Bridge scandal to be investigated by special committee empaneled by N.J. Assembly (via NJ.com)
TRENTON — Leaders in the state Assembly said today they will form a special investigatory committee with subpoena power to continue the probe of the September lane closures on the George Washington Bridge. The committee will be led by Assemblyman…
Governor Chris Christie and HUD Sec Shaun Donovan announce Sandy Relief Grants in Highlands, April 29, 2013
More on this story here and here.
UPDATE: Ian O’Connor of the HUD’s Inspector General’s Office responded to our inquiry regarding the audit into the #Stronger Than The Storm ad campaign.
We asked:
“Is this audit anything other than what would occur in the normal course of events regarding any HUD grant?
Is there a separate investigation into the Stronger Than The Storm in ad campaign?”
O’Connor replied:
“We received a request from Congress and are performing an audit to address those concerns.”
MMM followed up asking:
“Is there anything out of the ordinary about this audit?
Are all Congressional requests accepted?”
O’Connor replied:
“We have no further statements.”
So here is what we know. Congressman Frank Pallone asked the Department of Housing and Urban Development to look into the Stronger than the Strom ad campaign.
HUD said, OK.
——
When the federal government grants money, for anything, they later follow up with an audit to be sure the money was spent as intended.
Congressman Frank Pallone thought it would be clever to inform the media that the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s audit into funds granted for Sandy Relief was an investigation into Governor Chris Christie and his appearance in last summer’s #Stronger Than The Storm ad campaign.
CNN and the left stream media either fell for it or went along this morning.
MMM asked Ray Zaccaro, Pallone’s press contact in Washington for documentation that the audit is anything other than the normal course of business. Zaccaro said there was no documentation, just a phone call from someone at HUD responding to Pallone’s August letter on the matter saying, “yeah, we’ll look into it.” Zaccaro said that HUD wouldn’t discuss investigations, “except with us, Members of Congress.”
MMM reached out to Brian Sullivan in HUD’s press office for confirmation of a separate investigation. Sullivan referred us to Marta Metelko in the HUD Inspector General’s office. We received an auto reply from Ms. Metelko referring us to Mr. Ian O’Connor. We’ve yet to hear back from O’Connor.
Posted: January 13th, 2014 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: #STTS, Chris Christie, Frank Pallone, HUD, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, Ian O'Connor, Marta Metelko, Ray Zaccaro, Stronger than the storm | 5 Comments »
Found on facebook and twitter
Posted: January 11th, 2014 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Chris Christie, Christie Administration, Port Authority | Tags: Bridgegate, Chris Christie, Facebook, George Washington Bridge, Humor, Port Authority of NY/NJ, Social Media, Twitter | Comments Off on Best of Bridgegate FunniesFormer Governor Tom Kean, Sr dealt a body blow to his former protégé today in an interview published by The Washington Post.
Governor Chris Christie and former Governor Tom Kean Sr celebrate the first annual Livingston Day, April 11, 2013. Photo by Tim Larsen/Governor’s Office
“On the one hand, I think he’s got a lot to offer. I think he’s the most able politician since Bill Clinton,” Kean (R) said in an interview with The Washington Post. “On the other hand, you look at these other qualities and ask, do you really want that in your president?”
Kean’s comments come as the current governor is beset by controversy over revelations that officials loyal to Christie engineered closure of part of the George Washington Bridge in September, inconveniencing tens of thousands of state residents in an apparent act of vindictiveness against a local mayor.
There is no evidence that Christie knew of the actions of his subordinates and appointees, some of whom he has since fired. But Kean — who has known Christie since the current governor was a teenager — faulted Christie for establishing a culture in his tight inner circle in which no one “will ever say no to him, and that is dangerous.”
He also said that Christie’s approach to governing is overly aggressive and his agenda is personal.
In a press conference last month, Christie said he had not talked to Kean Sr since the attempt to oust Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr from his leadership post. Kean Sr has characterized Christie’s ill-fated attempt to replace Kean Jr with State Senator Kevin O’Toole as a personal betrayal.
Christie’s got some fence mending to do.
Posted: January 11th, 2014 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: 2016 Presidential Politics, Chris Christie, Christie Administration, NJ GOP, Tom Kean JR, Tom Kean Sr | Tags: Bridgegate, Chris Christie, George Washington Bridge, Port Authority of NY/NJ, Tom Kean JR, Tom Kean SR | 9 Comments »
Haley Barbour defends Chris Christie in bridge scandal, lashes out at ‘liberal media’ (via NJ.com)
TRENTON — Former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour defended Gov. Chris Christie in a lengthy interview for “taking the bull by the horns” after a week of explosive revelations that top Christie aides knew about plans to cause a massive traffic jam…
A Rasmussen Poll taken Thursday evening after Governor Chris Christie’s marathon press conference apologizing for the September George Washington Bridge lane closures indicates that 60% of likely New Jersey voters approve of the job that Christie is doing and 55% hold a favorable opinion of him.
Yet, New Jerseyans are skeptical of Christie’s claims that he had no prior knowledge of the Bridgegate closures or his staff’s involvement.
54% of Likely New Jersey Voters believe it’s at least somewhat likely that Christie was aware that traffic lanes onto the George Washington Bridge were being closed as retaliation for the mayor of Fort Lee’s refusal to support the governor’s reelection. 36% think it’s unlikely Christie was aware beforehand.
56% say Christie should resign if it is proven that he knew the lane closures were an act of political retribution.
Posted: January 11th, 2014 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Chris Christie, Port Authority | Tags: Bridgegate, Chris Christie, George Washington Bridge, Port Authority of NY/NJ, Rasmussen Reports | 8 Comments »
Kevin O’Dowd, center, holds the Holy Bible while Governor Christie administers the Oath Of Office to Mary O’Dowd, Kevin’s wife, to be Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, June 3, 2011. Photo by Tim Larsen/Governor’s Office
The State Senate put Kevin O’Dowd’s confirmation hearing for State Attorney General on an indefinite hold, which prompted the governor to withdraw Acting Attorney General John Hoffman’s nomination to be a Superior Court Judge, according to a report by the Associated Press.
O’Dowd is Christie’s Chief of Staff. Bridget Ann Kelly, the Deputy Chief of Staff now at the center of the Bridgegate scandal, reported to O’Dowd prior to being fired by Christie yesterday morning.
During his hour and 48 minute press conference dealing with Bridgegate yesterday, Christie said he expected O’Dowd’s nomination to go forward.
Posted: January 10th, 2014 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Chris Christie, Christie Administration, Port Authority | Tags: Associated Press, Bridgegate, Bridget Ann Kelly, Chris Christie, John Hoffman, Kevin O'Dowd, Mary O'Dowd, Port Authority of NY/NJ | 4 Comments »
Chris Christie is sincere in bridge scandal apology, body language expert says (via NJ.com)
Gov. Chris Christie showed all the signs of telling the truth during Thursday’s news conference, a body language expert said. According to Janine Driver, president of the Alexandria, Va.-based Body Language Institute, Christie exhibited some of the…
Opinion: Big and Small Thinking at the Port Authority (via NJSpotlight)
The reason I believe Gov. Chris Christie will survive the Bridgegate controversy is that he is too smart to have directed or encouraged what he accurately called the “abject stupidity” of September’s lane closings on the George Washington Bridge…
Will the Bridgegate Scandal Change the Way Christie Governs? (via NJSpotlight)
For all the talk about how the George Washington Bridge scandal is going to affect Gov. Chris Christie’s national ambitions, what about closer to home, what about the “business of the people” as it’s conducted in New Jersey? Christie gives a State…
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