[rocknation]

Originally Posted by Kathleen

He might have made a fatal mistake...that might expose records that he doesn't want exposed.
I can dream can't I LOL

Welcome to your wakeup call -- your dream has come true already!

How Christie's Office Used Government Employees to Win Endorsements

The thrust of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s re-election strategy last year was to secure endorsements from Democratic officials -- and new Bridgegate documents show just how intent he was to make sure that happened.

...(D)ocuments...released by his attorney last week...show that the very same people who helped mayors as government workers also sought their endorsements as political operatives... New Jersey's ethics law states "under no circumstances may you use state time or state resources in pursuit of political activities."

...The speculation continues to be that the Bridgegate scandal evolved from a plan to retaliate against Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich, who didn't endorse Christie. "He was not someone who was on my radar screen in any way, politically, professionally or in any other way," Christie said of Sokolich in January. But internal documents indicate that his team was going after Sokolich hard.

His name first showed up in an email sent in January 2013 by a government official, Pete Sheridan, to five of his employees in the Intergovernmental Affairs unit...(containing) a list of 21 Democratic "targets" whom (they) were supposed to secure endorsements from. Sheridan told his state employees that they should be only doing this on their own time, since it was political work. But he sent those instructions during work hours...

(O)n Sept. 9, the first day of the lane closures...Deputy Chief of Staff Bridget Ann Kelly...checked in with the state worker who had been trying to secure Sokolich's endorsement: Had he called yet to complain?

So he couldn't have picked Sokolich out of a lineup, eh? I guess Sheridan drew up that list of targets and sent that email behind Christie's back. But if Sokolich's non-endorsement wasn't enough of a motive for Christie's closing the lanes, what WAS? It turns out that the number of reasons for his punishing Fort Lee runs into the billions, beginning with -- guess who?

It turns out that there was a loser in the Fort Lee development deal.

The winning bidders – Tucker Development...and the Fort Lee Redevelopment Associates – are working on getting their properties financed...(I)f the financing fell through...(w)ho would benefit? Silverstein Properties, whose losing bid contemplated developing the entire property...And who is Silverstein represented by? (A law firm owned by) David Samson...head of the Port Authority...

A few weeks after the lane closures, Tucker announced that they'd secured their financing -- two hundred million dollar's worth on a project estimated to bring in at least two billion. That's a big fat commission Samson's law firm lost out on. But if the financing, if not the development itself, were to fail, Sampson and his client Silverstein Properties could "rescue" the project and cash in:

Is A Billion-Dollar Development Project at the Heart of Bridgegate?

I find it hard to believe that would-be investors in this project weren’t alarmed by the prospect that Port Authority officials had decided, without warning, to begin running experiments to see what would happen if local access to the GWB was temporarily, and then permanently, restricted...

The Hudson Lights project is a billion-dollar project because it offers unparalleled access to the George Washington Bridge. But take away that access and it’s no longer a billion-dollar project...

Governor Christie told us in December that he had a talk with his top appointee at the Port Authority, Chairman David Samson, about the number of toll lanes allocated to the Fort Lee on-ramp. Clearly it’s time to find out why...and if they were ever aware that there was a billion dollars at stake...

Of course they knew there were billions at stake: In both Hoboken and Fort Lee, they wanted a cut, and were ready to make things "happen" to the projects (and their mayors -- icing on the cake because they were Democrats) if they didn't get it. Straight out of the mobster's playbook!

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BridgeGate Hits Next Level As Feds Launch Grand Jury Investigation

Federal prosecutors in New Jersey have convened a grand jury to investigate the George Washington Bridge lane closures...(O)n Friday...(t)wenty-three grand jurors...heard testimony from Michael Drewniak, press secretary to Gov. Chris Christie...

...(T)he existence of the grand jury confirms that the matter has evolved into a criminal investigation...(A) team of state prosecutors in New Jersey are monitoring the federal case...

As press secretary, Drewniak was in charge of telling the public what Christie wanted the public to be told. It stands to reason that what he knew, Christie either knew also or should have. Yet, like David Samson, Drewniak has been able to hold on to his position despite such blatant incompetence and unprofessionalism while some of his colleagues got canned.


Speaking of David Samson, his law firm has lost another client:

The Bergen County Improvement Authority...who oversee the financing arm of county government — said they were doing a search to find a law firm to replace Wolff & Samson, which until last month had been representing the authority in a lawsuit with the operators of Bergen Regional Medical Center.

Wolff & Samson — headed by former Port Authority Chairman David Samson — dropped the county as a client on March 14, 10 days after the freeholders voted 6-1 to call for his resignation over the George Washington Bridge scandal...

