General Discussion

deminks

(11,018 posts) Wed Apr 8, 2015, 07:01 PM Apr 2015

Indictments May Be Near in George Washington Bridge Scandal

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/09/nyregion/indictments-may-be-near-in-george-washington-bridge-scandal.html?smid=tw-nytimes&_r=0

It has been falsely predicted many times in the last year, but now it seems to be true: The federal investigation into the lane closings at the George Washington Bridge appears to be coming to a head, with an announcement of indictments as early as next week.

In recent weeks, people close to the case say, federal investigators have interviewed members of the Borough Council in Fort Lee, N.J., the town gridlocked when its three lanes accessing the bridge were narrowed to one for several days in September 2013 — a move at first bewildering, and later revealed to be the result of orders from aides and allies of Gov. Chris Christie.

The interviews were said to be largely perfunctory, the kind of t-crossing that investigators would do before wrapping up.

Subpoenas have made it clear that the inquiry has gone beyond the lane closings to include possible conflicts of interest and bribery. But the United States attorney for New Jersey, Paul J. Fishman, has said little about it, beyond that any news reports purporting to say what he was doing were “most likely wrong.”

(end snip)

Oh yeah, the bridge scandal.

18 replies

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Highlight:

Indictments May Be Near in George Washington Bridge Scandal (Original Post) deminks Apr 2015 OP

Oh yeah ... GeorgeGist Apr 2015 #1

He is going to be too busy.... cynzke Apr 2015 #6

We know Christie was behind it, at a minimum knew every detail, wouldnt it be beautiful NoJusticeNoPeace Apr 2015 #2

I needed some good news after what Cuomo did to NYS teachers lindysalsagal Apr 2015 #3

Hope it's not Fitzmas all over again. TransitJohn Apr 2015 #4

Yes! Yes! Yes! malaise Apr 2015 #5

So Christie ain't gonna be indicted d_legendary1 Apr 2015 #7

You never know. Vinca Apr 2015 #8

Let's hope so. d_legendary1 Apr 2015 #12

Kicked, recced and tweeted. Kingofalldems Apr 2015 #9

Just in time for his run for the presidency! AtomicKitten Apr 2015 #10

I'm getting the popcorn ready RoccoR5955 Apr 2015 #11

Christie indicted? I’m from Jersey…I wouldn’t hold my breath. Jack-o-Lantern Apr 2015 #13

Well . . . we can hope, can't we? Jack Rabbit Apr 2015 #15

bullies and bridges olddots Apr 2015 #14

Friday afternoon dump bottomofthehill Apr 2015 #16

That flushing sound is Christie's career. ffr Apr 2015 #17

This message was self-deleted by its author ButchT Apr 2015 #18

GeorgeGist

(25,324 posts)

1. Oh yeah ...

Reply to deminks (Original post)

Wed Apr 8, 2015, 07:38 PM

Apr 2015

Former Port Authority Chairman David Samson Retires From N.J. Law Firm

<snip>

Mr. Christie named him chairman of the Port Authority, his highest nonexecutive appointment at the agency. There, Mr. Samson could be a fierce defender of turf, both the Port Authority’s—as in its tussles with New York City over control at the World Trade Center site—and Mr. Christie’s.

Ultimately, Mr. Samson became a casualty of what investigators have suggested was political strong-arming gone too far: an apparent effort in 2013 to punish a Democratic mayor on the far side of the George Washington Bridge for not endorsing Mr. Christie by using lane closures to inundate the borough of Fort Lee with traffic.

Subsequent releases of internal communications show that Mr. Samson seethed at what he perceived as efforts by the authority’s New York-appointed executive director, Patrick Foye, to blow the whistle on the lane closures.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/former-port-authority-chairman-david-samson-retires-from-law-firm-1428431368

cynzke

(1,254 posts)

6. He is going to be too busy....

Reply to GeorgeGist (Reply #1)

Thu Apr 9, 2015, 09:21 AM

Apr 2015

Defending himself.

NoJusticeNoPeace

(5,018 posts)

2. We know Christie was behind it, at a minimum knew every detail, wouldnt it be beautiful

Reply to deminks (Original post)

Wed Apr 8, 2015, 07:38 PM

Apr 2015

to see him in handcuffs?

I would pay to see that

lindysalsagal

(20,747 posts)

3. I needed some good news after what Cuomo did to NYS teachers

Reply to deminks (Original post)

Wed Apr 8, 2015, 07:53 PM

Apr 2015

I'm not going to hope that Andrew will screw up as badly as His Majesty, the Chris, but it still will feel good for Christie's underlings to get the blame placed where it belongs: With the executive in charge.

The fact that his underlings have remained so quiet for so long seems to point to a hope that they'e got the goods on him and they're playing their cards closely, and to the right officials.

The problem is, always, to find someone powerful enough to begin the prosecution who is also clean enough to avoid going out with the bathwater.

Is there anyone clean enough in NJ to really go through with it and not get sidelined with payoffs or threats?

I'm going to assume that the powers that were/be are not above personal threats and violence. Is there anyone who wants to see the emperor's demise badly enough to risk personal harm???

TransitJohn

(6,932 posts)

4. Hope it's not Fitzmas all over again.

Reply to deminks (Original post)

Wed Apr 8, 2015, 07:54 PM

Apr 2015

That debacle makes me cringe/smile.

malaise

(269,219 posts)

5. Yes! Yes! Yes!

Reply to deminks (Original post)

Wed Apr 8, 2015, 08:01 PM

Apr 2015

Butter please

d_legendary1

(2,586 posts)

7. So Christie ain't gonna be indicted

Reply to deminks (Original post)

Thu Apr 9, 2015, 02:28 PM

Apr 2015

bummer.

Vinca

(50,318 posts)

8. You never know.

Reply to d_legendary1 (Reply #7)

Thu Apr 9, 2015, 02:31 PM

Apr 2015

When a close aide has an indictment in hand they might decide to talk about Christie's role in order to cut a deal that keeps them out of the big house.

d_legendary1

(2,586 posts)

12. Let's hope so.

Reply to Vinca (Reply #8)

Thu Apr 9, 2015, 03:08 PM

Apr 2015

NJ could use a little justice.

Kingofalldems

(38,496 posts)

9. Kicked, recced and tweeted.

Reply to deminks (Original post)

Thu Apr 9, 2015, 02:39 PM

Apr 2015

AtomicKitten

(46,585 posts)

10. Just in time for his run for the presidency!

Reply to deminks (Original post)

Thu Apr 9, 2015, 02:40 PM

Apr 2015

RoccoR5955

(12,471 posts)

11. I'm getting the popcorn ready

Reply to deminks (Original post)

Thu Apr 9, 2015, 02:54 PM

Apr 2015

for the frog march!

Jack-o-Lantern

(974 posts)

13. Christie indicted? I’m from Jersey…I wouldn’t hold my breath.

Reply to deminks (Original post)

Thu Apr 9, 2015, 04:22 PM

Apr 2015

Jack Rabbit

(45,984 posts)

15. Well . . . we can hope, can't we?

Reply to Jack-o-Lantern (Reply #13)

Thu Apr 9, 2015, 07:00 PM

Apr 2015

I am surprised Christie has enough money to keep enough of his former aides and allies from singing in order to not face charges himself. Most successful American politicians are detail oriented types and Christie does not impress me as being a dumb as Scott Walker or Bush the Frat Boy.