Cuomo Helped Christie Cover Up Bridgegate By Conspiring To Issue A "False Report" For The Bridge Closures (UPDATED)

Bombshell testimony from government witness and former Christie ally David Wildstein today in the Bridgegate trial:

David Wildstein, a former top Port Authority official turned star witness in the Bridgegate trial, suggested in Tuesday testimony that Gov. Andrew Cuomo discussed with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie issuing false report on the nightmarish lane closures on the George Washington Bridge in 2013, according to reports.

Multiple outlets reported that Wildstein, who has pleaded guilty to his role in the lane closures, heard there were conversations between the two governors within a month after the incident and they agreed that Port Authority Executive Director Pat Foye would approve a false report that blamed the closures on a communication breakdown and push blame onto the New Jersey side of the bi-state agency.

Such a report never was issued, though it was reported Tuesday that it was used for testimony before a legislative committee by former Port Authority Deputy Executive Director Bill Baroni.

Cuomo’s office did not immediately comment.

More details from the Daily News:

Gov. Cuomo directed the head of the Port Authority to "lay off" of an inquiry into the Bridgegate scandal until after the 2013 election following conversations with N.J. Gov. Chris Christie, a former PA official testified Tuesday.

David Wildstein, who has already pleaded guilty for his role in the September 2013 gridlock, said he had heard there had been "conversations" between the two governors after the Port Authority's executive director, Pat Foye, vowed to get to the bottom of the lane closures from Fort Lee to the George Washington Bridge.

Cuomo and Christie had agreed in October 2013 that Foye would sign off on a bogus report on the closures in which the Port Authority would admit a communication breakdown resulted in Fort Lee being caught by surprise by an agency traffic study, Wildstein said.

Wildstein recalled saying it would be a "heavy lift" to get Foye to approve the report, but that he believed it could be done thanks to Cuomo.

"My understanding was Gov. Christie and Gov. Cuomo had discussed this, if the New Jersey side (of the PA) accepted responsibility, Foye would sign off on this and that would put an end to this issue," Wildstein said.

 This report would be issued, there would be an explanation to the public, the Port Authority would take responsibility for the failure in communication ... and the question of lane closures would go away."

Under cross examination by Kelly's attorney Michael Critchley, Wildstein agreed that Cuomo's order that Foye "stand down" and "lay off" was only in effect to Election Day in November 2013.

The day after the election, Wildstein said he was contacted by a reporter who identified him as the architect of the Bridgegate plan.

Wildstein told the court today that he believed Foye was behind that leak to the reporter.

Cuomo so far has not commented on this allegation, but if it's true, then Andrew Cuomo, the Democratic governor of New York, helped Chris Christie, the Republican governor of New Jersey, to cover up the closure of the George Washington Bridge by knowingly sanctioning a false report about the reason for the closures.

Why would Cuomo do this?

Well, he was running for re-election next year, Christie was head of the Republican Governors Association, so by helping Christie out when he was running for re-election, Cuomo could expect to get help back from Christie in return when he was running the next year.

And that's exactly what happened - Christie mocked the Republican candidate for governor (Rob Astorino), withheld money and resources from the campaign and basically did all he could to help Cuomo win re-election.

At the time, many of us suspected that Cuomo and Christie had a non-aggression pact despite being in different parties.

We now have what appears to be definitive proof of that.

So, would be great to hear what Cuomo's excuse for helping Christie cover up Bridgegate would be, but the governor is whereabouts unknown and apparently his flying attack monkeys haven't come up with a good excuse yet to go public with.

We'll see how long we have to wait until they finally conjure up some bullshit excuse for Cuomo's helping Christie cover up Bridgegate.

UPDATE 2:15 PM: Didn't have to wait long:

Cuomo spox on #Bridgegate "Anyone can say anything, especially a convicted felon spinning a tale, but it’s just false and delusional.”

— Joseph Spector (@GannettAlbany) October 4, 2016

Same old song - Deny, Deny, Deny.

Cuomo's on the witness list for the trial, so there's an outside chance he could be called to testify and put under oath where this kind of denial becomes perjury if proven false.

But best bet here is, he won't be called to testify, the NY legislature will do nothing about these allegations, Democratic and Republican politicians around the state will continue to defend/enable him  and he'll get away with his crimes, as he has since 2010.

Cuomo Appointees Planned Fake Bridgegate Memo

Andrea Bernstein at WNYC:

In the Bridgegate scandal, much has been made of what New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie knew and when he knew it. But the other governor who also runs the Port Authority, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, has long downplayed his knowledge of the scandal.

