Indictments Soon in Port Authority Case? Finally!
Apr 8, 2015 at 2:30pm Edited
I wonder if the indictment of Menendez is related. A Democratic US Attorney knows he is going after someone who was at one time seen as a leading Republican Presidential candidate, so to avoid attacks on him as being motivated by partisan politics he first indicts the top Democrat in the State.
LOST said:
I wonder if the indictment of Menendez is related. A Democratic US Attorney knows he is going after someone who was at one time seen as a leading Republican Presidential candidate, so to avoid attacks on him as being motivated by partisan politics he first indicts the top Democrat in the State.
The 2 cases are being handled by separate offices. Menendez is being handled by prosecutors from the main justice dept. in Washington, not by the "Democratic US Attorney in New Jersey." His office would have had no say in the Menendez thing.
The Menendez thing still bugs me. Yes what he did was corrupt and should be addressed but by todays standards it just confuses me. He gets some perks and helps out a friend for what appears to be minimal value in the grand scheme of things but Christie can take large super-pac contributions and let Exxon off the hook for 8.75 billion that should be going to the state and that is just considered acceptable politics? Which form of corruption cost NJ the most?
shoshannah said:
And Christie.
Wouldn't bet on it and fairly certainly not in the first round.
Apr 8, 2015 at 6:37pm Edited
Not sure why some are so certain that that Christie won't face charges. The scope of this investigation has been very broad, and the DA has been tight lipped to say the least. I'm thinking GWB imbroglio is the least if his worries. The reallocation of federally supplied ARC funds to the Pullaski Skyway project was all Christie's doing. SEC may have a thing or two to say about that matter alone. But if the DA is seeking to demonstrate a pattern of corruption, then there will be a host of charges to support the claim. And there are plenty of threads to pull.
Do people think Christie is innocent, or too smart to be caught?
Do people think Christie is innocent, or too smart to be caught?
If they indict Christie, it really needs to be a strong case. I thought the Menendez indictment would be a strong case, but unless the government has a really good story, I don't necessarily see how you get from knowing what Menendez did to "beyond reasonable doubt".
I still don't believe Christie will ever be indicted. I doubt he was dumb enough to ever give his aides specific directions to do anything illegal.
but presiding over a corrupt, bullying administration should be enough to sink his presidential campaign, and that's good enough for me. His primary opponents will be able to run the most heavy-handed negative attack ads that will be 100% true. Not a good place for the big guy.
but presiding over a corrupt, bullying administration should be enough to sink his presidential campaign, and that's good enough for me. His primary opponents will be able to run the most heavy-handed negative attack ads that will be 100% true. Not a good place for the big guy.
Apr 9, 2015 at 4:51am Edited
I think there would need to be an actual audio recording of Christie ordering something illegal for him to be indicted. I doubt even email would be enough, let alone one individual's testimony.
ml1 said:
I still don't believe Christie will ever be indicted. I doubt he was dumb enough to ever give his aides specific directions to do anything illegal.
but presiding over a corrupt, bullying administration should be enough to sink his presidential campaign, and that's good enough for me. His primary opponents will be able to run the most heavy-handed negative attack ads that will be 100% true. Not a good place for the big guy.
I agree 100%.
Some nice articles about Gov Christie in the past few days:
http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/08/politics/election-2016-chris-christie-comeback/
some of the article:
Washington (CNN)Whatever happened to Chris Christie?
The question has percolated in GOP circles since the new year began, with presidential primary state activists wondering why the New Jersey governor isn't doing a better job keeping in touch and rival GOP campaigns happily pointing to Christie's diminished stature in the polls.
Even sympathetic Republicans are scratching their heads.
"Every other candidate is showing up here, and people are coming to me like, 'What's going on?'" said South Carolina State Rep. Phyllis Henderson, who just a few months ago was preparing to serve as a key Christie point person in the early primary state. "And I really don't know what they are doing here. I haven't had any indication that they are planning to visit or what the plan is. I haven't really talked to them in a while."
http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/04/christies_job_approval_rating_hits_record_low_in_rutgers_poll.html
some of the article:
Fifty-four percent of New Jersey's registered voters disapprove of the job Chris Christie is doing as governor — his highest job disapproval ratings to date, according to a new survey from Rutgers University's Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling. Just 41 percent approve of Christie's job performance.
