[NJ] Christie's office linked to bridge closings

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 1:54 pm

A top aide to Chris Christie told a Port Authority of New York and New Jersey executive that it was “time for some traffic problems” a few weeks before unannounced lane closings on the George Washington Bridge backed up miles of road in a town whose mayor didn’t endorse the governor.

Bridget Anne Kelly, deputy chief of staff for legislative and intergovernmental affairs, sent the message to David Wildstein, a Christie authority appointee on Aug. 13, according to e-mails obtained today. Wildstein, who ordered the closings, replied: “Got it.”

Christie, a Republican who may run for president in 2016, has said he had nothing to do with four days of tie-ups in September that froze traffic in Fort Lee, the New Jersey town that abuts the bridge to Manhattan. The governor’s opponents in the state and Washington have said the closings were orchestrated to punish a Democrat who didn’t break party lines to support the governor, who went on to defeat Democrat Barbara Buono by a 23 percentage-point margin.

Christie, who has said the morning rush-hour lane closings were for a traffic study, canceled an appearance this morning in Ocean County after the messages were revealed.

Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich protested the closings in a Sept. 12 letter to Bill Baroni, Christie’s top executive appointee at the authority. The letter, obtained under New Jersey’s Open Public Records Act, is marked “personal” and asks Baroni to reverse the action “quietly, uneventfully and without political fanfare.”

“We are reaching the conclusion that there are punitive overtones associated with this initiative,” Sokolich wrote. “What other conclusion could we possibly reach?”
...
In one message, Wildstein told Kelly that David Samson, Christie’s appointed Port Authority chairman, was “helping us to retaliate” for New York traffic officials’ easing of the jam on what would have been the fifth day. The Port Authority says the bridge is the world’s busiest span.

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 3:11 pm

Bridget Anne Kelly

Of course her name is Bridget.

I love how tens of thousands of citizens are just little chits on the road to be delayed at will for political gain. If I were mean spiritied, I'd say that the closings were actually to allow crews to reinforce the bridges because Christie planned to travel across them. If I were mean spirited.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 3:14 pm

I am kind of curious to see how this plays outside of the state. I think we all knew here for a while that it was payback but I don't think anyone believed a smoking-gun would be found. I mean, I guess he still has plausible deniability ("She did it on her own, I never told her to do that", etc...) but do people outside of the greater NY/NJ metro area really care?

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 3:21 pm

Smoove_B wrote:I am kind of curious to see how this plays outside of the state. I think we all knew here for a while that it was payback but I don't think anyone believed a smoking-gun would be found. I mean, I guess he still has plausible deniability ("She did it on her own, I never told her to do that", etc...) but do people outside of the greater NY/NJ metro area really care?

I care about anything that helps keep that turd in-state and out of DC.

I also care as an observer of extreme patronage in Illinois and Chicago. I'm curious how it works in other states and cities. And yes, he'll have plausable deniability all day long. Didn't he used to prosecute political corruption cases?

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 3:25 pm

Oh yeah. He's definitely someone that was "hard on crime", which makes it so bizarre that he would consider this. I mean, unless his ego is so gigantic at this point that he felt he was above possibly being caught but he never struck me as that type. If people were charged as terrorists for disrupting flights with sneaker bombs, I have to believe people are going to be frothing at the mouth to bring people up on charges as a terrorist for disrupting a public mass conveyance.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 3:26 pm

And if one of those ambulances stuck in traffic contributed to someone's death? Depraved or deliberate indifference charges at the very least.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 3:34 pm

Yeah, I'm just seeing that now in some of the local pieces. I'm sure people are going through all the records and looking for a single death or injury that occurred as a result of the delay.

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 3:36 pm

Smoove_B wrote:Yeah, I'm just seeing that now in some of the local pieces. I'm sure people are going through all the records and looking for a single death or injury that occurred as a result of the delay.

Put one chit back in the draw pile.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 3:42 pm

I always thought Christie had a tough road ahead without this scandal -- he can't control his mouth. I used to think it was a show but apparently it really isn't and his temper is going to be a big liability to him. Now without even digging very deep he is mired in a very ugly situation. This was so clumsy and ham-fisted that you have to wonder what you'll dig up if you actually go looking. Also I can't help but wonder why would people in his camp would burn this guy (Fort Lee mayor) on their own? The plausible deniability line doesn't work here IMO.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 3:44 pm

Smoove_B wrote:Yeah, I'm just seeing that now in some of the local pieces. I'm sure people are going through all the records and looking for a single death or injury that occurred as a result of the delay.

