Christie bridge scandal probe: U.S. Attorney won’t say if indictments are coming

NEWARK — New Jersey U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman today deflected questions about whether his investigation into last year’s traffic jams at the George Washington Bridge would lead to federal indictments next month. During a press conference at his office to announce guilty pleas in a long-running medical device probe, Fishman was asked about an NBC 4… Read the rest of this entry »

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Republicans on N.J. bridge scandal panel blast Democrats in new report

TRENTON — The Democratic leaders of the joint legislative committee investigating the lane closings at the George Washington Bridge “ran up exorbitant public costs” and “proved to be some of the most partisan elected officials in modern times,” according to a report released today by the Republican members of the panel. The 119-page “Minority Statement,” issued… Read the rest of this entry »

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Thompson: Bridgegate Indictments Will Be Cover Up Related

Brian Thompson, the WNBC 4-NY reporter who broke the story of potential indictments in the George Washington Bridge lane closure scandals coming next month, told MSNBC’s Steve Kornacki this morning that the likely federal charges will be related to a coordinated effort to cover up.

“This is what ties it all together as a single unified prosecution, ” Thompson said, “that is they are all involved in this, they all have a finger print or more, somewhere in this, which is, what our sources are saying, all wraps up into a conspiracy to cover up.”

Thompson said that the alleged cover up started “that week of the shut downs” not a month or two months later.  Thompson reiterated that the cover up began on the same week that the lane closures occurred.

Thompson said that at least two of the principals have made a deal, are singing, or are trying to make a deal, with the U.S. Attorney.

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NBC: Bridgegate Indictments Could Be Coming in January

One day after the State Legislative Committee’s report stating that there was no evidence that Governor Chris Christie had prior knowledge of the September 2013 George Washington Bridge lane closures, WNBC-4 New York’s Brian Thompson is reporting that multiple sources say that U. S. Attorney Paul Fishman’s investigation into the scandal could be wrapped up by the end of next month resulting in “at least a half dozen potential indictments.”

Thompson’s report said that those facing potential indictment are former Christie staffers and current and former Port Authority officials.

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Dems’ Christie Probe Comes Up Empty

The Joint Legislative Committee led by Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Middlesex) and Senator Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen) have produced an ‘interim” report that has found no evidence that Governor Chris Christie had any prior knowledge of the George Washington Bridge lane closures in September of 2013.

The report, which was made available to members of the committee yesterday and is scheduled to be made public on Monday, was reviewed by NJ.com who first reported on its contents.

“At present, there is no conclusive evidence as to whether Governor Chris Christie was or was not aware of the lane closures either in advance of their implementation or contemporaneously as they were occurring,” the report states. “Nor is there conclusive evidence as to whether Governor Christie did or did not have involvement in implementing or directing the lane closures.”

As has been widely reported since the “Bridgegate” story broke last January, the report indicates that Christie’s Deputy Chief of Staff Bridget Ann Kelly and Port Authority staffer David Wildstein ordered the lane closures.  The Wisniewski/Weinberg investigation has not discovered why Kelly emailed Wildstein in August of 2013 “Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee.”  It has been widely speculated that the lane closures were political retribution aimed at Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich for failing to endorse Christie’s reelection.  The report repeats the speculation.

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NBC: No Christie link found in Bridgegate probe

NBC News is quoting anonymous sources stating that the federal investigation into Governor Chris Christie into the George Washington Bridge lane closures last year have found no evidence that the Governor had any involvement in or knowledge of the stunt.

Former federal prosecutor Robert W. Ray said that at this point it is unlikely that Christie will be implicated.

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Report: Christie is U.S. Attorney’s target

MMM photo/Art Gallagher

U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman is leaning on former Port Authority officials David Samson, Bill Baroni and David Wildstein and Charles McKenna, Governor Chris Christie’s former Chief Counsel, to”filp” on Christie, according to a report published on Esquire today.

Esquire’s two anonymous sources “with intimate knowledge” of Fishman’s investigation into “Bridgegate” said that Samson, Baroni and Wildstein each face “near-certain” indictment.

Esquire says that Baroni and Wildstein have implicated Samson and that “if Sampson doesn’t give Fishman Christie, Sampson is toast.”

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Bridgegate’s 30 Pivotal Hours: How Kevin O’Dowd Missed The Signs

Bridgegate’s 30 Pivotal Hours: How Kevin O’Dowd Missed The Signs (via NJSpotlight)

Kevin O’Dowd, Christie’s chief of staff, entered Drumthwacket, the governor’s mansion in Princeton, as usual by the side entrance, filing through the kitchen and the dining room, where he was surprised to see Gov. Chris Christie sitting huddled…

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Chris Christie’s spokesman calls bridge closings ‘idiotic,’ lays out timeline

Chris Christie’s spokesman calls bridge closings ‘idiotic,’ lays out timeline (via NJ.com)

TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie’s chief spokesman told lawmakers investigating the George Washington Bridge lane closings Tuesday that he had nothing to do with “this idiotic episode” and that he didn’t attempt to cover it up when the controversy…

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Bridge scandal committee’s legal costs crack $725,000

Bridge scandal committee’s legal costs crack $725,000 (via NJ.com)

The legislative committee investigating the George Washington Bridge scandal has so far been billed more than $725,000 in legal fees, according to bills submitted by two attorneys representing the committee. Jenner & Block, which has several attorneys…

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