Christie's stances on taxation and the budget also reached new depths in the eyes of voters. Fewer than one-in-three approve of his handling of the economy, and a vast majority think the state is headed in the wrong direction.
And the Republican governor's handling of the state's recovery from Hurricane Sandy has also hit record lows, with just 48 percent approving of his job — a seven point drop since February. That's nearly a 40 point drop since April 2013, when 87 percent of Garden Staters approved of Christie's handling of the recovery effort.
http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2015/04/08/new-port-authority-subpoena-one-world-trade-center-deck-deal-faces-scrutiny/
some of the article:
Manhattan prosecutors are seeking records in connection with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s deal to operate the observation deck at One World Trade Center.
In disclosures to bond investors Tuesday, the authority acknowledged New York City prosecutors are investigating the award of the observation deck’s lease to Legends’ Hospitality.
It is the latest of many subpoenas to hit the agency since lanes of the George Washington Bridge were closed in September 2013, allegedly for political retribution by aides and allies of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
The authority said subpoenas from the Manhattan district attorney’s office sought records concerning “the procurement process for the award of the lease for the One World Trade Center observation deck.” It is unclear what documents the Port Authority has provided in response. The Port Authority declined to comment, as did the Manhattan D.A.’s office.
Previously, Port Authority officials have stood by the agency’s awarding the contract to Legends Hospitality in 2013, which is partially owned by Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. The contract came under scrutiny in January after Mr. Christie accepted luxury travel and Cowboys football tickets from Mr. Jones. The governor called Mr. Jones a personal friend.
Mr. Christie partially controls the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and supported the Legends bid in 2013. A Christie spokesman declined to comment Wednesday on whether the governor’s office has received subpoenas and referred questions to the Port.
Legends Hospitality hasn’t received a subpoena but has cooperated with the investigation, according to a person familiar with the matter. The observation deck is set to open next month.
The Port Authority also acknowledged in the bond documents that it had received subpoenas from federal prosecutors in New Jersey seeking information concerning United Airlines, Newark Liberty International Airport and David Samson, the authority’s former chairman appointed by Mr. Christie. The State Ethics Commission has also sought documents. A spokeswoman for Mr. Samson also declined to comment Wednesday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/09/opinion/gov-christies-bad-deal-with-exxon.html?_r=0
some of the article:
New Jersey has been fighting for years to get the Exxon Mobil Corporation to clean up and pay up after turning more than 1,500 acres of marshes and waterways into toxic wastelands. But, just as a State Superior Court judge was about to rule on the case earlier this year, Gov. Chris Christie’s administration suddenly and unexpectedly agreed to settle with Exxon for 3 cents on the dollar. The agreement, which became public on Monday, allows Exxon to escape with a payment of $225 million, far less than the estimated $8.9 billion the state had originally asked for a decade ago.
There will be no public hearing for this deal, which was negotiated in secret by the state. The public can send comments to New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection until June 5. (Exxon Mobil Bayway Settlement should be in the subject line, with comments going to: ExxonMobilBaywaySettlement@dep.nj.gov).
Anyone who wants cleaner air and water in New Jersey should urge Mr. Christie to reject this obvious sellout. If enough people raise questions, the State Department of Environmental Protection might well have second thoughts. If it does not, it will be up to Judge Michael Hogan to reject this insufficient settlement and demand more from Exxon.
There are plenty of reasons for a better solution. State courts have already found Exxon liable for contaminating a vast area of marshlands and waterways, including “sludge lagoons” and a swamp that is “now mostly covered with a tar” of debris and petroleum products. A bigger settlement should allow for a much more comprehensive cleanup in these and other sites elsewhere in the state. Yet the agreement negotiated by Mr. Christie refers only to “alleged” pollution by Exxon and does not accuse the company of “any wrongdoing or liability.”
Mr. Christie says the $225 million to satisfy the 2004 lawsuit is “on top of” Exxon’s obligation under a 1991 consent order requiring Exxon to clean up several refinery sites. Exxon has already spent $260 million on remediation of these sites — which officials define as capping or controlling pollution, not full restoration — and will spend even more. The lawsuit, however, covered different issues and was aimed not just at cleanup but recovery for damages to the state’s natural resources and for the fact that the public was deprived of their use.
