Christie Ally Prepped Official Before George Washington Bridge Lane Closure Testimony

[highplainsdem]

Source: Wall Street Journal

An attorney with close ties to Gov. Chris Christie's administration helped prepare an official who gave now-discredited testimony that lane closures at the George Washington Bridge were part of a traffic study, officials said.

Philip Kwon, a top attorney at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, spent parts of four to five days helping to prepare Bill Baroni, then the authority's deputy executive director and its top executive appointment by Mr. Christie, before he spoke to a New Jersey legislative committee on Nov. 25, a person familiar with the matter said.

An authority spokesman disputed that the preparations took five days and defended Mr. Kwon's work.

-snip-

Sen. Loretta Weinberg, the co-chairwoman of the special committee investigating the scandal, said she would seek an explanation of Mr. Baroni's preparations. "What concerns me is why the Port Authority or any member of the Port Authority staff, if the allegation is true, would have to spend four or five days preparing somebody who told this story that is obviously incorrect," Ms. Weinberg said Sunday.

-snip-

Read more: http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303442704579359122606230960

[Blue Owl]

1. You mean the actress from "Cheers"?

[pacalo]

2. Kirstie Alley was the first thing that popped into my head, too!

&

[Control-Z]

4. Me three.

I read the subject line a few times and wondered how she could possibly be involved. Lol. Its late.

[pacalo]

5. I guess we three owe highplainsdem an apology for assuming he had the spelling wrong.

[azurnoir]

7. Thanks I don't feel so bad now

[pacalo]

8. Hey, azurnoir!

[azurnoir]

9. Hi ya been awhile :)

[area51]

11. I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought that at first. n/t

[NBachers]

3. So I'm not the only one

[Tarheel_Dem]

6. This all has a very putrid odor. I can't wait for the first snitch. nt

[Cha]

10. K&R

[SoapBox]

12. Drip, drip, drip!

I hope the tidal wave is coming.

[bucolic_frolic]

13. Sir Walter Scott

Oh, what a tangled web we weave
When first we practise to deceive!

-- "Marmion", 1808

[Botany]

14. They were making up the "Traffic Study" cover story

<Mr. Baroni told a New Jersey legislative committee in November that the lanes were
closed as part of a traffic study designed to determine the equity of Fort Lee having
three local access lanes. Mr. Baroni resigned about three weeks after his testimony,
which wasn't under oath. Other authority officials have said there was no study.>

They knew that they were caught doing shady "stuff" and were trying to get out of
trouble .... Christie is toast it is just a matter of time.

[muriel_volestrangler]

15. Kick (nt)

[jsr]

16. This is what you gotta say

[lindysalsagal]

17. Beautiful!