Fort Lee Mayor Met Friday With Federal Prosecutors To Talk Scandal

[DonViejo]

Source: TPM

ERIC LACH – FEBRUARY 24, 2014, 5:41 PM EST

Fort Lee, N.J. Mayor Mark Sokolich met Friday with federal prosecutors who wanted to talk about the George Washington Bridge lane closures, Sokolich's attorney confirmed to TPM on Monday.

The meeting, which was first reported by The Wall Street Journal, was a voluntary one. In a statement, Sokolich's attorney declined to discuss details of his client's conversation with members of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the district of New Jersey.

"Since there is an ongoing criminal investigation, neither Mayor Sokolich nor I will comment on the substance of those discussions," attorney Tim Donohue wrote. "The Mayor is grateful for the efforts of the US Attorneys Office, and the Mayor and his entire administration will continue to cooperate fully with this investigation as well as the Select Committee's investigation."

Sokolich has been at the center of the bridge scandal from the start. The lane closures caused a massive, multi-day traffic jam in Fort Lee. The same week they began, Sokolich told a local columnist that he had begun to wonder if the closures were intended to send him "some sort of message." Democrats in the state have since suggested that the closures were retaliation against Sokolich's decision not to endorse Christie's re-election last year -- an allegation that has not been proven.

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Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/sokolich-prosecutors-meetings

[longship]

1. Apparently this is going to take some time.

And it's probably good that Sokolich is not talking about it. It will eventually come out anyway when Christie is frog-marched out of his office by federal marshals. (One can dream, can't one?)

R&

[DURHAM D]

2. This is really interesting.

I thought the Feds were only looking at misappropriation of Sandy money and leaving the bridge closing investigation up to the State of NJ.

[gussmith]

4. There's More

I hope it is just warming up - the investigation into 'pay to play'. The NJ Governor's mansion renovation fund is apparently a revolving door for cronyism, career enhancement and all sorts of contract shenanigans. A donation and the rewards are plentiful. Hope there is an investigation of this.

[diabeticman]

5. If I understand correctly the George Washington Bridge falls into interstate traffic since it is

between New York and New Jersey. I think this is how the Feds are getting involved in this. This could be BIGGER than the whole Sandy money thing.


Please correct me if I am wrong BUT with the way some of these laws are written since the Patriot Act couldn't this be considered a Terroristic act? I mean they did slow interstate commerce.

[DURHAM D]

6. The Feds do have oversight of the Port Authority but

according to my tv they had previously confined their work to Sandy. Part of the evidence for this limited action is that Bridget Kelly of Bridgegate fame has not received a subpoena from the U.S. Attorney.

Senator Rockefeller chairs the sub-committee over the PA.

[Gothmog]

3. This will be fun to watch

I am glad that the Fort Lee Mayor did not talk to Christie's attorney

[ReRe]

7. I am so ready for that bunch to be...

... cuffed and booked, already. Wish they would swoop in on each and every one of them all at one time, no matter where they are located. An old-fashioned raid.