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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Zimmer testified that she does not keep a diary

HudsonCountyTV.com is reporting that attorney Louis Zayas of North Bergen claims that Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer testified under oath during a deposition that she does not keep a diary, calendar or memo pad to help her remember events that occur in the city she governs.

Zimmer claimed on MSNBC’s Up with Steve Kornacki last Saturday that Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno told her that Sandy Relief money was contingent on the approval of a proposed Rockefeller Group development.  Zimmer offered Kornacki her diary to support her claims against Guadagno and says she has since turned the diary over to the U.S. Attorney.

Zayas, the attorney who won a $440,000 award discrimination lawsuit against Hoboken last month said at the time that the jury in that case did not believe Zimmer’s testimony. Zayas is currently suing Zimmer and her husband, Stan Grossbard, on behalf of Carmelo Garcia, the head of the Hoboken Housing Authority and a New Jersey State Assemblyman representing Hoboken, for alleged  racial discrimination and “ethnic cleansing.”

Zayas keeps a framed photograph of himself and Governor Chris Christie on prominent display in his law office, as can be seen in this HudsonCountyTV video.

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Zimmer says Feds told her to stop talking, Declines to take lie detector

Graphic courtesy of Hoboken411.com

Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer said the U.S. Attorney’s Office has asked her to stop talking about her allegations that top officials in the Christie Administration told her that Sandy Relief money was contingent upon her approving a development for the Rockefeller Group, according to HudsonCountyTV.

“The US Attorney’s office has asked that we do not conduct additional media interviews and we are respecting their request. I stand by my previous statements and remain willing to testify under oath about all of the facts in this case.”

How convenient.

The U.S. Attorney’s office has not confirmed that they made such a request, or that they have even met with Zimmer.

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Monmouth Mayors Cast Doubt On Zimmer’s Quid Pro Quo Claims

Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer on MSNBC’s Up with Steve Kornacki, January 18, 2014

Monmouth County mayors and other municipal officials are reacting to Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer’s allegations that her city is not receiving Sandy Relief funds because she hasn’t pushed through a redevelopment approval coveted by Governor Chris Christie with a high degree of skepticism, because their storm ravaged communities have yet to see significant money yet either.

One elected official who asked not to be quoted said, “If Hoboken had approved that Rockefeller project, Zimmer would still be standing on her head at a Hoboken street corner looking for her Sandy money. The money hasn’t started to flow yet.”

“Is it believable that Guadagno (Lt. Governor Kim Guadango) or Constable (DCA Commissioner Richard Constable) encouraged Zimmer to expedite an project? Yes.  As a quid pro quo for Sandy dollars? No way,” another official said.

Zimmer alleged on MSNBC’s Up with Steve Kornacki this morning that Guadagno pulled her aside at a Hoboken ribbon cutting and warned that Sandy Relief money to Hoboken was contingent on a development application by the Rockefeller Group being approved by the city. Zimmer said that Constable told her at a Monmouth University symposium on Sandy recovery that relief dollars would flow if the Rockefeller application was approved.

After talking to local and state officials today, MMM understands that the federal money for Sandy Relief is flowing dripping through four sources; FEMA, the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) which administers relief for homeowners, the New Jersey Economic Development Agency(EDA) and County Governments which are administering Hazard Mitigation Grants.  The Hazard Mitigation Grants are funded by FEMA and distributed to the counties by the State Office of Emergency Management.

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