Documents filed Tuesday night by Bridgegate defendant Bill Baroni suggest that was a deliberate strategy.

Cuomo wasn't asked about the politically-motivated lane closures on the George Washington Bridge until three months after they occurred. "I don't know anything more basically than what was in the newspapers. This basically is a New Jersey issue," Cuomo told upstate radio station WCNY.

But now a new set of emails suggests that Cuomo's top appointees at the Port Authority were, two months before those remarks, actively discussing how to respond to the burgeoning scandal with top Cuomo aide Howard Glaser.

One of the suggestions? That Pat Foye, the Port Authority executive director, produce two different memos — one for the governor's office and a fake one that might some day be made public.

"How about the following — he types a detailed memo that he produces on his home computer, gives a hard copy to the 2nd floor and then type up a general memo for his files."

“Second floor” is Albany-speak for the floor of the state capitol where Cuomo and his top staff have their offices.

The email, penned by David Garten, the chief of staff to Port Authority Vice Chair Scott Rechler, goes on to say: "that way we have a thorough documented account, it's in the 2nd floor's hands...and then a general memo at the PA in case we get subpoenaed."

...


The newly-released emails suggests a level of communication with the governor's office about the scandal that Cuomo has never acknowledged. Glaser is described as speaking with both Foye and Rechler, though it's unclear what Glaser relayed to Cuomo.

Cuomo's press office did not respond to inquiries about what he learned from Glaser. Glaser also rebuffed email and phone inquiries. 

Two sets of memos, one real and one phonied up in case there's a subpoena.

Want to bet that's not the first time the geniuses in the Cuomo administration have come up with that strategy for something politically and/or criminally dicey?

Christie's Port Authority Scandal Back In The News

NJ.com:

Amid lingering fallout from the George Washington Bridge lane closures, the Port Authority's top lawyer announced that he would step down at the end of next month.

Port Authority General Counsel Darrel Buchbinder, 68, sent a letter to agency colleagues Monday informing them of his "bitter-sweet" decision to retire after 36 years with the agency.

...

Buchbinder's decision to step down form his $277,000 -a-year job comes amid multiple investigations involving the bi-state agency and current and former officials following the 2013 George Washington Bridge lane closures.

They include civil and criminal probes by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Manhattan District Attorney's Office into the use of $1.8 billion in Port Authority funds on the Pulaski Skyway and other New Jersey infrastructure projects that Buchbinder's office signed off on.

Buchbinder, who has not been accused or any wrongdoing, is among several Port Authority lawyers for whom the agency has hired outside lawyers to represent them in the post-Bridgegate investigations.

Not related to the investigation into the Pulaski money?

Perhaps.

Or perhaps not.

Something to keep a watch on, at any rate.

Christie's got the Bridgegate trials coming up early next year, the David Samson/United investigation is still ongoing (with Christie's pal David Samson expected to be indicted in that case) and there's the Pulaski investigation still ongoing.

Christie likes to make like all his corruption problems are over.

They're not - not by a long shot.

Port Authority Scandal Flares Up Again For Chris Christie

The Port Authority scandals are gifts that just keep on giving:

United Airlines said on Tuesday that its chief executive, Jeff Smisek, and two other senior officials had stepped down amid a federal corruption investigation.

The airline is under investigation by the United States attorney in New Jersey over whether it had improperly sought to influence senior officials at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

...

 

United’s executive vice president for communications and government affairs, Nene Foxhall, and the senior vice president for corporate and government affairs, Mark R. Anderson, also resigned, the company said.

In February, federal prosecutors issued subpoenas focused on whether the former chairman of the Port Authority, David Samson, had pushed United to reinstate flights that he used to travel to and from his weekend home in South Carolina.

Ms. Foxhall and Mr. Anderson were among the United officials whose communications with the Port Authority had been subpoenaed.

...

The resignations also complicate the fortunes of Mr. Christie as he tries to resurrect his once-promising presidential bid, by underscoring the accusations of cronyism that have dogged his administration since the bridge scandal broke in early 2014. The governor has distanced himself from other figures implicated in the scandal, saying that they deceived him. But Mr. Samson, despite his resignation, has remained one of the governor’s closest advisers.

Christie's polls are in the toilet, so this news doesn't have much impact on him as presidential candidate.

But it does suggest that Samson's indictment is on the horizon - and who knows what happens then...