No fair -- since Samson is now formerly of the Port Authority, there isn't a conflict of interest anymore, right?

[rocknation]

But...with or without immunity?

Wildstein and McKenna Meet With Federal Prosecutors in Bridge(t)-Gate Probe

...David Wildstein, who has said he informed Christie of the lane closings on Sept. 11 as they were happening, spent several days at New Jersey U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman’s office in Newark...(sources)...said...In addition, Charlie McKenna, former chief counsel to Christie, met secretly in mid-January with investigators working for Fishman...

Neither meeting has previously been reported...(They)...suggest Fishman is making progress in the high-profile probe of suspected public corruption...

Wildstein’s attorney Alan Zegas (has) said if his client “has immunity from the relevant entities, he’ll talk”...McKenna, meanwhile, could have highly valuable information that might undermine the official line that the lane closings were part of a traffic study...

It's understandable that everyone is in a tizzy about Wildstein talking to the Feds. But I think McKenna's talking to them is far more newsworthy: he reported to Christie directly, and as his lawyer, would carry out Christie's orders rather than give them.

McKenna could say whether Christie was proactively involved in putting the traffic study story forward as an explanation for the lane closures, the person familiar with his meeting said.

In the days leading up to a Nov. 25 hearing before the state assembly, the Port Authority’s own in-house lawyer had coached Wildstein and Baroni to give false legislative testimony to explain the lane closures, according to a Jan. 31 letter from Wildstein’s lawyer Zegas to the Port Authority’s General Counsel, asking the agency to pay for his client’s legal expenses...

Indeed, Baroni—himself a lawyer— told the New Jersey legislature that the lane closures were part of a traffic study. And when Baroni sought assurances about his performance that day, Wildstein texted: “Charlie said you did GREAT...” Charlie McKenna, who was then chief counsel to the governor...likely has information on who...coach(ed) Baroni...

McKenna (who was on his way to the state supreme court until Bridge(t)-Gate rerouted him to a state education position) is also likely to have information on whether he got his orders directly from Christie, as does David Samson and Bill Baroni of the Port Authority, Matt Mowers and Bill Stepien from his election campaign, and his press secretary Mike Drewniak -- they were all in the business of carrying out Christie's orders.

[rocknation]

Christie Bullied by Yet Another Crazy Lady

On April 1st, Chris Christie...attended a celebrity roast...to celebrate the ninetieth birthday of Brendan Byrne, the state’s governor from 1974 to 1982. “He’s an inspiration,” Christie told the audience...because he has “shown that political comebacks can actually happen.”

Christie sat on a long dais with five former governors...next to...Thomas Kean, a longtime supporter...and five local comedians...(who) he glared at...as they delivered their lines. The speakers aimed much of their fire at Christie...

Joy Behar, the former co-host of The View... (said), “When I first heard that he was accused of blocking off three lanes on the bridge, I said, ‘What the hell is he doing, standing in the middle of the bridge?” After another barb, Christie interrupted her. “This is a Byrne roast,” he said. He stood up and tried to grab her notes. The audience laughed awkwardly.

“Stop bullying me,” Behar said as he sat down. Christie said something out of earshot and Behar responded, “Why don’t you get up here at the microphone instead of being such a coward?” Christie stood up again and moved in front of the lectern as Behar retreated.  “At least I don’t get paid for this,” he said.

Christie sat down and Behar continued, though she was noticeably rattled. “I really don’t know about the Presidency,” she said. “Let me put it to you this way, in a way that you’d appreciate: You’re toast."

https://youtu.be/njvDuNvaQuI

Has Christie has been done in by secretive incompetent underlings yet again? It didn't occur to ANYONE on his PR team that given his situation, a roast would be begging for trouble? A friendly phone call to the organizers reminding them that Christie wasn't the guest of honor and therefore shouldn't be the main subject of the jokes might have made all the difference. Besides, what better way to prove you're not a bully than to bully a woman? Behar should have said, "I apologize for bullying you -- I think it's because I still haven't gotten over being jilted by Current TV!" Or, "You AREN'T Brendan Bryne? But you're sitting where the guest of honor is supposed to sit!"

This story has a happy ending, however:

Even Byrne got in a dig...“Somebody referred to that bronze statue of me that’s in the courthouse,” he said. “Actually, that was supposed to be Governor Christie, but they didn’t have enough money to pay for all that bronze.”

BOOM -- not bad at all for a ninety-year-old! Brendan Byrne, ladies and gentlemen! He'll be there all week -- try the waitresses, tip the veal!

