Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Gov Christie's Top Aides/Allies-"Working Frantically To Throw Reporters & Legislators Off Scent"
...............there is another reading of the documents — one that shows the governor's top aides in the statehouse and his allies and appointees at the Port Authority carefully tracking the scandal that's come to be known as Bridgegate, working frantically to throw reporters and legislators off the scent and — at key points — informing Christie himself of certain facts about the unfolding mess.
(a small snippet):
Dec. 2: New Jersey Public Radio’s Matt Katz asks Christie if he had any knowledge of lane closures. “I worked the cones, actually, Matt,” the governor responds, to laughter. “Unbeknownst to everybody, I was actually the guy out there, in overalls and a hat. I was the guy working the cones. You really are not serious.”
Dec. 3: The Port Authority police union chief, A friend of Wildstein’s, offers a cover story to reporters: the lane closures were his idea. That turned out to be false. In a rare direct communication with Samson, Wildstein forwards a news report about his friend's account, with no comment or additional explanation.
That night, Wildstein and Drewniak dine together in New Brunswick. According to the Mastro report, Wildstein tells Drewniak that he’d told the governor about the lane closures while they were happening, and that two of Christie’s top staff — campaign manager Stepien and Bridget Ann Kelly, the governor's deputy chief of staff — knew about them.
Dec. 4: The next day, Drewniak tells Christie about his conversation with Wildstein. According to the Mastro report, the governor tells his spokesman that it’s time for Wildstein and Baroni to go. Christie himself edits the press statement thanking Wildstein for his service, according to emails released by the legislature.
Dec. 5: Wildstein emails Drewniak: “Thanks again for all your sound advice last night."His resignation is made public the next day.
Dec. 3: The Port Authority police union chief, A friend of Wildstein’s, offers a cover story to reporters: the lane closures were his idea. That turned out to be false. In a rare direct communication with Samson, Wildstein forwards a news report about his friend's account, with no comment or additional explanation.
That night, Wildstein and Drewniak dine together in New Brunswick. According to the Mastro report, Wildstein tells Drewniak that he’d told the governor about the lane closures while they were happening, and that two of Christie’s top staff — campaign manager Stepien and Bridget Ann Kelly, the governor's deputy chief of staff — knew about them.
Dec. 4: The next day, Drewniak tells Christie about his conversation with Wildstein. According to the Mastro report, the governor tells his spokesman that it’s time for Wildstein and Baroni to go. Christie himself edits the press statement thanking Wildstein for his service, according to emails released by the legislature.
Dec. 5: Wildstein emails Drewniak: “Thanks again for all your sound advice last night."His resignation is made public the next day.
Here is the rest of the (Pretty Damning) chronology of how Christie's team responded as the GWB traffic jams drew scrutiny from the press and lawmakers:
http://www.wnyc.org/story/did-christie-aides-participate-bridgegate-cover-/