Randi Weingarten: Christie's A Bully With Anger Management Issues

AFT President Randi Weingarten, presumably one of the recipients of the "punch in the face" Candidate Chris Christie wants to give to national teachers unions, released the following statement about Christie:

American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten reacted to Christie after the Republican governor said over the weekend the group deserves a punch in the face. The union leader criticized Christie for promoting a culture of violence.

"Chris Christie has issues—from reneging on his promise to fix pensions to his state's fiscal standing facing near junk bond status. But the biggest issue is he's a bully and has anger management problems," Weingarten said in a statement.

 "That he would threaten to punch teachers in the face — mostly women seeking to help children meet their potential and achieve their dreams — promotes a culture of violence and underscores why he lacks the temperament and emotional skills to be president, or serve in any leadership capacity," she said. "It's a sad day in the life of our nation to see a candidate threaten violence to gain political favor."

Weingarten doesn't use the word "misogynist" in her statement, but clearly that sentiment is there:  "That he would threaten to punch teachers in the face — mostly women seeking to help children meet their potential and achieve their dreams — promotes a culture of violence."

And indeed, he does seem to take a certain glee in blowing up on women, as this infamous incident from 2013 with the attendant photo shows:

Yesterday, the NJEA called for Christie to resign as governor.

57% of New Jersey residents were in agreement with that sentiment as measured by a July Monmouth poll.

Personally I think the more Christie tries to relieve the Glory Days of his early governorship where he beat up on teachers and union members weekly in his infamous town hall videos, the better.

This stuff isn't helping him in the 2016 GOP Presidential Primary, not with Donald Trump have superseded Christie's old act with a much more outrageous (and new) act of his own.

The teacher-bashing just speaks to where Christie stands these days politically post-BridgeGate - trying to live in the old "Glory Days" while the rest of the political world has moved past him.

His teacher-bashing misogyny act doesn't play well anymore - not in New Jersey with voters (where he got booed by 61,000 yesterday - twice) and not in the GOP primary where he lags at the bottom of the race as a political has-been.

But what else can a governor from a state with an economy in the toilet, an infrastructure in tatters, and an electorate furious at him do but try and relive the old days?

Dems In Legislature Try To Force Christie Resignation

Interesting gambit:

Democratic state lawmakers will soon introduce legislation that would force Gov. Chris Christie to resign from office because he is running for president, NJ Advance Media has learned.

State Sens. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union) and Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen), who are expected to co-sponsor the bill, said they are fed up with Christie's frequent absences from New Jersey this year in the run-up to last week's announcement that he's running for the White House. The bill would require Christie and any future governor to resign in order to run for president.

"He's not doing the state any good by spending the bulk of his time out of state," Lesniak said. "And even when he's in-state, he's focusing on what he has to do to get elected president — which often runs contrary to what he ought to do for the state."

Christie has been out of state for more than a third of his second term and more than half of this year.

In a Monmouth poll released last week, when asked if Christie should resign as governor now that he's announced a run for president, 57% said yes, 37% said no.

So there might just be enough ground support to get this legislation going.

Those numbers might go even higher when you tell people Christie's been out of state for more than a third of his second term and more than half of 2015.

Though to be fair, the more he's out of New Jersey, the less harm he's doing here.

Dems would need some GOP votes to override Christie'e inevitable veto.

They're likely not going to get those, but it'll be fun getting Christie on record defending his absences.

Christie Spent $82,594 At Football Concession Stands

You just can't make stuff like this up:

Chris Christie racked up a $82,594 bill at the concessions operator at MetLife Stadium during the 2010 and 2011 football seasons, the New Jersey Watchdog reported on Monday as part of a broader look at how the New Jersey governor spent $360,000 of his state allowance over five years.

The New Jersey governor spent $300,000 of that amount on food and alcohol, the report said, and pointed to the stadium bill as the most notable spending spree.

The governor used a debit card on 58 occasions to pay Delaware North Sportservice, which handles concessions operations at MetLife Stadium during New York Giants and Jets games, according to the report.

...

 The report says Christie’s grocery bill shrank after the surgery. Christie bought $64,687 in groceries in the 38 months leading up to the medical procedure, and then only spent $31,236 for the 26 months after the operation.

A Christie spokesman defended the expenses, including the concessions, which the report said did not come with any receipts, business reasons or names of individuals who benefited from the spending allowance.

$300,000 of his $360,000 state allowance on food and alcohol.

This dude wants to cut your Social Security benefits and raise the retirement age, he wants to come back and hammer the NJ pension program for a second time (after refusing to pay the state's obligations to the funds), but he has no problem dropping more than a quarter of a million on food and booze, 30% of which was spent on beer and nachos at Jets and Giant games.