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Judge Rules For Kelly and Stepien in Bridge(t)-Gate Subpoena Case

A New Jersey superior court judge has ruled that Kelly and Stepien can refuse to turn over subpoenaed documents to the state investigative panel because they may be self-incriminating. Kelly is reportedly "thrilled," while Stepien's lawyer described it as "a complete vindication" of his client. But it's hardly a setback.

The reason the judge ruled this way is precisely because they ARE afraid of incriminating themselves -- otherwise there would be no reason to take the fifth in the first place. The judge indicated that more specific state-level subpoena requests would be considered, and also pointed out that there were probably complimentary federal subpoenas pending which cannot be refused. For example:

Manhattan DA subpoenaed Port Authority records on projects and Christie ties

...The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has subpoenaed records related to projects by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and communications with Gov. Chris Christie’s office...

...(Also,) a subpoena was issued by Manhattan’s top federal prosecutor...seeking documents related to possible conflicts of interest by former Port Authority Chairman David Samson, whose law firm, Wolff & Samson has represented clients that have benefited from agency actions under his tenure. Samson resigned as chairman on March 28...(and has) said he has adhered to the highest ethical standards as chairman.

Samson said that out loud, and WASN'T struck by lighting? Maybe that's because he had a mentor:

...(S)ources said another New Jersey (Port Authority) commissioner, Anthony Sartor...a 1999 appointee whose latest six-year term is up this year...would be stepping down...Sartor, who chairs the Port Authority board’s World Trade Center redevelopment subcommittee, heads an engineering consulting firm, Warren-based Paulus, Sokolowski & Sartor, with ties to the multi-billion dollar trade center project, and he repeatedly has had to recuse himself to avoid a direct conflict of interest.

Meanwhile, feedback on Christie's self-investigation has come in. Polls say that 63%, 84%, and another 63% of those surveyed look at the Christie-Mastro report as a "whitewash" -- an average of 70%. And now it's possible that there may be less to the report than meets the eye!

Legislative investigators may be headed toward a legal showdown with Gov. Chris Christie and his team of lawyers to obtain the documentary evidence that was used to clear the governor and his top aides of wrongdoing in Bridgegate and other Port Authority-related scandals.

Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Middlesex), cochairman of the Joint Select Committee on Investigation, said yesterday it is his understanding that Randy Mastro and his Gibson Dunn & Crutcher firm not only failed to conduct the 70 interviews under oath, but also failed to videotape, audiotape, or have a stenographer make transcripts of any of the interviews.

“If this was supposed to be a transparent 360-degree examination of what happened, the lack of any hard evidence of what people said and how they responded to questions means that this report is based upon nothing more than the (Mastro team’s) mental impressions of what people said,” Wisniewski noted. “That’s the classic definition of hearsay,” he said, dismissing the conclusions of the $1 million taxpayer-funded study.

[rocknation]

Originally Posted by rocknation

Christie Bullied by Yet Another Crazy Lady (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULEh3XRtOF0)

...It didn't occur to ANYONE on (Christie's) PR team that given his situation, a roast would be begging for trouble? A friendly phone call to the organizers reminding them that Christie wasn't the guest of honor and therefore shouldn't be the main subject of the jokes might have made all the difference...

Probably just a coincidence, but:

Christie communications staffer leaves for post in Oregon

Kara Walker, who most recently served as a deputy press secretary to Christie, will now take the top role with the Oregon House GOP...Walker held a number of posts on Christie's staff, starting as an intern and working her way up...

Walker reported to Christie's press secretary Mike Drewniak, who still has his job though he's talking to the Feds. Odd that she felt the need to look for another job; even odder that she'd take one that's such a huge step backward: Oregon has voted for Democratic presidents since 1988, and Democrats currently control both the state senate and house of representatives.

Maybe she just got lucky that there was a vacancy. Maybe somebody had to take the fall for the roast, and Christie needs Drewniak too badly to fire him. Maybe Christie arranged the job as a favor to Drewniak. Or maybe she decided to jump before she was pushed.

At any rate, as Ms. Walker walks the Oregon Trail, she'll be pleased to know that Oregon and New Jersey are the only states in America in which it's illegal to pump your own gas!

[rocknation]

Originally Posted by Kathleen

He might have made a fatal mistake...us(ing) taxpayer money to fund that report...because of that, he might actually have to abide by the subpoena...

And it's looking more fatal by the minute.

"This memorandum does not contain a verbatim transcript of what was said at the meeting; rather, it is a summary of the discussion that reflects counsel’s mental thoughts and impressions and is therefore covered by the attorney work product doctrine."

