Sanders]

25. Police should not be able to unionize for the same reason the military is not allowed to unionize.

[SunSeeker]

28. EVERY worker should be allowed to unionize. We are not a fiefdom....yet. nt

[Ed Suspicious]

29. +1

[Dustlawyer]

32. In Texas, Rick Perry and Texas AG and Gubanatoral candidate Greg Abbott alternate

speaking at the annual convention of a police association (18,000 members in Tx.). Democrats need to try to make overtures to these groups if we expect to be able to march and protest in the future. Most cops are Republican because Democrats never try. I suspect that law enforcement will be the most surprised when the Repugs come for their unions. They may be last on the Republican's list of unions to crush, but they too are on the list!

[DallasNE]

34. America Runs On Corruption

So this should shock nobody. Money corrupts absolutely so follow the money. It is why regulation is so necessary. You need to criminalize corrupt activity. As it is everybody walks. Just look at banking and how none of the executives have even lost their jobs let alone served jail time. Fining the shareholders will not stop the criminal activity -- even when the fine is $16 billion. Lock them up. It is the only answer.

[saidsimplesimon]

35. Thank you kpete

The UAW missed an opportunity to shine in the south. The leadership of the UAW needs an attitude adjustment along with new leadership. (imho) There I said it, a lifelong supporter of what unions can do to support the working poor.

Money is not the only way to power.

[libodem]

51. Ya never know

When your own personal human pile of Brownshirts will come in handy.

[musiclawyer]

52. I work with police management

They come from union. But they get in management not because they are the best and brightest cops. Like politicians.
None of this should be surprising. Cops love fiefdoms and big budgets and they acquire them through political connections and criminalizing drugs.

Next time you vote for sheriff, or police chief, ask him or her if he is or has been social with other local politicians. If they say no, that is a mark in their favor ....

If they don't vote republican that's even better.

[Dawson Leery]

53. Not suprising. Cop "unions" are of the most corrupt.

Last edited Tue Feb 18, 2014, 09:34 PM - Edit history (1)

I am in favor of banning all union representation for anyone who has enforcement authority.

[Cha]

63. Oh but, whine whine.. msnbc is spending too much time on

Christie Well tell the Christie admin they shouldn't have been so fooking corrupted then.

delish.. love the exposure of all their scamming bullshit. Really, how could the Christie admin pulled off Bridgegate without the PA police?

And, do ya think the PA police union will have to give up their sweet gig when all is exposed?

thanks kpete~