You really can't make this stuff up - nobody would believe you.

State Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos To Be Indicted Next Week On Conspiracy, Extortion And Bribery Charges

Truly Christmas in May - Bridgegate indictments, word that Albany pols are targets of federal wiretaps stemming from the Silver case, now news that Dean Skelos will be indicted next week:

Dean G. Skelos, the leader of the New York State Senate, and his son are expected to be arrested on federal corruption charges next week, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

The expected arrests, coming roughly three months after federal bribery and kickback charges led Assemblyman Sheldon Silver to step down as speaker, would signal an extension of the investigation into allegations of political corruption in Albany, and would almost certainly further upend the legislative session.

It is not known if Mr. Skelos, a Republican from Long Island who was first elected to the Senate in 1984, will resign his leadership post as did Mr. Silver, a Manhattan Democrat, but he is sure to face questions about his ability to lead the chamber in light of the investigation.

 The charges against Senator Skelos, 67, and his son, Adam, 32, are expected to be detailed in a criminal complaint and are likely to include conspiracy, extortion and solicitation of bribes, one of the people said. The charges could be announced as early as Monday.

Skelos' deputy, Republican State Senator Tom Libous, has been indicted on charges that he lied to the FBI, so now we'll have the top two Republicans in the State Senate under criminal indictment and, as was reported earlier today, more criminal targets stemming from the Silver investigation.

More later.

US Attorney Mum On Christie

From NJ.com's update of US Attorney Paul Fishman's press conference:

Fishman is going over what David Wildstein pleaded guilty to and running down the charges against Baroni and Kelly. Calls it a "calculated scheme." Fishman added that the lane closures were a "political vendetta" against Fort Lee mayor Mark Sokolich.

...

 Despite reporters' best efforts, Fishman won't talk about the governor.

...

No one else is likely to be charged. "Based on evidence currently available, we aren't going to charge anyone else in the scheme," Fishman said.

...

Baroni and Kelly will be arraigned at 11 a.m. Monday.

...

Fishman said he won't talk about who else might have known about the lane closures.

...

 There may come a time when officials will name un-indicted co-conspirators mentioned in indictments, Fishman said.

...

Fishman won't say if Baroni and Kelly will be offered a similar deal to Wildstein.

...

Fishman also won't discuss Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer's allegations against Christie.

Christie and his defenders will latch onto the "Based on evidence currently available, we aren't going to charge anyone else in the scheme" statement, but that doesn't mean Bridget Anne Kelly and Bill Baroni won't provide it if they're offered a deal from the feds.

More later.

Wildstein Attorney: Christie Knew

From Politicker NJ:

NEWARK — The attorney of former Port Authority official David Wildstein said today that his client “deeply regrets” his involvement in the closing of commuters lanes at the mouth of the George Washington Bridge in September 2013 — and later alleged that there is evidence Gov. Chris Christie, who appointed Wildstein to his post at the bi-state agency, knew about the incident as it was happening.

Speaking to a crowd of press outside the federal courthouse where Wildstein plead guilty to his involvement in the closures, Alan Zagas said that Wildstein “regrets what was done” but has now “agreed to fully cooperate” with U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman’s office as the case unfolds. Fishman left the courthouse moments before Wildstein and Zagas addressed the press.

“There is a lot more that will come out,” Zagas said, adding that he is “unfortuantely not in a position” to comment further.

...

Asked — via shouts from clamouring reporters — whether “Chris Christie” knew about Wildstein’s decision to shut down the lanes, Zaga said only that the Republican “knew of the lane closures while they were occuring” — a claim Wildstein reportedly made earlier in the investigation.

Would the feds make a deal with Wildstein simply to get former Christie cronies Bill Baroni and Brdiget Anne Kelly, both of whom were indicted today?

Seems unlikely to me.

We don't want to get too far ahead here but the deal with Wildstein seems to suggest that the feds are working their way up the chain, set to squeeze Baroni and Kelly and ultimately take down Christie.

And make no mistake, those two may have something to divulge when squeezed:

Mr. Christie did not appear to be implicated in the indictments, and has steadfastly denied any participation in the scheme. However, Mr. Baroni was quoted in the indictment as saying the lane closings were “important to Trenton.”

In any case, Wildstein has now admitted that the conspiracy was hatched as revenge against the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee and that the plot emanated right out of Christie's office.

Christie's Reaction To News Of Impending Bridgegate Indictments - Silence

From NJ.com:

McLEAN, Va. — Gov. Chris Christie did not comment Friday morning on pending charges in the George Washington Bridge lane closing scandal while speaking at a business forum.