So begins each of the 75 interview summary memos distilled from Christie's taxpayer-financed, self-absolving investigation of Bridge(t)-Gate and the accusation that he masterminded the shakedown the mayor of Hoboken. Unfortunately, because it WAS taxpayer financed:

Christie’s Mastro Mistake: Report Backfires Politically, Legally

“It seemed crazy to me to do what they did,” Robert Del Tufo, a former New Jersey...and U.S. Attorney, said of Christie’s...internal investigation. “They spent over a million dollars of taxpayer money. It’s unusual in an internal investigation not to take down transcripts of what people said, and presumably they just summarized things so they could put a slant on what people said."

...Del Tufo...believed the interview memos “implicitly would be public information paid for with public funds, and I think investigators could get the memos with a subpoena.”

Well, the interview summary memos are now online -- it's a moot issue anyway. So let's take a took at what Christie had to "say" for himself (beginning on page 163):

The Governor was not aware, and had no recollection of ever knowing, that Mayor Zimmer took any position adverse to the Rockefeller Group project.

The Governor...now knows that Wolff & Samson represented the Rockefeller Group, although he was not aware of that at the time of the allegations at issue.

The Governor had no memory of meeting Mayor Sokolich. The Governor knew Mayor Sokolich’s name because of the accusations that Mayor Sokolich made.

While the (lane) realignment was in effect, Governor Christie did not recall being aware of the lane realignment or the traffic caused by the lane realignment.

...Baroni and Wildstein, along with others, were present for most of the time (during the 9/11 memorial ceremony). The Governor has no specific recollection of conversations with them, other than light banter.

Asked whether anyone raised the subject of traffic in Fort Lee prior to or at this event, the Governor responded that he had no such recollection...

...(T)he Governor pointed out that Wildstein is not a contact in his cell phone. The Governor commented that his direct contact with Wildstein was when Baroni brought him to meetings.

The Governor had no specific recollection of the September 17, 2013, and October 1, 2013 Wall Street Journal (“WSJ”) articles...The Governor had two reactions to the article: (1) it was typical of Foye to write and then leak an email, rather than directly discussing the issue; and (2) the Governor wanted to know what happened.

(T)he Governor thought McKenna came back and told him that Baroni said this was a traffic study, and that Foye was making a huge deal out of nothing.

Asked about...Wildstein’s and Baroni’s resignations, the Governor recalled telling McKenna to ask for Wildstein’s resignation, and telling O’Dowd and McKenna to ask for Baroni’s resignation, although the Governor did not recall when this was.

...(T)he Governor recalled someone (though he does not recollect who), relaying that Wildstein had said something along the lines of, “I’m not stupid; I got this cleared by the Front Office.”

On the morning of December 12, 2013, there was a breakfast...(with) union leaders, which Stepien attended. The Governor had no specific recollection of that event...

You'll be happy to know, however, got when the going got tough, Christie got going:

During the December 13, 2013 senior staff meeting, the Governor walked in, slammed the door, and stood the whole time.

The next day, the Governor went to Trenton...He then held the press conference, while exhausted, answering all questions. Only after coming back did he realize that the press conference lasted nearly two hours.

But that isn't to say that he lacks a sensitive side:

The Governor recalled that O’Dowd had reported that Kelly was crying when she had said that she had nothing to do with the lane realignment...The Governor was not surprised that someone, particularly an individual like Kelly, might be nervous or upset in this situation...

Maybe the root of Christie's problems is that he doesn't recall becoming New Jersey's governor!

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Christie has never been a fan of state worker pension funds:

Christie spoke for 35 minutes to a half-full ballroom...at a New Jersey Chamber of Commerce dinner...continu(ing)...to make his pitch for pension reform and renewal of a cap on raises for public workers, sounding alarms about the state's economic future...

"We're not going to grow out of this," Christie said after outlining the state's escalating debt and health-benefits costs. "It's time to dig in and make a few people unhappy so the greater good can be achieved...We will be judged by how we conduct ourselves in these decisions," Christie said...

Well, if he's so interested in keeping the state's pensions in line, why is he willing to gamble them on a hedge fund that is on the edge of crapping out on a casino it invested in?

Chris Christie’s $300m pension proposal broke state anti-corruption laws

...Weeks after Christie was re-elected...the governor’s state investment council announced its intention to invest $300 million with...Chatham Asset Management. Chatham’s principal...Anthony Melchiorre, donated $22,500 to the RNC on May 5, 2012 and then $8,300 to the RNC on August 15, 2012. Andrea Melchiorre...living at his address...also donated $17,500 to the RNC on the same day...

The decision to award Chatham Asset Management the contract was made despite State Investment Council rules explicitly banning investment managers doing business with New Jersey from making (or having made) any political contributions “for the purpose of influencing any election for State office.” Those rules bar pension contracts from going to investment managers who have made such contributions in any of the two years leading up to a proposed pension contract.

