Gov. Chris Christie and his chief of staff, Kevin O'Dowd. O'Dowd. (Photo credit: Saed Hindash/The Star-Ledger)
Susan Livio of The Star-Ledger reports that Christie's chief of staff subpoenaed to testify before bridge scandal panel, on Monday a 10:30, as the investigative net circles closer to Christie' inner sanctum.
O'Dowd supervised Bridget Kelly, the deputy chief of staff whom Christie fired immediately after emails came to light implicating her in the four-day lane closures in September. Christie had announced his intention to make O'Dowd Attorney General, but put the appointment on hold after the scandal broke.
"This subpoena is a necessary step in the committee's bipartisan investigation into the lane closings and apparent abuse of government power and threat to public safety," according to the New Jersey Legislative Select Committee on Investigation Co-Chairs Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Middlesex) and Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen). "Mr. O'Dowd is in a unique position to provide insight into what happened under his watch as chief of staff to the governor. We look forward to his cooperation and testimony." ...
Since its formation in January, the committee has subpoenaed thousands of records from officials who work for the Christie administration and for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The committee also took testimony under subpoena from Port Authority Commissioner William "Pat" Schuber, Christie's Press Secretary Michael Drewniak, Christie campaign organizer Matthew Mowers and Christina Genovese Renna, Gov. Chris Christie’s former director of intergovernmental affairs.
Here's a rare bit of positive news from Christie Administration Backs Obama on Climate Rule
A spokesman for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s Department of Environmental Protection welcomed the Monday announcement, according to an Associated Press report.
“New Jersey Environmental Protection Department spokesman Larry Ragonese said the agency welcomed Monday's announcement. He noted that the state had already been moving actively toward cleaner energy initiatives and has beaten EPA target emissions rates for the past several years,” the AP wrote.
That’s the spokesman for New Jersey’s DEP Commissioner Bob Martin, who was appointed by Christie.
Mark J. Magyar of N.J. Spotlight covers and Republican legislators got a chance to focus on apparent incompetence, and possible corruption in the Port Authority.
Meanwhile, Assemblywoman Amy Handlin (R-Monmouth) led Republicans in zeroing in on the Port Authority’s questionable payments to an architect for unsolicited work, excessive real estate holdings in Jersey City, conflict of interest policies, failure to adequately pursue reports of ethics violations, and the wisdom of doling out special grants to municipalities instead of using whatever money is available for needed airport and infrastructure repairs.
Handlin questioned “whether the Port Authority routinely paid people off to avoid a lawsuit” -- the reason suggested for the payment -- and was clearly unhappy that Schuber didn’t remember anything about the payment.
“I think we got our first firsthand glimpse of the Port Authority by hearing from a commissioner who didn’t seem to ask a question about anything,” Weinberg said. “I’m always curious about everybody’s lack of curiosity.”
“We have a budding public health crisis here,” Wisniewski quipped. “We have people coming in with broad memory lapses about anything they heard or said about lane closures. What’s troubling about Commissioner Schuber is he testified he has fiduciary responsibility . . . yet he asked no questions.”
Republicans and Democrats on the investigative committee found rare points of agreement that the Port Authority is in urgent need of major reform. Discussions went as far as to even explore the possibility of splitting it into two separate state agencies.
Kevin O'Dowd's testimony will receive much attention because he seems to have been a key direct link to Christie who may be able to shed light on what Christie knew, and when did he know it. I'm a little surprised he is not taking the Fifth. But, it is not Monday yet so we shall soon see.
12:24 PM PT: Port Authority commissioner William Schuber testifies before N.J. legislative Bridgegate committee