Christie did not address the issue in his talk to more than 300 Washington-area business leaders here nor was he asked about it by forum participants in the question and answer session that followed.

He quickly left after the forum and did not stop to talk to waiting reporters.

That silence from the usually blustery Christie speaks volumes

Multiple Indictments Expected To Be Announced Today In Bridgegate Investigation

From the Bergen Record:

Former Port Authority executive David Wildstein is expected to plead guilty to charges related to the George Washington Bridge lane closure scandal today, as federal prosecutors prepare to announce developments in their nearly 16-month-old investigation.

Wildstein's appearance is scheduled for 11 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark followed by a press conference with federal authorities at 1 p.m. to discuss developments in the case. He arrived at the courthouse just before 9 a.m. looking considerably thinner than the last time he was in public.

A guilty plea would be a signal that Wildstein, a former Christie ally who ordered the lane closures, has agreed to cooperate with federal investigators. Prosecutors are also expected to announce other indictments that grew out of their investigation later in the day. The charges against Wildstein and the identities of others who face charges were unclear early Friday morning.

Wildstein cooperating, other indictments are to be announced...it's Christmas in May.

Should be interesting to hear what the feds have to say today.

If prosecutors made a deal with Wildstein, he's got to have something on higher-ups.

Since his lawyer has said in the past that Wildstein has evidence that Chris Christie knew of the bridge lane closings as they were happening (contradicting Christie's claim that he only learned about them later), that may mean the feds are looking to work their way up the chain to Christie.

Can a guy from Jersey run for president while under indictment?

We may soon find out the answer to that question.

Bridgegate Criminal Proceeding Coming Today

From the Bergen Record:

Federal prosecutors in New Jersey will announce a development later today in their nearly 16-month-old investigation into the George Washington Bridge lane closures, they said this morning.

The office said there will be a "proceeding of interest in a criminal matter" related to the bridge probe at 11 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark followed by a press conference with federal authorities at 1 p.m. to discuss developments in the case.

Bloomberg News has reported that former Christie crony David Wildstein is set to plead guilty to criminal charges in the matter, leading to speculation that Samson is going to cooperate with federal prosecutors in the case.

Wildstein's lawyer has said previously that Wildstein has "evidence" that Christie knew of the lane closures at the GWB as they were happening, something that contradicts Christie's public statements that he only learned about the matter from news accounts.

In addition, Bloomberg News reported that federal prosecutors are looking at bribery/extortion charges for another Christie crony, former Port Authority chairman David Samson:

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey is investigating whether United employees made improper attempts to influence Samson at the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, according to people familiar with the investigation. The authority oversees Newark Liberty International Airport.

...

Although many details of the discussions between United and the authority remain unknown, documents reviewed by Bloomberg News indicate there may have been a direct link between the request for the Columbia flight and the Port Authority’s process of approving projects involving the airport. They raise the possibility of bribery or extortion, according to legal experts who reviewed the information in the documents.

In considering whether laws were broken, the intentions of Samson and United will be important, according to former prosecutors and others, none of them them involved in the case. For bribery-related violations, prosecutors must show a quid pro quo -- or specific intent to give or receive something of value in exchange for an official act.

If prosecutors believe a crime was committed, they must then determine whether to treat the Newark-Columbia route as a shakedown or a bribe, said Daniel Richman, a Columbia University law school professor and a former federal prosecutor.

I wonder what Christie's thinking this morning?

Former Christie Aide Reported To Plead Guilty This Week In Bridgegate Scandal

This sounds like trouble for Chris Christie:

David Wildstein, a former ally of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, is set to plead guilty this week, according to a person with knowledge of the matter, suggesting he may be cooperating with prosecutors probing traffic jams he ordered near the George Washington Bridge.

Wildstein is scheduled to appear Friday in federal court in Newark, where grand jurors have heard testimony in secret for months about gridlock over four mornings in Fort Lee, New Jersey, according to the person, who requested anonymity because the matter isn’t public.

He would plead guilty to a charging document known as a criminal information, the person said. It was unclear what the specific charges would be in the plea. The plea was originally scheduled for Thursday, the person said.

And why that's a problem for Christie:

Christie has denied knowledge of a plot to close two of the three local-access lanes to the world’s busiest bridge, which is run by the Port Authority. If Wildstein pleads guilty and cooperates with prosecutors, he could give them an inside view of how the plot unfolded.