The Christie administration says its settlement is a satisfactory ending to a long and possibly unsuccessful battle with Exxon over those damages. But many environmentalists and some state politicians beg to differ, and are fighting back, pointing out that $225 million is hardly sufficient compensation for damages to both the public and the natural world. The New Jersey chapter of the Sierra Club labeled this deal “the biggest sellout of taxpayer money in state history.” Democratic state senators are threatening to sue. Now the public needs to get involved.
http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/08/politics/election-2016-chris-christie-comeback/
some of the article:
Washington (CNN)Whatever happened to Chris Christie?
The question has percolated in GOP circles since the new year began, with presidential primary state activists wondering why the New Jersey governor isn't doing a better job keeping in touch and rival GOP campaigns happily pointing to Christie's diminished stature in the polls.
Even sympathetic Republicans are scratching their heads.
"Every other candidate is showing up here, and people are coming to me like, 'What's going on?'" said South Carolina State Rep. Phyllis Henderson, who just a few months ago was preparing to serve as a key Christie point person in the early primary state. "And I really don't know what they are doing here. I haven't had any indication that they are planning to visit or what the plan is. I haven't really talked to them in a while."
http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/04/christies_job_approval_rating_hits_record_low_in_rutgers_poll.html
some of the article:
Fifty-four percent of New Jersey's registered voters disapprove of the job Chris Christie is doing as governor — his highest job disapproval ratings to date, according to a new survey from Rutgers University's Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling. Just 41 percent approve of Christie's job performance.
Christie's stances on taxation and the budget also reached new depths in the eyes of voters. Fewer than one-in-three approve of his handling of the economy, and a vast majority think the state is headed in the wrong direction.
And the Republican governor's handling of the state's recovery from Hurricane Sandy has also hit record lows, with just 48 percent approving of his job — a seven point drop since February. That's nearly a 40 point drop since April 2013, when 87 percent of Garden Staters approved of Christie's handling of the recovery effort.
http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2015/04/08/new-port-authority-subpoena-one-world-trade-center-deck-deal-faces-scrutiny/
some of the article:
Manhattan prosecutors are seeking records in connection with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s deal to operate the observation deck at One World Trade Center.
In disclosures to bond investors Tuesday, the authority acknowledged New York City prosecutors are investigating the award of the observation deck’s lease to Legends’ Hospitality.
It is the latest of many subpoenas to hit the agency since lanes of the George Washington Bridge were closed in September 2013, allegedly for political retribution by aides and allies of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
The authority said subpoenas from the Manhattan district attorney’s office sought records concerning “the procurement process for the award of the lease for the One World Trade Center observation deck.” It is unclear what documents the Port Authority has provided in response. The Port Authority declined to comment, as did the Manhattan D.A.’s office.
Previously, Port Authority officials have stood by the agency’s awarding the contract to Legends Hospitality in 2013, which is partially owned by Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. The contract came under scrutiny in January after Mr. Christie accepted luxury travel and Cowboys football tickets from Mr. Jones. The governor called Mr. Jones a personal friend.
Mr. Christie partially controls the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and supported the Legends bid in 2013. A Christie spokesman declined to comment Wednesday on whether the governor’s office has received subpoenas and referred questions to the Port.
Legends Hospitality hasn’t received a subpoena but has cooperated with the investigation, according to a person familiar with the matter. The observation deck is set to open next month.
The Port Authority also acknowledged in the bond documents that it had received subpoenas from federal prosecutors in New Jersey seeking information concerning United Airlines, Newark Liberty International Airport and David Samson, the authority’s former chairman appointed by Mr. Christie. The State Ethics Commission has also sought documents. A spokeswoman for Mr. Samson also declined to comment Wednesday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/09/opinion/gov-christies-bad-deal-with-exxon.html?_r=0
some of the article:
New Jersey has been fighting for years to get the Exxon Mobil Corporation to clean up and pay up after turning more than 1,500 acres of marshes and waterways into toxic wastelands. But, just as a State Superior Court judge was about to rule on the case earlier this year, Gov. Chris Christie’s administration suddenly and unexpectedly agreed to settle with Exxon for 3 cents on the dollar. The agreement, which became public on Monday, allows Exxon to escape with a payment of $225 million, far less than the estimated $8.9 billion the state had originally asked for a decade ago.
There will be no public hearing for this deal, which was negotiated in secret by the state. The public can send comments to New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection until June 5. (Exxon Mobil Bayway Settlement should be in the subject line, with comments going to: ExxonMobilBaywaySettlement@dep.nj.gov).
