(illustration by DonkeyHotey)
The most recent Port Authority bond filing discloses all the subpoenas they have received in the past 18 months. It shows that 'Bridgegate' - the closing of lanes on the George Washngton Bridge for political retribution - is just one of at least nine possible criminal episodes currently being investigated.
Among the others, from the Associated Press, via The Republic:
— A redevelopment project in Hoboken, subject of accusations by Democratic Mayor Dawn Zimmer that Christie officials tied her city's Superstorm Sandy aid to her approval of a project whose developer was represented by then-Port Authority chairman David Samson's law firm. Samson was a top Christie appointee at the agency.
— The procurement process for large-scale construction projects at the Bayonne and Goethals bridges.
— Potential conflicts of interest involving Samson, the recently retired founding partner of one of New Jersey's most powerful law firms.
— Flights taken by Samson between Newark and South Carolina, where he owns a home, on a United Airlines route that, according to published reports, was discontinued three days after his resignation as chairman in 2014.
— A proposed extension of PATH rail service to Newark Liberty International Airport and United's short-lived flight service out of Atlantic City International Airport.
— Planned meetings between Port Authority officials and Democratic Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, who has alleged the officials canceled the meetings after he declined to endorse Christie's re-election bid.
— The cancellation of a multibillion-dollar rail tunnel project into Manhattan in 2010.
— The approximately $1 billion renovation of the 83-year-old Pulaski Skyway in northern New Jersey.
http://www.therepublic.com/...
We knew Christie's cancellation of the Manhattan rail tunnel project was a dick move, but I think this is the first indication that it might have been illegal.
This comes just as we learn from The New York Times that the bridge scandal indictments could be coming as soon as next week:
http://www.nytimes.com/...
Yesterday, the Times also published this ominous graphic:
http://www.nytimes.com/...
Good luck and God Speed to the prosecutors.
Update 1:
Make that at least 10 scandals - The Record (northjersey.com) details another subpoena target:
The disclosure also lists subpoenas issued by other agencies investigating the Port Authority and its former officials. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, it states, has asked for records related to the observation deck at One World Trade Center.
The contract to manage the operation deck was won by Legends, a company partly owned by Dallas Cowboys Jerry Jones, whod Christie has described as a friend. That relationship stirred controversy late last year when Jones flew Christie to a playoff football game and hosted him in the owner’s suite, raising questions about whether the personal relationship influenced the awarding of the observation deck contract. Christie has denied any connection.
http://www.northjersey.com/...
Big thanks to Shawn Boburg at The Record for breaking the story.