Wildstein's lawyer has said in the past that "evidence exists" that proves Christie knew of the bridge closure plot at the time it was happening.

Christie said on the campaign trail tonight he's not "in the least bit concerned" about the Bridgegate investigation.

If he's not, then he's in some serious denial.

If Wildstein pleads guilty and cooperates with prosecutors, watch some of the other players in the investigation look to make their own deals with the feds before all the good deals are gone.

Chris Christie Falls To Record Low In Approval

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie isn't having such a great week, what with the news that Bridgegate indictments are coming down the pike and former Port Authority Christie crony David Samson looking like he's going for a perp walk.

But the news got even worse for him today:

 Fifty-four percent of New Jersey's registered voters disapprove of the job Chris Christie is doing as governor -- his highest job disapproval ratings to date, according to a new survey from Rutgers University's Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling. Just 41 percent approve of Christie's job performance.

Christie's stances on taxation and the budget also reached new depths in the eyes of voters. Fewer than one-in-three approve of his handling of the economy, and a vast majority think the state is headed in the wrong direction.

And the Republican governor's handling of the state's recovery from Hurricane Sandy has also hit record lows, with just 48 percent approving of his job - a seven point drop since February. That's nearly a 40 point drop since April 2013, when 87 percent of Garden Staters approved of Christie's handling of the recovery effort.

"Often, as the economy improves, voters feel more positive. But in this state there is now widespread feeling that things are on the wrong track," said David Redlawsk, director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling. "While the governor continues to explore a national run, voters back home are expressing more and more concern about what's happening in New Jersey and the governor's performance in dealing with these issues."

Indictments for his cronies seem to loom shortly, he's very unpopular at home and he has made a mess of the economy and the fiscal health of his state.

How delusional does Christie have to be to think he can still run for president?

Great Way For Christie To Go Out (SECOND UPDATE)

The NY Times is reporting that indictments in the Bridgegate investigation are expected soon, perhaps as early as next week.

Commenters over at NJ.com are speculating on just who's going to get indicted.

Many are hopeful Christie himself will be indicted and one has a fantastic idea:

Wouldn't it be great if Christie were arrested in public at a town hall meeting. Probably won't happen, but would be a great "news" moment.

Indeed it would.

But it's probably not going to happen.

I'm not even that sure Christie got a real legal problem here.

If the indictments go as high as David Samson, then Christie's got serious problems, since Samson probably has enough on Christie to make a swell federal witness.

But anything less than a Samson indictment and Christie's got some political fallout to deal with but probably no legal problems.

In any case, it's very exciting and I must admit, I feel a little like a kid waiting for Christmas to see if Santa brought me what I wanted - a multiple count indictment for Chris Christie and a perp walk in handcuffs.

UPDATED - 9:30 PM: OK, it's starting to look like Samson's a goner:

This is from the Bergen Record tonight:

The Port Authority on Wednesday provided its most detailed accounting yet of what federal investigators are focused on in the 15-month probe that grew out of the George Washington Bridge lane closure scandal.

The disclosure, in a notice to potential buyers of Port Authority bonds, indicates that federal prosecutors have issued grand jury subpoenas demanding a wide range of documents related to a flight route United Airlines created between Newark and Columbia, South Carolina — close to a weekend home of Port Authority Chairman David Samson. The route, which Samson referred to as the “chairman’s flight,” according to one source, was cancelled three days after Samson resigned last year.

The Record reported in February that federal authorities had asked the Port Authority for Samson’s personal travel records and communications with United and its lobbyist. But the disclosure says authorities also asked for records of any travel by Samson’s family members or guests.

The subpoenas also demand information about several matters that were the subject of negotiations between the Port Authority and United while Samson was chairman, including United’s construction of a wide-body aircraft maintenance hangar and the airline’s lease of land to build the hangar.

The Port Authority also received a letter from federal authorities in New Jersey requesting that the agency preserve all records concerning the redevelopment of two terminals at the airport, Terminal A and Terminal C, as well as United’s lease of Terminal C. United operates most of its flights out of Terminal C.

Authorities also want the Port Authority to save documents related to the extension of the PATH train line to Newark Airport — a project that United had pushed for in recent years — and United’s flights out of Atlantic City. The airline’s service in Atlantic City was hailed by Governor Christie as part of the city’s rebirth, but it lasted less than a year.

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, who Christie has said was 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.

Judging by what the feds are subpoenaing, Samson's got real problems.

And if Samson's got problems, well, Chris Christie's got them too.

