it's related here as well. An interesting article on U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman who has been busy untangling that web up there. This is more than just a defining moment for Mr. Fishman, it's a whole lot more important than that:
Is a defining moment near for U.S. attorney Fishman?
He has a gold-plated résumé, a roster of high-profile friends and one of the highest-ranking law enforcement jobs in the state.
Now, the legal legacy and professional reputation of U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman could be, in large part, determined by one case.
A year and three months has passed since Fishman’s office began investigating the lane closings at the George Washington Bridge. It is among the few criminal investigations to reach into the governor’s office in New Jersey history and the most closely watched case out of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in years. More than $9 million of taxpayer money has been spent on law firms representing public officials embroiled in the scandal. And multiple players have put their lives and careers on hold as they wait for a result.
But Fishman’s office has given little clue about its intentions beyond a trail of subpoenas.
The silence has engendered intense speculation. Every passing week sees a flurry of new rumors about pending indictments. Every subpoena issued sparks another round of questions about the scope and potential targets of the case.
“People are getting understandably very antsy,” said Carl Golden, a Republican strategist who worked for Govs. Thomas H. Kean and Christie Whitman. “He understands the anxiety and the angst that is out there. He also understands that if ever there is a case where everything has to be exactly right, it’s this one.”
Fishman, 58 and originally from River Edge, is so revered by his colleagues that it is rare to hear a negative word about him beyond a passing joke about his small stature — which is often the subject of Fishman’s own self-deprecating humor.
Otherwise, they describe him as a firebrand and a passionate public servant. He is known for his meticulousness and sense of historical responsibility. In private, some wonder if those traits have lengthened the George Washington Bridge lane closure investigation.
“This has been Paul Fishman’s modus operandi as U.S. attorney,” said Sen. Raymond Lesniak, D-Union. “He does take his time; I don’t say that to be critical. He takes his time because he wants to get it right all the time.”
Read the rest here:
http://www.northjersey.com/news/is-a-defining-moment-near-for-u-s-attorney-fishman-1.1307587
Oh, and Ben Barlyn may finally be getting the transcripts of the Grand Jury proceedings in Hunterdon County which have a real chance of bringing down Lt. Governor Guadagno along with Christie.
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