Some are already talking about how a search for a missing 4-year old was delayed.

PLW · Post by **PLW** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 4:00 pm

malchior wrote:
Smoove_B wrote:Yeah, I'm just seeing that now in some of the local pieces. I'm sure people are going through all the records and looking for a single death or injury that occurred as a result of the delay.
Some are already talking about how a search for a missing 4-year old was delayed.

You don't need to find some heartrending anecdote to know this stunt has cost Christie's constituents millions of dollars in welfare. From a recent study

Vehicle Occupancy: 1.25 persons per vehicle
Average Cost of Time ($2011) : $16.79 per person hour
Commercial Vehicle Operating Cost ($2011) : $86.81 per vehicle hour

Just do the math.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 4:09 pm

Fair enough and the whole thing is so preposterous that you can't believe it is real - on a whim a bureaucrat wondered how bad it'd be if two lanes were closed going into the GWB at rush hour. So on his own initiative he scheduled a secret traffic study on the first day of school? And kept it closed for no reason for 4 days? Anyone who has driven in that area knows how insane that is. Might as well close half the lanes on the 101 in LA or I-45 in Houston.

Lassr · Post by **Lassr** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 4:15 pm

LawBeefaroni wrote: I care about anything that helps keep that turd in-state and out of DC.

my thought exactly.

Jag · Post by **Jag** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 4:20 pm

This is a horrible abuse of discretion. Not that it doesn't happen all the time, but an example needs to be made of everyone involved.

SlapBone · Post by **SlapBone** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 4:31 pm

malchior wrote:Might as well close half the lanes on the 101 in LA or I-45 in Houston.

I-45 has open lanes?

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 4:36 pm

SlapBone wrote:
malchior wrote:Might as well close half the lanes on the 101 in LA or I-45 in Houston.
I-45 has open lanes?

When I visit Houston I occasionally approach highway speeds.

$iljanus · Post by **$iljanus** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 4:41 pm

From the NYT which has obtained e-mails of various involved parties:

Mr. Sokolich, who had not been informed of the closings, texted Bill Baroni, the governor’s top appointee at the Port Authority, asking for “help” because the lane closings were making children on buses late to school.

“Is it wrong that I am smiling?” Mr. Wildstein texted Ms. Kelly.

“No,” she texted back.

“I feel badly about the kids,” he texted.

“They are the children of Buono voters,” she said, referring to Mr. Christie’s Democratic opponent, Barbara Buono, who was trailing consistently in the polls and lost by a wide margin.

And let the children of Buono voters eat exhaust fumes!

Zarathud · Post by **Zarathud** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 4:47 pm

This scandal is everything the Republicans accused President Obama was accused with the IRS in the Tea Party scandal. Except there's a smoking gun and it affected people in their everyday lives.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 5:35 pm

On the national stage, it plays as a test: how will Christie handle a scandal in which he is clearly implicated?

The expectation is that he will blow his top or go for the unconvincing denial, persuading potential backers that he can't handle the stress and exposure of a primary and a national campaign.

Beyond that, the interest is that this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to dirty tricks. I don't follow NJ politics (even though I live right next door)--what say you, NJ? Is this how Christie governs?

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 6:21 pm

Cue the outrage:

The typically combative Christie, a leading GOP candidate for the White House, canceled his one public event Wednesday after the documents were released.

Hours later, he released a statement declaring that he was misled by his staffer and was unaware of what happened until seeing the documents Wednesday.

“What I’ve seen today for the first time is unacceptable,” said Christie. “I am outraged and deeply saddened ... this completely inappropriate and unsanctioned conduct was made without my knowledge.

“One thing is clear: this type of behavior is unacceptable, and I will not tolerate it because the people of New Jersey deserve better. This behavior is not representative of me or my Administration in any way, and people will be held responsible for their actions.”

