Tornado Alley (PROG)

[fuagf]

The Other Christie Scandal

April 30, 2014, 12:16 pm

What is it that makes self-proclaimed centrists such easy marks for right-wing con men? Actually, it’s not that much of a mystery: the centrist creed is that the two parties are symmetrically extremist, and this means that there must, as a matter of principle, be Serious, Honest Republicans out there — so such people must be invented if they don’t actually exist. Hence the elevation of Paul Ryan despite clear evidence of his con-artist nature.

And hence, also, the love affair with Chris Christie .. http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/chris-christie-may-be-the-smartest-man-in-politics-20130103 .

That affair ended up in a breakup over Bridgegate, but the evidence of Christie’s true nature was obvious all along. I wrote two years ago about his fiscal fakery .. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/28/opinion/krugman-fiscal-phonies.html , and in particular the way he tried to silence independent critics of his budget projections via crude, vicious personal attacks.

Now Vox tells us that the critics were in fact completely right, and that Christie’s budget projections were absolutely as unrealistic .. http://www.vox.com/2014/4/29/5664570/chris-christies-war-with-new-jerseys-top-budget-wonk-david-rosen .. as they said.

Can we say that someone who tries to browbeat anyone daring to question rosy scenarios is someone who should never, ever be allowed near higher office? And can we also say that there’s something very wrong with pundits who failed to see the obvious about this guy?

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/04/30/the-other-christie-scandal/

====

Leading New Jersey paper calls for investigation of yet another potential Christie scandal



http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=96759140

====

Bridge scandal grand jury subpoenas Port Authority attorney with ties to Christie


1 / 27 - LtoR Senators Kevin O'Toole (R-Essex), Christopher Bateman (R-Somerset) and Joseph Kyrillos (R-Monmouth) listen to senator Nia Gill (D-Essex) (below) during a heated exchange over secret documents and lines of questioning during the testimony of Supreme Court Justice nominee Phillip Kwon before the Senate Judiciary Committee at the Statehouse this afternoon. Trenton, NJ 3/22/12 (Tony Kurdzuk/The Star-Ledger)

Darryl Isherwood/NJ.com By Darryl Isherwood/NJ.com
Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on May 01, 2014 at 4:35 PM, updated May 02, 2014 at 6:30 AM

---


Samson refuses to provide any more records to bridge scandal committee
http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/05/citing_leaks_and_bias_samson_refuses_to_provide_any_more_recordsto_bridgegate_committee.html

Table talk could be chilly for Christie at White House correspondents dinner
http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/05/chris_christies_dining_companions_could_make_for_chilly_conversation_at_annual_white_house_correspon.html

Christie bridge scandal: NJ attorney general is mum on whether his office is investigating
http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/05/christie_bridge_scandal_nj_attorney_general_is_mum_on_whether_his_office_is_also_investigating_issue.html

Christie or Bush? Key Republican donors question who to support in 2016, report says
http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/05/christie_or_bush_key_republican_donors_question_who_to_support_in_2016_report_says.html

Bridge scandal grand jury subpoenas Port Authority attorney with ties to Christie [this one]
---

A federal grand jury investigating the lane closings at the George Washington Bridge has subpoenaed the deputy general counsel of the Port Authority, Phillip Kwon, a longtime associate of Gov. Chris Christie, two sources with knowledge of the investigation confirmed today.

Kwon reportedly helped prepare the authority’s deputy executive director, Bill Baroni, for his November testimony before the Assembly Transportation Committee, which was then investigating who ordered two of three access lanes closed at the foot of the bridge in Fort Lee, snarling traffic for several days.

The Wall Street Journal, which first reported the issuance of the subpoena on its website, said that Kwon had hired a prominent attorney, Geoffrey Berman, of the firm Greenberg Traurig LLP, to represent him.

A source familiar with the matter who requested anonymity because he was not given permission to discuss the case publicly told The Star-Ledger that Kwon "was asked to testify last week, and today he asked the Port Authority for indemnification" — to cover his legal fees associated with the investigation.

A spokesman for the Port Authority declined comment on the subpoena.

Baroni has also asked the Port Authority to pay his legal expenses, but the spokesman for the agency, Steve Coleman, said the request was still under review.

When Baroni testified before the Assembly panel on Nov. 25, he insisted the lanes were closed so that the bistate agency, which operates the bridge, could undertake a traffic study — an explanation that has since been denied by other senior Port Authority officials and attributed to political hijinks.

According to an internal investigation conducted by an attorney hired by Gov. Chris Christie, Kwon also took part in a conference call to discuss the testimony of Baroni, who has since resigned from the authority.

Kwon — who worked at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark under Christie and after his election was appointed deputy state attorney general — was nominated by the governor for a seat on the state Supreme Court two years ago. He was rejected by Senate Democrats because of concerns about his family’s business dealings, which had come under federal review, and his party affiliation.

U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman has been investigating the bridge scandal and other accusations of abuse of power by officials within Christie’s sphere. Democrats have said the lane closings, which tied traffic in knots for days, was done as political payback because of the refusal by Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich to endorse Christie, a Republican, for re-election.

Christie’s chief spokesman, Michael Drewniak, was called to testify before the same grand jury last month.

Fishman’s investigation is running parallel to one underway by a 12-member joint legislative committee that took over from the Assembly panel. Last week the committee issued four subpoenas for testimony beginning next week, and on Monday it subpoenaed a Christie aide, Matt Mower, to testify. Among other things, it was Mower’s job to solicit endorsements from local officials, including Sokolich.

One of the four who was subpoenaed to testify next week, William Shuber, a Christie appointee to the Port Authority commission, rescheduled his appearance until, the committee said today.

The Manhattan district attorney and the Securities and Exchange Commission are also reportedly investigating various dealings of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

In a related development, acting state Attorney General John Hoffman declined to say today whether his office had launched its own investigation into the scandal, which has imperiled a possible presidential run by Christie in 2016.

Star-Ledger staff writers Brent Johnson and Steve Strunsky contributed to this report.

RELATED COVERAGE

• Timeline of Port Authority's George Washington Bridge controversy
http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/03/timeline_of_the_port_authoritys_george_washington_bridge_lane_closure_controversy.html#incart_river

• Complete coverage of bridge scandal
http://topics.nj.com/tag/gwb-closure/posts.html

http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/05/former_supreme_court_nominee_subpoenaed_by_grand_jury_probing_bridge_scandal.html