This evening I have four articles for you to provide an overview of the Christie situation and the Bridgegate scandals, for food for thought and discussion. Under the fold, I report an interesting article from late this afternoon by DSWright, of Fire Dog Lake, calling attention to the summary of Mike Duhaime interview in the Gibson and Dunn report, which may suggest who might be one of the four new mystery "guests" that will be subpoenaed to testify before the New Jersey investigative committee next month. Given the surprising news that Christie won the father of the year award, it would make me feel churlish to post one of my usual photos of Christie grimacing, so I offer you this "family feeling" like photo of Christie checking his mail, (humor alert: this photo may have been modified for comic effect.)
David Voreacos and Terrence Dopp, of Bloomberg News reports N.J. Bridge Panel to Subpoena Four Witnesses, Wisniewski Says, the N.J. legislative committee will likely subpoena "four witnesses o testify next month, says Assemblyman John Wisniewski.
Assemblyman John Wisniewski, the co-chairman, wouldn’t identify those who will be called to testify about the traffic jams in Fort Lee, New Jersey, from Sept. 9 to Sept. 12. A report commissioned by Republican Governor Chris Christie absolved him and blamed Bridget Anne Kelly, a former deputy chief of staff, and David Wildstein, who worked at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which runs the bridge.
“The actual number will probably be four,” Wisniewski, a Democrat, said today in a telephone interview. “We wanted to brief the members of the committee before anything went out, so we weren’t going to release the subpoenas or the names until the committee members were made aware of what the next steps were.”
After telling us that Wisniewski wouldn't idenify those to be subpoened. Bloomburg's next paragraph says this:
Among those set to be subpoenaed are Patrick Foye, the executive director of the Port Authority; Michael Drewniak, a spokesman for Christie; Christina Renna, who worked under Kelly; and William Schuber, a commissioner at the bi-state agency, according to a person with knowledge of the situation who declined to be identified without authorization to speak publicly.
From our Seriously, WTH? department we read National Father’s Day Council Names Chris Christie Father Of The Year. Seriously, WTH?
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie hasn’t dropped in popularity when it comes to parenting. The National Father’s Day Council announced Monday that Christie has been named a 2014 “Father of the Year” honoree.
Christie joins fellow honoree Vince Camuto, CEOand Chief Creative Officer of Camuto Group.
“We are thrilled that Governor Christie has generously agreed to participate in our efforts to support Savethe Children’s U.S. Programs,” said Dan Orwig, President and CEO of The National Father’s Day/Mother’s Day Council, and Group Director Men’s Division Itochu Prominent. “Each year we are excited to draw attention to a very worthy charity that works to break the cycle of poverty and improve the lives of children.”
The 2014 Father of the Year Awards luncheon will take place at the New York Hilton, June 4, with proceeds benefiting Save the Children’s U.S
Chris Christie's NJ budget proposal slashes funding for cancer research
TRENTON — New Jersey’s leading cancer research organization faces the loss of about a third of its funding in Gov. Chris Christie’s proposed budget, provoking criticism from those concerned by the cut of $10 million in state subsidies.
Doctors and lawmakers alike say the reduction in funds for the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey continues the Christie administration’s history of shortchanging state financing for homegrown research.
The line item in the budget for the institute, the state’s only nationally recognized comprehensive cancer center, is scheduled to drop from $28 million to $18 million in the fiscal year that begins July 1.
Christie also has taken $1 million out of the budget for the New Jersey Commission on Cancer Research for the third year, which has been included in state budgets for the previous 3 decades.
Christie campaign has spent more than $300K on bridge scandal legal fees, defending himself against allegations of wrong doing in the George Washington Bridge scandal.
Christie’s campaign paid $50,000 to Patton Boggs — the law firm representing it — and owes it another $110,000. The campaign also owes $154,000 to Stroz Friedberg, a firm that according to its website employs the a “the brightest minds in the fields of digital forensics, investigations, forensic accounting, incident response, security, compliance, data discovery, intelligence and due diligence.”
The expenses, which were first reported by the Wall Street Journal, are paid for exclusively by Christie’s campaign account. Records from the campaign related to the George Washington Bridge lane closures been subpoenaed by the New Jersey U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The expenses are separate from the Christie administration’s payments to Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, which produced a controversial report absolving Christie of any involvement in the closure of access lanes to the George Washington Bridge. Those figures have not yet been released.
Below the fold, DSWright of Fire Dog Lake analyzes the summary of Mike Duhaime to arrive at an interesting conclusion.
DSWright from Fire Dog Lake delves into the Interviews released by Gibson, Dunn &Crutcher to highlight, Key Chris Christie Advisor Mike DuHaime Cited As Link In Bridgegate Report.
One of Governor Chris Christie’s key advisors, Mike DuHaime, has been cited as the common link between the different Christie officials and staff that are known to be involved in the illegal lane closures on the George Washington Bridge. DuHaime is cited in a recent report issued by Christie’s lawyers to have been in communication with Bridget Kelly, Bill Stepien, and David Wildstein.
DuHaime has deep connections to both Christie and his administration from his career running and advising campaigns in New Jersey. DuHaime was even the architect of Christie’s 2009 gubernatorial campaign. Despite not taking a position in the Christie Administration, DuHaime maintained ties with everyone and served as a messenger between the various people in the Christie Administration inside the Governor’s office and the Port Authority. DSWriight quotes from the Dunn and Gibson interview notes.
The interview notes from Dunn and Gibson has this to say about Mike Duhaime. Mike Duhaime - Top Christie political adviser: DuHaime said he met with Wildstein on Nov. 11 at a coffee shop in Westfield.
"During the course of the meeting, DuHaime and Wildstein discussed the lane realignment," the report said. "DuHaime recalled Wildstein said that it was his idea to conduct a traffic study, and regardless of whether or not people thought that the traffic study was poorly executed, Wildstein thought it was an important policy issue worth exploring and he was prepared to take responsibility for his idea. Wildstein also expressed frustration about the way the issue had been handled from a communications perspective, by allowing the narrative that the traffic study was politically motivated to take hold without pushback or refutation that it was nothing more than a traffic study. Wildstein said that he would not have done the traffic study without Trenton knowing about it beforehand, and was upset that other people were not acknowledging that they knew about the traffic study beforehand.
And, back to DsWright:
“At some point, Wildstein told DuHaime specifically that Kelly and Stepien knew about the traffic study beforehand. DuHaime does not recall when, but it was sometime between the coffee shop conversation and early December. Wildstein reiterated that he would take responsibility for what happened but remained frustrated that other people were not taking responsibility. Wildstein did not say the basis or source of Kelly’s or Stepien’s knowledge, and did not specify the extent or details of their knowledge.”
What I do not understand is DsWright jumps to the conclusion that this means Christie knew about the traffic study well before January 8, 2014. While this seems like a plausible inference, I don't see how DsWright can take this a undeniable proof.
So, Christie is Father of the Year? WTH? This is another thing I do not understand about today's news, and hope some of our readers can explain it to us.
5:35 PM PT: Jed Lewison has a post up entitled Christie legal bills put campaign in debt.
5:37 PM PT: Loretta Weinberg: "Finding the Truth is Expensive" -- and Hiding it, even More so