Jag · Post by **Jag** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 7:04 pm

Jag · Post by **Jag** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 7:34 pm

http://www.northjersey.com/fortlee/GWB_ ... t_Lee.html

EMS responders on the increase in response time due to the bridge closure.

On Sept. 9, the first day of the traffic paralysis, EMS crews took seven to nine minutes to arrive at the scene of a vehicle accident where four people were injured, when the response time should have been less than four minutes, he wrote.

It also took EMS seven minutes to reach an unconscious 91-year-old woman who later died of cardiac arrest at a hospital. Although he did not say her death was directly caused by the delays, Favia noted that “paramedics were delayed due to heavy traffic on Fort Lee Road and had to meet the ambulance en-route to the hospital instead of on the scene.”

Emergency responders also were late in getting to a third medical emergency that first morning of the lane closures. It took Favia nearly an hour to arrive at a building where a person was experiencing chest pains “due to standstill traffic on Route 46 East. The Mutual Aid ambulance coming from Palisades Park and paramedics coming out of Leonia were also delayed due to the excessive traffic,” he wrote.

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 8:54 pm

He comes into my wife's work every Saturday. I told her it would be great if they locked all the doors except one so he had to squeeze through.

Honestly the guy is just bloody insane. He's a bully who will go to any lengths to get what he wants. I'd be terrified if he was president and I'm hopeful that this is a big blow to him running. I doubt it, but I can dream.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Thu Jan 09, 2014 10:30 am

I honestly had bought into his carefully managed image and thought he was a decent, no nonsense guy. Now I'm learning how wrong I was.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Thu Jan 09, 2014 10:32 am

The nation will get a chance to see exactly how it's handled at 11am this morning. It certainly doesn't look good for him and I have a hard time believing he didn't know exactly what is going on, but I guess we'll hear what he has to say.

JSHAW · Post by **JSHAW** » Thu Jan 09, 2014 10:40 am

I'll take a stab at what his response will be - deny, deny, deny....and he had no knowledge of anything at anytime having to do with any bridge
anywhere.

PLW · Post by **PLW** » Thu Jan 09, 2014 11:12 am

PLW wrote:
Vehicle Occupancy: 1.25 persons per vehicle
Average Cost of Time ($2011) : $16.79 per person hour
Commercial Vehicle Operating Cost ($2011) : $86.81 per vehicle hour
Just do the math.

Ohh, someone did the math for us. Approximately 90k hours, so at least $1.5 million (more, if you take into account that some of those are commercial vehicles).

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Thu Jan 09, 2014 11:31 am

JSHAW wrote:I'll take a stab at what his response will be - deny, deny, deny....and he had no knowledge of anything at anytime having to do with any bridge
anywhere.

"How can you hold me accountable for the actions of my hand-picked deputy and my department appointees? I am not they. They are not part of my administration..."

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Thu Jan 09, 2014 11:37 am

There's a difference though to being held accountable and being responsible for telling them to do it. He could survive by saying they did it on their own, and he doesn't condone it. He just has to be sure there is no email or text to the contrary.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Thu Jan 09, 2014 11:43 am

Oh, he can totally dodge the accountability for ordering it to be done and completely bring the hammer down on those visibly responsible. What I am having a hard time getting around is how he'll be able to somehow convince everyone that while this was going on for four days, he (1) had no idea and (2) didn't realize it was being being done as retribution and not some "traffic study" as suggested. He's the governor. I simply can't believe he wasn't aware of what was really going on. At best, he turned a blind eye. Worst? He was involved in helping it happen. Neither of those look good for him.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Thu Jan 09, 2014 11:54 am

Unless he gives those he's bringing the hammer down on a ton of cash or better jobs, I have a feeling we'll get a Snowden in one of them.

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Thu Jan 09, 2014 1:17 pm

hepcat wrote:Unless he gives those he's bringing the hammer down on a ton of cash or better jobs, I have a feeling we'll get a Snowden in one of them.

Anyone dismissed will no doubt have an immediate job offer from a private firm. Taking one for the team happens all the time.

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Thu Jan 09, 2014 1:32 pm

JSHAW wrote:I'll take a stab at what his response will be - deny, deny, deny....and he had no knowledge of anything at anytime having to do with any bridge
anywhere.