Additionally...New Jersey’s pay-to-play law prohibits using outside groups...or family members to circumvent pay-to-play statutes barring state contractors from donating to groups that financially support state election campaigns.

“If these contributions were made to the RNC in order to get around state laws, then it is a violation of the law,” said Melanie Sloan, executive director of the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics In Washington. “New Jersey law is clear: you cannot do indirectly what you are prohibited from doing directly.”

The Christie administration's response is, well, multi-faceted:

On behalf of Gov. Christie, (the) New Jersey Treasury('s) Chris Santarelli told Pando:

...It would be a violation of the regulation if the firm or an investment professional of the firm made a political contribution "to a Federal party committee or other political committee or organization for the purpose of influencing State or local elections governed by." The purpose of the RNC is not to influence elections in the State of New Jersey and donations to the organization cannot be earmarked for a particular race.

If that's the case, Wire.com owes the RNC a retraction:

That could be, in part, why the national RNC quickly made sure to mention its support for Christie's campaign in a congratulatory statement from chairman Reince Priebus:

In this race Governor Christie earned significant support among minority voters. That’s a testament to the success of his results-oriented leadership and an inclusive campaign. During this race, the RNC worked alongside the Christie campaign to engage early and often with Hispanic, African American and Asian voters.

Fortunately, Christie had a backup defense:

Santarelli also insisted that despite the size of the campaign contributions in question, the Christie administration’s investment council “was not aware of the contributions you have called into question.”

Now, about that casino: According to The Asbury Park Press, Chatham Asset Management owns 28 percent of the "troubled" property:

Investing in a hedge fund that is a major owner of a property that emerged from bankruptcy protection last year from nearly $1.5 billion in debt seems to be taking risk to a whole new level.

Revel, which cost $2.4 billion to build, is expected to be sold sometime this year for as little as $200 million to $300 million. It continues to have difficulty attracting customers, ranking ninth out of 11 casinos in the state...

That didn't stop Gov. Chris Christie from doing all he could to help the casino succeed, including giving it $261 million in New Jersey tax money via credits once it turned a profit - a profit that never materialized...

Ninth out of eleven? Well, a better slogan would probably help:

*New Jersey state employees need not apply. You've already gambled your pension on Chris Christie -- and lost.

Now we know the real reason why Christie is so anti-state pension funding -- he's been pissing away our money!

[rocknation]

In his spare time, Christie heads up the Republican Governor's Association, going on speaking tours and bragging of setting new fundraising records for them. Among them is a recent donation of ten thousand dollars:

Law Firm hired for Bridge(t)-Gate probe is GOP donor

The public...got its first look at who has donated to the Republican Governors Association in the months since Christie took over as chairman...

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher...has not donated to the Democratic Governors Association this year and did not make contributions to the group in 2013 or 2012. It made two donations to the RGA in 2012, each for $10,000. The group donated $15,000 in 2011 and $10,000 in 2010 and 2009.

...(N)ine days before a team of its top lawyers made public a report clearing Christie in the bridge scandal...Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher...gave $10,000...(C)ritics called (the report) a “whitewash..."

Perhaps those critics should also be calling it a "kickback!"

[rocknation]

Because not everyone here is an English-speaking American, I'll explain what the Securities and Exchange Commission does: they act as a police force over America's public and private financial dealings, and they've decided to join the state and federal authorities in investigating Chris Christie:

SEC probing New Jersey Governor Christie's transport funding

The Securities and Exchange Commission is looking into New Jersey's use of up to $1.8 billion in tax-exempt bond financing from the Port Authority to fix a bridge and roadways feeding into the New Jersey side of the Holland Tunnel...

About $3 billion of Port Authority funds were originally earmarked for an $8.7 billion project that would have built a new commuter train under the Hudson River. Though construction had already begun, Christie killed the project in 2010 after taking office...

New Jersey is using some of those funds to rebuild the Pulaski Skyway and roadways leading to the Holland Tunnel. Under its 1921 charter, however, the bi-state Port Authority's purview includes access roads to the Lincoln Tunnel, but not to the Holland Tunnel. So the Christie administration allegedly pressured the Port Authority in 2011 to re-brand the Pulaski Skyway as feeding the Lincoln Tunnel...

And because not everyone here is either an American, a New Yorker, or a New Jerseyite:

It's possible that Christie wasn't "aware" or didn't "recall" that the Pulaski Skyway couldn't feed the Lincoln Tunnel it its life depended on it. But trying to re-brand the Pulaski Skyway as feeding the Champs Elysees would be easier to believe!