Anyone who wants cleaner air and water in New Jersey should urge Mr. Christie to reject this obvious sellout. If enough people raise questions, the State Department of Environmental Protection might well have second thoughts. If it does not, it will be up to Judge Michael Hogan to reject this insufficient settlement and demand more from Exxon.
There are plenty of reasons for a better solution. State courts have already found Exxon liable for contaminating a vast area of marshlands and waterways, including “sludge lagoons” and a swamp that is “now mostly covered with a tar” of debris and petroleum products. A bigger settlement should allow for a much more comprehensive cleanup in these and other sites elsewhere in the state. Yet the agreement negotiated by Mr. Christie refers only to “alleged” pollution by Exxon and does not accuse the company of “any wrongdoing or liability.”
Mr. Christie says the $225 million to satisfy the 2004 lawsuit is “on top of” Exxon’s obligation under a 1991 consent order requiring Exxon to clean up several refinery sites. Exxon has already spent $260 million on remediation of these sites — which officials define as capping or controlling pollution, not full restoration — and will spend even more. The lawsuit, however, covered different issues and was aimed not just at cleanup but recovery for damages to the state’s natural resources and for the fact that the public was deprived of their use.
The Christie administration says its settlement is a satisfactory ending to a long and possibly unsuccessful battle with Exxon over those damages. But many environmentalists and some state politicians beg to differ, and are fighting back, pointing out that $225 million is hardly sufficient compensation for damages to both the public and the natural world. The New Jersey chapter of the Sierra Club labeled this deal “the biggest sellout of taxpayer money in state history.” Democratic state senators are threatening to sue. Now the public needs to get involved.
https://prospect.org/article/blind-future
This is a long but very cogent accounting of the Christie legacy.
This is a long but very cogent accounting of the Christie legacy.
It's utterly criminal. Billions of dollars of taxpayer money spent essentially for the purpose of his election campaign.
Didn't see this earlier: Samson left his law firm this past week.
http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/04/former_port_authority_chairman_resigns_from_law_fi.html
http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/04/former_port_authority_chairman_resigns_from_law_fi.html
And a fun one from the NJ Law Journal:
http://www.njlawjournal.com/id=1202723138091/Looming-Indictments-Could-Hurt-Christies-Presidential-Hopes?mcode=1202615653063&slreturn=20150310122621
http://www.njlawjournal.com/id=1202723138091/Looming-Indictments-Could-Hurt-Christies-Presidential-Hopes?mcode=1202615653063&slreturn=20150310122621
Mod - that article is absolutely the best summary I have read to date of what I already knew (but I learned more). Whenever Christie's name is brought up I tend to go on a rant on these very issues. In sum this guy has essentially used the ARC project and the Port Authority (and the Exxon settlement) as his own piggy bank to plug short term transportation and infrastructure budget holes to the extreme detriment of every citizen in this state let alone the northeast corridor. All in order to avoid raising the gas tax where our's are about the lowest in the nation (and oil prices at their lowest in years). Now we are left with no tunnel and no plan for a tunnel either near or far and his transportation trust fund is out of money! I think it is ironic that the Bridge fiasco will be the beginning of the end of this guy. This is a transportation state, plain and simple. i think somewhere around 60 percent of our income is tied to New York. This man has failed this State on every level, particularly on transportation. And now he has a big target on his back from prosecutors both federal and state and it looks like the chickens may be coming home to roost, finally. I look forward to learning more regarding his machinations via the various indictments which will be forthcoming. The truth needs to get out about this guy.
And if you raise any of this ^^^ with him, he'll say, "SHUT UP, YOU IDIOT!!"
Check out the Christie insult generator:
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2015/03/try_out_our_chris_christie_insult_generator_packed_with_the_governors_greatest_hits.html
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2015/03/try_out_our_chris_christie_insult_generator_packed_with_the_governors_greatest_hits.html
Yesterday's NY Times had an illustrated version which makes everything perfectly clear. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/04/08/nyregion/chris-christie-and-bridgegate-guide.html
Former Christie Ally David Wildstein Set to Plead Guilty
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-04-29/former-christie-ally-david-wildstein-said-to-plan-guilty-plea
Looks like it may get a bit more interesting tomorrow.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-04-29/former-christie-ally-david-wildstein-said-to-plan-guilty-plea
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http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/09/nyregion/indictments-may-be-near-in-george-washington-bridge-scandal.html?google_editors_picks=true&_r=0
We can always hope!