This week marks the first anniversary of the Fort Lee lane closures, which Christie decided to distract from -- I mean, celebrate -- by
trying to make sports betting at racetrack and casinos legal:
Quote:
Mr. Christie’s move was unexpected; as recently as a month ago, he vetoed legislation that would have similarly repealed the prohibition on sports betting at casinos and racetracks.
The governor’s office said the prohibition would be lifted “effective today,” but it also sought approval from a judge who had earlier blocked sports betting, creating confusion about what would be allowed, and when.
The state’s racetracks and casinos seemed to be caught off guard by the announcement — as were federal officials and the professional sports leagues who have been fighting the Christie administration in court — and said that they had no plans to begin offering sports betting...
A spokeswoman for the United States attorney, Paul J. Fishman, said his office had no advance notice of the governor’s directive or his request to the court, which is unusual in litigation that has played out for several years...
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Considering that Fishman is heading the New Jersey federal investigation of Bridge(t)-Gate, it's not that surprising that Christie is trying an end run. Here's hoping that the descretionary savings of NJ's cash-strapped gamblers can help make up for his budget deficit -- especially since
another Atlantic City casino may be closing and
New Jersey's credit has been downgraded for a record eighth time on Christie's watch!
And here's the state legislative committee attorney interview with
Port Authority Police Deputy Inspector Darcy Licorish. To be perfectly honest, it's pretty dull going, but the plot picks up once you get past the middle:
Quote:
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...Licorish sent an email summary to Chief Louis Koumoutsos which described the events leading up to and during the lane closures. Licorish said he prepared the summary on his own initiative and as part of his standard responsibility to “report things of importance.” Licorish stated nobody asked him to produce the summary. He said the only response he received came from (his direct superior Assistant Chief Gloria) Frank, who simply noted receipt of the email.
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And it does deliver a surprise ending:
Quote:
Licorish would later learn that the re-opening of the lanes had been directed by (New York PA director and Bridge(t)-Gate whistleblower Patrick) Foye, but was unsure if he was aware of this at the time...
Licorish said that, during his time at the PAPD, he has seen other traffic studies conducted. Typically, he said, such studies involve posted monitors who monitor and record traffic volumes using handheld clickers. During the week of September 9-13, 2013, he did not observe any traffic monitors or data collectors in or around the GWB.
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It was part of Licorish's standard responsibility to report things of importance? Why would he consider it "important" to inform his superiors about a traffic study that they should have told HIM about? The purpose of Licorish's email was to cover his ass, because he KNEW something was going on that shouldn't have been!
P.S. As of the end of August, Christie's
self-exoneration bill, which New Jersey taxpayers are still footing, now stands at
more than seven million dollars.
P.P.S. It's come out that Christie's lieutenant governor
Kim Guadagno was subpoenaed by the state attorney general in July.
She's the one who said:
"(Hoboken) Mayor Zimmer’s version of our conversation in May of 2013 is not only false, it is illogical and does not withstand scrutiny when all of the facts are examined."
when she could have said: "Mayor Zimmer is lying."
Which might explain why she's recently signed a law requiring all
New Jersey high school students to be trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) -- the way things are going for Crew Christie, they should expect a spike in cardiac distress episodes!