Who leaked the letter?

Most people who are paying attention to ‘Bridgegate’ now realize that the letter from David Wildstein’s attorney, Alan Zegas, released to the press yesterday afternoon is not the smoking gun that many in the media have been hoping for that would put an end to Governor Chris Christie’s presidential ambitions or possibly lead to his resignation or impeachment.

The letter, part of a negotiation with Port Authority over Wildstein’s legal fees, is not evidence that Christie lied in his January 9, 2013 press conference.  The letter raises many questions and answers few if any.  Some of those questions could complicate Wildstein’s legal problems.  Assemblyman John Wisniewski, the co-chair of the state legislative committee investigating Bridgegate, wants to know why Wildstein did not include the evidence referred to in the letter with all the other documents he provided to the Assembly Transportation Committee, including the now infamous email exchange between Wildstein and Bridget Ann Kelly that blew the Bridgegate story open on January 8.

If any of the news outlets that reported on the letter revealed who released it, I missed it.

The release of the letter reignited the media frenzy over Bridgegate just as Christie was generating non-scandal related publicity associated with the Super Bowl and Howard Stern’s birthday.   That was obviously the intent of releasing the letter. By protecting the identity of the leaker, the media is complicit with that agenda.

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GWB letter raises credibility questions for Chris Christie, Port Authority official, politicians say

GWB letter raises credibility questions for Chris Christie, Port Authority official, politicians say (via NJ.com)

TRENTON — If true, the claims in former Port Authority official David Wildstein’s letter are explosive and potentially deadly to Gov. Chris Christie’s political future, New Jersey politicians agreed today. But they also conceded the letter raised…

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Christie Responds to Wildstein’s Allegations

Governor Chris Christie’s office released the following statement addressing the allegations made in The New York Times today:

“Mr. Wildstein’s lawyer confirms what the Governor has said all along – he had absolutely no prior knowledge of the lane closures before they happened and whatever Mr. Wildstein’s motivations were for closing them to begin with.  As the Governor said in a December 13th press conference, he only first learned lanes were closed when it was reported by the press and as he said in his January 9th press conference, had no indication that this was anything other than a traffic study until he read otherwise the morning of January 8th. The Governor denies Mr. Wildstein’s lawyer’s other assertions.”

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Wildstein: Christie Knew About GWB Lane Closures

David Wildstein, the former Port Authority Official who ordered the September 2013 lane closures on the George Washington Bridge that have come to be know as Bridgegate, claims that he has evidence exists that Governor Chris Christie knew about the lane closures as they were happening, according to a report in the New York Times. 

In a letter released by his lawyer, the official, David Wildstein, a high school friend of Mr. Christie’s who was appointed with the governor’s blessing at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which controls the bridge, described the order to close the lanes as “the Christie administration’s order” and said “evidence exists as well tying Mr. Christie to having knowledge of the lane closures, during the period when the lanes were closed, contrary to what the governor stated publicly in a two-hour press conference” three weeks ago.

“Mr. Wildstein contests the accuracy of various statements that the governor made about him and he can prove the inaccuracy of some,” the letter added.

The letter from Wildstein’s attorney, Alan L. Zegas, can be read here.

Christie’s two hour press conference wherein he denied any prior knowledge of the lane closures and announced the termination of his Deputy Chief of Staff, Bridget Ann Kelly, and his top political adviser, Bill Stepien, can be viewed by clicking here.

Christie press spokesman, Michael Drewniak, has not responded to a phone call and an email requesting comment on Wildstein’s allegations.

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Christie bridge scandal: Port Authority won’t pay Wildstein’s bills

Christie bridge scandal: Port Authority won’t pay Wildstein’s bills (via NJ.com)

TRENTON — The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said Friday it won’t pay the legal bills of the former official — and ally of Gov. Chris Christie — who ordered the controversial lane closures at the George Washington Bridge last year…

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Wildstein willing to talk about N.J. bridge scandal for immunity

Wildstein willing to talk about N.J. bridge scandal for immunity (via NewsWorks)

A former appointee of Gov. Chris Christie who directed lane closures that caused massive traffic tie-ups in northern New Jersey is reiterating that he is ready to talk with lawmakers if he can be granted immunity from prosecution. But lawyer Alan Zegas…

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Wildstein Invokes Fifth Amendment Protections Before Assembly Transportation Committee

Former Port Authority of NY/NJ official David Wildstein  invoked his rights against self incrimination under the U.S. and New Jersey constitutions in declining to answer any questions posed by Assembly Transportation Committee Chairman John Wisniewski at a hearing that started moments after Governor Chris Christie’s press conference concluded.

Wisniewski  advised Wildstein and his attorney Alan Zegas that the committee rules and state statute do not allow for invoking fifth amendment protections. Zegas advised his client not to answer question, stating that the constitutions supersede the statute.

The committee held Wildstein in contempt.

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4 unanswered questions from ‘Bridgegate’

4 unanswered questions from ‘Bridgegate’ (via NJ.com)

‘Bridgegate’ was cast in a whole new light today when emails came to light showing a high-level official in the Chris Christie administration knew about lane diversions at the George Washington Bridge before they were implemented. The revelations move…

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Bridgegate: Emails tie Christie’s staff to George Washington Bridge lane closures

Governor Chris Christie and Deputy Chief of Staff Bridget Kelly. Photo via facebook

Emails and text messages published by NorthJersey.com  appear to implicate Governor Chris Christie’s Deputy Chief of Staff Bridget Ann Kelly in the planning of the George Washington Bridge lane closures that disrupted traffic in Fort Lee for a week last September.  The documents support contentions by Democrats in the legislature and media reports that the lane closures were executed as political retribution against Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich for failing to endorse Christie’s reelection.

NorthJersey.com’s extensive coverage can be found here.

Prior to today’s revelations, the Christie Administration’s official story was that the lane closures were order by Christie’s top appointees to the Port Authority of NY/NJ, David Wildstein and Bill Baroni, as a traffic study regarding the appropriateness of Fort Lee having three dedicated toll lanes to the George Washington Bridge.

The documents show that Christie’s campaign manager, Bill Stepien, and the Governor’s chief spokesperson, Michael Drewniak, participated in conversations on how to respond to media inquiries about the lane closures.   Stepien was named Christie’s choice to replace Sam Raia as Chairman of the NJ GOP yesterday. The documents also indicate that Baroni was very concerned about how Christie’s staff evaluated his testimony before the Assembly Transportation Committee on the lane closures in November.

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Conflicting reports on Bridgegate emails

The Star Ledger is reporting that David Wildstein, Governor Christie’s former “eyes and ears” at the Port Authority of NY/NJ sent an email to Christie’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Bridget Ann Kelly, that read “Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee” on August 13, almost a month before the infamous lane closures on the George Washington Bridge that snarled traffic in Fort Lee for a week.

The New York Times says the email was sent by Kelly to Wildstein, which, if true, could be problematic for the Governor who has insisted that neither his staff or campaign had anything to do with or any advanced knowledge of the lane closures that Democrats have alleged were order as political retribution against Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich for declining to endorse Christie’s reelection.

Both the Star Ledger and the New York Times say they have the email in question, and other documents, but they have not posted the documents online.

Neither publication reveals any of the content of the email or other documents other than “Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee.”

Without a more thorough examination of the documents, it is impossible to conclude if Kelly had any involvement in or foreknowledge of the lane closures.  That won’t stop the left stream media from having a field day with them today, however.

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