SECOND UPDATE - 10:10 PM: Missed this story about David Samson yesterday that's further evidence he's going to be indicted:

A close political confidant and adviser to Governor Christie who has been the subject of an ongoing federal investigation arising out of the George Washington Bridge scandal said Tuesday that he is leaving the powerful law firm that he founded decades ago. And the firm, Wolff & Samson, is erasing David Samson’s name from the front door, a move that some see as an effort to protect the firm from any potential fallout that may lie ahead.

“For personal, professional and health reasons, I have made the decision to retire,” Samson, 75, said in a statement issued by his spokeswoman, Karen Kessler. “After my five decades practicing law, it was time for new leaders to transition the firm for the future.”

The name change — to Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC — erases any trace of Samson, a rare decision for a law firm that has built a recognizable brand over several decades.

 “If he is just going into retirement, it’s very unusual to change the name of an established firm out of the blue,” said Micah Buchdahl, a Moorestown attorney who works with law firms on business development and marketing strategy. “If you’re a well-known entity, as Wolff & Samson was, you don’t just throw it away without careful consideration.”

Yeah, okay, Samson's done, that's clear.

Now the only question is, does he turn on Christie?

Bridgegate Indictments Expected Soon - Maybe Next Week

NY Times tonight:

It has been falsely predicted many times in the last year, but now it seems to be true: The federal investigation into the lane closings at the George Washington Bridge appears to be coming to a head, with an announcement of indictments as early as next week.

...

 People close to the case say prosecutors are likely to bring charges based on a rarely used provision of a fraud statute, under which they would argue that Mr. Christie’s associates used the bridge, or the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which runs it, for a purpose other than its intended one. In the case of the bridge, the closings were apparently meant to punish Mayor Mark Sokolich of Fort Lee, a Democrat, after he declined to endorse the governor’s re-election bid in 2013.

What is less certain is whether prosecutors will find crimes in the other ways Mr. Christie used his powers in the service of political ambition. He used Port Authority money to fill holes in his budget; his lieutenants doled out flags and steel from the remnants of the World Trade Center to woo mayors whose endorsements they sought. An office of “intergovernmental affairs” worked to cultivate endorsements, all in the hopes that the governor could use a huge winning margin to argue that he was the Republican most likely to win the White House in 2016.

Investigators months ago subpoenaed records from officials at the authority and Mr. Christie’s 2013 campaign regarding Jersey City, where Christie administration officials canceled a day’s worth of meetings that had been set up with the city’s new mayor after he told the campaign that he would endorse the governor’s opponent. Those records could be used to establish a pattern of punishing local officials.

Investigators have also questioned potential witnesses about efforts by the Christie administration to cover up the political motives behind the lane closings, explaining them as a traffic study.

Oh, goodie.

Got my popcorn ready and everything.

Shall we take a pool out on who gets indicted?

More Subpoenas Related To Christie Corruption

Another week, another set of subpoenas for Christie allies:

Federal prosecutors issued a new subpoena to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey this week seeking possible evidence of claims New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s administration retaliated against the Democratic mayor of Jersey City.

The subpoena seeks records from a broad range of former authority officials regarding their interactions with Jersey City, according to a person familiar with the matter, including two Christie allies who resigned from the authority amid the George Washington Bridge lane closure scandal, David Wildstein and Bill Baroni.

...
A person familiar with the latest subpoena to the Port Authority said it was a broad request covering correspondence among aides and allies of Mr. Christie, including Messrs. Wildstein and Baroni, that touched on any efforts to penalize Mr. Fulop or Jersey City over his failure to endorse Mr. Christie.

...

In January, The Wall Street Journal reported federal prosecutors had subpoenaed Mr. Christie’s re-election campaign for documents related to the canceled meetings, according to people familiar with the matter.

The latest subpoena comes amid indications U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman could be close to wrapping up all or part of his probes into the lane closures and allegations of malfeasance within the Port Authority.

More trouble for Chris Christie.

Get some popcorn, enjoy the show.

Especially if you're a teacher.

Bridgegate Investigation Nears Closure - Are Christie's Former Allies In Sights Of Prosecutors?

The WSJ last night:

U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman’s investigation into lane closures at the George Washington Bridge and other alleged abuses at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is expected to wrap up in coming weeks after more than a year.

The investigation has seemed to quicken in recent weeks, with prosecutors returning to witnesses with questions that indicated they were close to finishing this stage of their probe, according to people familiar with the matter.

It remains unclear whether the findings will implicate current or former allies to Gov. Chris Christie and whether prosecutors can answer questions that investigations by the governor’s office and the Democrat-led Legislature haven't. 

