CHRISTIE – GW Bridge scandal: Christie knew but WHEN?

GWB = Lanes closed Sept. 9 and ordered reopened on Sept. 13.

WILDSTEIN DILEMMA Feb 2014 = “Evidence exists” that Christie knew while the GWB Closures were in effect or TRUSTED CHRISTIE ALLY?

Christie = claims he learned about the shutdown from press reports after it was over = But governor’s public statements = 3 different explanations = “an evolving thing.”

Dec. 13 = Christie said, “The first (Oct 1,2013) I ever heard about the issue was when it was reported in the press, which I think was in the aftermath of Mr. — the leaking of Mr. Foye’s email. I think that was the first I heard of it.”

Dec. 23 = Christie said he had read the first news of the closures (not October) but in September = “Well, I first heard about the lane closure back in September, you know, from press accounts, but, you know, this has kind of been an evolving thing.  There was no, like, moment where I went oh, wow, look at this.”  Foye’s email only press account that mentioned Foye was also in the Wall Street Journal Sept. 18, but did not quote any emails from him, however, David Samson, Christie’s handpicked chairman at the Port Authority, was convinced that Foye had leaked something to the newspaper for that story.

Sept 18 Subpoenaed documents show Samson, after reading the WSJ story, emailed Vice Chairman Scott Rechler to accuse Foye of leaking: “Scott: I just read it and confirms evidence of Foye’s being the leak, stirring up trouble.”

Jan. 9 After Samson’s accusation in subpoenaed documents, Christie gave a new statement, “it wasn’t one of Pat Foye’s emails, but I think there was an earlier story than that.”

Sept. 13 Sept. 13 a NJ Record columnist, “The Road Warrior” mentioned the closure.

Jan. 9 After bombshell emails surfaced Christie was asked: “Was it the Road Warrior column in the Record, maybe?”  Christie said: “Something about the traffic, yeah.”

Jan 11 Christie spokesman “he first learned about the closing of the lanes on the George Washington Bridge from press accounts after the instance was over,'” =
“And then you should make the point that first story ran on 9/13, the day the lanes had already been reopened.”

Wildstein = Declared he knew of evidence to show Mr. Christie was lying

Christie = Attacked his onetime operative, Wildstein, claiming he was not to be trusted because he once was an anonymous political blogger.

Ex-Christie Wildstein = Wally Edge, political blogger, = knew so much about politics = 40-something writing as a hobby.

Wildstein sources included Christie who plied him with tips – knowing little more about him than an email address: politicsnj@aol.com.  Wildstein saved the messages, but protected the confidences, believing in loyalty above all.

Wildstein = Loved stories about politicians caught in a lie

Wildstein = rule: Do not attack political operatives for doing stupid things, because they do what they do for their bosses, the politicians.

Wildstein = Motivations and strategy in his relationship with Christie = Hired as crucial person for Christie as “eyes and ears” at the Port Authority

Wildstein = Lawyer released a letter saying that “evidence exists” to show that the governor knew about the closings while they happened = Contrary to what Christie had said at a marathon news conference.

Wildstein = Lawyer wrote Wildstein had evidence to show that Christie lied about Wildstein

Wildstein = Took the order from a Christie staff member to create “traffic problems in Fort Lee” near GW Bridge = Bridget Anne Kelly Christie fired.

Wildstein = Loved scandals Like this Christie GW Bridge Closure

Wildstein = “was the statistician on Chris Christie’s high school baseball team.  That gets where he’s coming from.  He’s a person who’s on the bench who deeply, deeply respects the game.”

Wildstein = Innovator starting a politics BLOG in 2000 on his own = long before websites like Politico = PoliticsNJ.com = name Wally Edge, a long dead NJ governor = Quickly became a must-read.

Wildstein In his 20s = Served on Livingston Town Council and met Christie again working on Thomas H. Kean’s first campaign for governor.

Wildstein = Knew everyone in New Jersey politics = “I could ask him a question, and he’d have at instant recall an I.M. conversation on that subject from a year earlier that he would copy and paste into my window within 30 seconds,” said Brian Murphy, a history professor at Baruch College.

Wildstein = “He could establish very quickly with sources that he knew what was going on, and he was somebody who knew the game,” said Steve Kornacki

Wildstein = Used BLOG to needle politicians who had lied to him.

Wildstein = Supported Loretta Weinberg in her fight against the Democratic political establishment in Bergen County by repeatedly taunting the Democratic bosses.

Wildstein =Liked Political staff members above all and would rarely if ever drag them into his columns = “I would tell him about some staff member doing something stupid, he’d say, ‘Staff is off limits.’  It was politicians he liked to put on the spot.”

Wildstein = Affections leaned toward the up-by-the-bootstraps politicians, the fighters: Gov. James Florio, Senator Robert G. Torricelli. = the pugnacious Christie.

Christie’s Federal Agents = raided office of James W. Treffinger (R), in 2002 = Christie tipped off Wildstein with an exclusive story.

Wally Edge = Stories about Christie included reporting a personal loan to a deputy, awarding of lucrative contracts to allies, tried to get out of a speeding ticket by telling an officer he was a federal prosecutor.

Wildstein = Friend of former State Senator Bill Baroni asked Christie (signed off) to hire Wildstein for a newly created position at the Port Authority = To sell unpopular 50% toll increase the governor needed for a SLUSH FUND.

Wildstein = Worked with Baroni, Stepien, and Mike DuHaime, and on Bob Franks Senate campaign .

Wildstein = The Record published a profile of Wildstein calling him Christie’s “eyes and ears at the port” and created fear. = Christie’s spokesman, Michael Drewniak, said “He is there in that job because he is well suited to the task of playing a role in reforming the Port Authority in accordance with the governor’s goals.”

Wildstein = Worked with Drewniak on the resignation letter from the Port Authority and Christie signed off on the statement, praising Mr. Wildstein for being a “tireless advocate” for New Jersey.