I guess he learned something from spending all that time with Obama after all.

noxiousdog · Post by **noxiousdog** » Thu Jan 09, 2014 1:35 pm

Rip wrote:
JSHAW wrote:I'll take a stab at what his response will be - deny, deny, deny....and he had no knowledge of anything at anytime having to do with any bridge
anywhere.
I guess he learned something from spending all that time with Obama after all.

I actually doubt he knew about it, however, to have aides that think this was a good idea on your staff makes you responsible and speaks to the culture.

JSHAW · Post by **JSHAW** » Thu Jan 09, 2014 1:46 pm

Watched his press conference.

I have to say I was impressed with what he said and how he said it.

IF...and only IF he's lying about anything he's a pretty damn excellent liar.

IF information comes out, hard documented evidence that Christie knew anything about it, he's done, over with, bye bye.

With that press conference, and his stating he had no knowledge about it he can't backpedal if it's proven he knew and
participated in this fiasco.

He's no Michael Bay that much is for sure. The man does not need a teleprompter.

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Thu Jan 09, 2014 1:50 pm

noxiousdog wrote:
Rip wrote:
JSHAW wrote:I'll take a stab at what his response will be - deny, deny, deny....and he had no knowledge of anything at anytime having to do with any bridge
anywhere.
I guess he learned something from spending all that time with Obama after all.

I actually doubt he knew about it, however, to have aides that think this was a good idea on your staff makes you responsible and speaks to the culture.

I could buy that he didn't order/know in advance about it, but once it occured and there was bitching and moaning about it he either became aware or really just doesn't give a shit. Obama gets by with the Sgt. Schultz routine...well routinely, but I don't think it will work that well for Christie. No one is going to call all the complainers racists to protect him.

noxiousdog · Post by **noxiousdog** » Thu Jan 09, 2014 1:57 pm

Rip wrote: I could buy that he didn't order/know in advance about it, but once it occured and there was bitching and moaning about it he either became aware or really just doesn't give a shit. Obama gets by with the Sgt. Schultz routine...well routinely, but I don't think it will work that well for Christie. No one is going to call all the complainers racists to protect him.

I can't imagine the governor has time to worry about road closures.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Thu Jan 09, 2014 2:00 pm

JSHAW wrote: IF...and only IF he's lying about anything he's a pretty damn excellent liar.

He's a politician, so he's a professional liar.

Rip wrote: Obama gets by with the Sgt. Schultz routine...well routinely, but I don't think it will work that well for Christie.

Probably not...unless like Obama and Benghazi, the IRS scandal and a few others, he has the facts to back them up.

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Thu Jan 09, 2014 2:11 pm

noxiousdog wrote:
Rip wrote: I could buy that he didn't order/know in advance about it, but once it occured and there was bitching and moaning about it he either became aware or really just doesn't give a shit. Obama gets by with the Sgt. Schultz routine...well routinely, but I don't think it will work that well for Christie. No one is going to call all the complainers racists to protect him.
I can't imagine the governor has time to worry about road closures.

I would hope when a road closure gets as much negative press and is repeatedly blamed by multiple sources on political payback by your administration you would make time. Else, you deserve the firestorm.

Either way I wasn't a fan before this, so it is more affirmation than revelation.

IMHO he is just the US version of Rob Ford.

edit:

Now that would be a good SNL skit.

Christie and Ford on a road trip getting stoned and cruising "all you can eat" buffets.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Thu Jan 09, 2014 2:27 pm

noxiousdog wrote:
Rip wrote:
JSHAW wrote:I'll take a stab at what his response will be - deny, deny, deny....and he had no knowledge of anything at anytime having to do with any bridge
anywhere.
I guess he learned something from spending all that time with Obama after all.

I actually doubt he knew about it, however, to have aides that think this was a good idea on your staff makes you responsible and speaks to the culture.

Especially since my understanding is that one of the main people is a Christie appointee who was a friend and associate back to high school. So, someone he knew and knew well and decided to bring on board. Of course, this could be genuinely out of character, but either way a black mark.

Also, there's been persistent chatter from credible sources since 2012 that Romney supposedly was very interested in bringing Christie on the ticket in the VP slot, but that the Romney vetters were shocked by what they found when they started digging.