What isn't unclear is what prosecutors are looking at.

First, Christie ally David Samson:

In recent weeks, attorneys for potential witnesses have turned over documents and emails to prosecutors that relate to former Port Authority Chairman David Samson, according to a person familiar with the matter. These documents include accounts of communications between Mr. Samson and United Airlines.

Prosecutors are looking into whether Mr. Samson asked the airline for a special weekly flight to Columbia, S.C., near his vacation home while the company was negotiating with the Port Authority. The flight was canceled after Mr. Samson left his position.

Prosecutors have interviewed people and asked questions that indicate they are looking for evidence of quid pro quo, according to a person familiar with the matter.

United declined to comment, referring to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that said the company and senior executives are cooperating with a federal investigation. A spokeswoman for Mr. Samson declined to comment.

Mr. Christie’s advisers have long worried about Mr. Samson’s future and the political implications it could have for the governor.

Mr. Christie stayed in touch with Mr. Samson, a longtime friend and political ally, after the bridge revelations even as he cut contact with others, according to people familiar with the matter.

And former Christie "friend" David Wildstein:

Prosecutors also have focused on any possible attempt to conceal the lane closures or misrepresent why they occurred in September 2013.

Prosecutors have asked about photos depicting the governor and David Wildstein, then a Port Authority official, talking at a ceremony for 9/11 at ground zero in Manhattan, and whether the governor told any of his staff about their interaction, a person familiar with the matter said.

Mr. Wildstein, who was hired by the Christie administration, was involved in the decision to close lanes at the George Washington Bridge allegedly in retribution against the mayor of Fort Lee, N.J.

Prosecutors also have quizzed potential witnesses about how the administration explained the closures publicly even as documents later showed they fretted privately, asking detailed questions about conversations among Mr. Christie’s political orbit in late 2013.

The governor has said he doesn’t remember what he discussed with Mr. Wildstein on Sept. 11, 2013, when the bridge lane closures had entered their third day. He has denied knowledge of the lane closures before they occurred.

Mr. Wildstein’s calendar indicated he met with Christie administration officials in 2013 after the bridge lane closures and frequently talked to allies of Mr. Christie, including Mike DuHaime, the governor’s top political adviser, and Bill Stepien, a senior Christie aide who lost his role after emails concerning Fort Lee were disclosed.

Mr. Wildstein’s lawyer, Alan Zegas, declined to comment. He has written to the Port Authority saying “evidence exists” that would show Mr. Christie knew of the closures while they were occurring.

I'm not a lawyer, don't know much about the law or anything like that, but it seems to me from the WSJ story that prosecutors are targeting Samson and Wildstein, looking to squeeze them and see what information comes out.

And with Wildstein having indicated that "evidence exists" to show Christie knew of the lane closures as they were happening, I would say that Christie is going to have some trouble with this matter when all is said and done.

Hard to know what Samson has said to prosecutors, but Wildstein sounds like he wants to talk, having been thrown under the bus by Christie back in that January 2014 news conference.

Not mentioned here is Bridget Anne Kelly, the writer of the infamous "Time for some traffic problems" email - she's been thrown under the bus by Christie too, so I wouldn't be surprised if she isn't looking to take Christie out too.

Finally, all this stuff is a problem because prosecutors are able to sift through an email trail.

No wonder New York's Criminal-In-Chief Andrew Cuomo is burning the midnight oil having all emails over 90 days burnt from the servers.

Chris Christie "Interrogated" Last Month By Federal Prosecutors Over Bridgegate Scandal

And the Chris Christie news just keeps coming:

New Jersey governor Chris Christie has been interrogated by federal prosecutors investigating lane closures on the George Washington bridge to New York City, ABC News reported on Friday.

ABC reported that Christie was interrogated last month at the governor’s mansion in Princeton for hours as part of the “Bridgegate” scandal. Those familiar with the meeting told ABC the investigation appears to be “wrapping up”.

Christie’s meeting with prosecutors took months to arrange, according to ABC News, and prosecutors reportedly considered issuing a subpoena for Christie to testify before the grand jury.

Have to wonder, who's leaking all the Christie material lately?

Wednesday night we got a leak that federal prosecutors were looking into Christie's re-election campaign.

Last night we got the leak that federal prosecutors subpoenaed more documentation related to the former deputy executive director of the Port Authority, Bill Baroni.

Now tonight we get a leak that Christie was "interrogated" by federal prosecutors last month.

Hope Christie enjoys his Cowboys in Green Bay this weekend.