Christie Doc: Cops Told People Bridge Closures Were Fort Lee Mayor's Fault

[CatWoman]

In a letter to a Port Authority executive on Sept. 12, Fort Lee, N.J. Mayor Mark Sokolich complained that the agency's police officers were telling commuters that the George Washington Bridge lane closings were his fault.

"[M]any members of the public have indicated to me that the Port Authority Police Officers are advising commuters in response to their complaints that this recent traffic debacle is the result of a decision that I, as the Mayor, recently made," Sokolich wrote to Bill Baroni, who was the deputy executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey until he resigned last month.

The letter was among the thousands of pages of documents released Friday by a New Jersey legislative committee that has been investigating the incident. The lane closings, which began Sept. 9, led to a massive, multi-day traffic jam in Fort Lee. Democrats in the state have for months alleged that the lanes were closed as retaliation against Sokolich, a Democrat, who declined to endorse Christie's re-election bid last year. The released documents include communications tying the administration of Gov. Chris Christie (R) to the decision to close the lanes.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/sokolich-bridge-cops

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. The plot thickens...

[jsr]

2. Pretty diabolic.

[democratisphere]

3. Smear job on so-called political foe.

Sounds very Christiesque!

[CTyankee]

4. I am loving this so much!

The thick plottens as they say, and here we go! Drip, drip, drip...

[malaise]

6. That's an understatement

It's delish!

[okaawhatever]

5. Puts the comment by Christie staffer in context. The one that said the mayor would have

"a hard time come November" referring of course to the election.

[Cha]

7. I saw they were trying to weasel out of it.. how

did that work out, weasels?

[Iliyah]

8. For so called professionals they surey acted like

children playing bully games. Sad, just sad and this must investigated to the fullest and there should be charges, not slap on the wrists.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

9. This is what happens to people who think everything is about kicking ass....

Shit really does splatter.

[AAO]

10. And that culture comes straight from the top.

He absolutely is "JAM" "TOAST".

[Historic NY]

11. Pretty dirty getting the cops to do a political hit job....

[Dustlawyer]

12. People will end up going to jail over this, but

Wall Street bankers involved in the various bank frauds that come out daily, for billions of dollars each, will keep on ripping us off!

[DallasNE]

13. Hatch Act Violation Here?

Who instructed these police officers on what to say? This is exactly the kind of activity the Hatch Act was designed to prevent. Besides, the Port Authority Police would not be privy to the actions of the Mayor so they would not be in a position to make this determination. No wonder Christie's buddy took the 5th on every question asked. He has every reason to fear criminal prosecution.