20 Subpoenas Issued In The Gov. Christie “Bridgegate” Scandal

The Star Ledger reports “In another day of political drama and legal maneuvering, two new legislative committees were formed Thursday to investigate the George Washington Bridge scandal and within hours, 20 subpoenas were issued to 17 key people and three organizations in the unfolding story.

The moves in Trenton provided a quick signal that the widening investigation into what role Gov. Chris Christie’s administration may have played in the bridge lane closures, which led to massive traffic jams last September, will be aggressive — and not likely to end anytime soon. Christie retained a former federal prosecutor, Randy Mastro, to respond to questions from the committees. Mastro was an assistant U.S. attorney who specialized in organized crime cases and led a federal government’s landmark racketeering suit.

The investigations come amid continuing questions over the why the Port Authority shut down several local bridge toll lanes without warning for four days, then tried to keep a lid on what had happened.

“What we’re really looking at is the ‘why?'” said Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Middlesex), who has spearheaded the continuing investigation.

The governor, who said he had nothing to do with the lane closures and was unaware of the involvement of anyone on his staff in what he has suggested may have been a “rogue political operation.”

On the other side of the Statehouse, the Senate approved a similar special committee by a vote of 33-0 “to further investigate all aspects of the finances, operations, and management of the Port Authority and any other matter raising concerns about abuse of government power or an attempt to conceal an abuse of government power.”

That panel will be led by Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen), whose district includes Fort Lee and who was among the first to raise a public outcry over the still unexplained lane closures.

“The investigation will be deliberative, thoughtful and thorough,” Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) said. “It will pursue all aspects of this case and go wherever the evidence takes it. We want to get the full story and we want the truth about what happened and who was involved.”
(Something to question – Is the US DOJ-OIG playing with the Port Authority???)

The questions of the governor, in the meantime, will not just be coming from the Legislature. A separate inquiry is also underway in Washington, where Sen. Jay Rockefeller IV (D-W.Va.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, has also asked what was behind closures on access lanes to the George Washington Bridge in September.

The Port Authority, in a response to the committee’s questions, said Thursday the closures were “aberrational,” but could not explain why they happened. The board still does not have many of the facts as to the motivations behind actions taken at the GWB. “The Port Authority officials who ordered the September 9 to 13 George Washington Bridge lane closures did not follow their agency’s own procedures,” Rockefeller said in a statement. “The Port Authority’s response provides zero evidence that the purpose of these closures was to conduct a legitimate traffic study.”

(The timing of a response from the OIG (September 19th), regarding a complaint (and investigation) involving Bergen County and Fort Lee, surely fits into this picture as a political ploy. However, both parties have questions to answer.)

Read more HERE.

The special committee voted “to further investigate any other matter raising concerns about abuse of government power or an attempt to conceal an abuse of government power.” This “Bridgegate” scandal crosses “state bridges.”

Related:

NHGOP executive director, Matt Mowers, subpoenaed in probe of Christie administration ‘Bridgegate’ scandal. Read more HERE.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie In Hot Water…, click here.