Chris Christie bridgegate scandal: Jersey Shore Fort Lee
- 10 years ago
Governor Chris Christie has created himself the perfect storm over engineered traffic jams in a New Jersey town last September to punish its mayor. Political investigations have now begun on Christie's inner circle of aides after emails and text messages were released on Wednesday linking the aides to the scandal.
Christie has come out saying that he is "outraged and deeply saddened" and has said that he was misled by his aide. Christie has denied any involvement in the political retribution scandal.
The emails and texts were received by news agencies Wednesday as a statehouse investigation into whether the lane closings that let to the traffic gridlock were retribution against Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich for not endorsing Christie for re-election last year.
"Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee," Christie deputy chief of staff Bridget Anne Kelly wrote in August in an exchange to David Wildstein, a top Christie appointee on the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
"Got it," Wildstein replied. A few weeks later, Wildstein closed two of three lanes connecting Fort Lee to the George Washington Bridge.
The emails and texts seem to contradict Christie's claims that the closing were not punitive and that his aides were not involved.
Christie issued a statement late Wednesday, "I am outraged and deeply saddened to learn that not only was I misled by a member of my staff, but this completely inappropriate and unsanctioned conduct was made without my knowledge."
Mayor Sokolich called it "appalling" that the traffic gridlock appears to have been deliberately caused.
The traffic jams occurred between Sept. 9 and Sept. 13. Port Authority officials later said that the lane closures were part of a traffic study. Too bad no study has been produced.
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Christie has come out saying that he is "outraged and deeply saddened" and has said that he was misled by his aide. Christie has denied any involvement in the political retribution scandal.
The emails and texts were received by news agencies Wednesday as a statehouse investigation into whether the lane closings that let to the traffic gridlock were retribution against Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich for not endorsing Christie for re-election last year.
"Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee," Christie deputy chief of staff Bridget Anne Kelly wrote in August in an exchange to David Wildstein, a top Christie appointee on the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
"Got it," Wildstein replied. A few weeks later, Wildstein closed two of three lanes connecting Fort Lee to the George Washington Bridge.
The emails and texts seem to contradict Christie's claims that the closing were not punitive and that his aides were not involved.
Christie issued a statement late Wednesday, "I am outraged and deeply saddened to learn that not only was I misled by a member of my staff, but this completely inappropriate and unsanctioned conduct was made without my knowledge."
Mayor Sokolich called it "appalling" that the traffic gridlock appears to have been deliberately caused.
The traffic jams occurred between Sept. 9 and Sept. 13. Port Authority officials later said that the lane closures were part of a traffic study. Too bad no study has been produced.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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