UH-OH!- Ex-Christie Aide: I TOLD GOV About BridgeGate Plans Despite What He Told Press
TICK, TOCK, TICK, TOCK, TICK, TOCK...................
On Dec. 13, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) told the press that no one on his senior staff had prior knowledge of the plan to close access lanes to the George Washington Bridge in September. But a lawyer representing Christie's former campaign manager Bill Stepien now says that was wrong. The claim was included in a letter sent in early April -- and made public Wednesday -- by attorney Kevin Marino. The letter was sent to Randy Mastro, the high-priced defense attorney who led the governor's internal review of the scandal. The letter demanded corrections to a report produced by Mastro and his team, which cleared Christie of any role in the scandal. Among Marino's demands: that Mastro retract the portion of the report claiming that Stepien had falsely assured Christie that he had no "prior knowledge of the [GWB] lane realignment."
"The Report itself acknowledges -- albeit obliquely -- that Mr. Stepien advised Governor Christie on December 12, 2013, that he (Mr. Stepien) did have prior knowledge of the lane realignment," Marino wrote, later adding: "When the Governor asked Mr. Stepien directly whether he had prior knowledge of the lane closures, Mr. Stepien truthfully told the Governor that [former Port Authority of New York and New Jersey executive] David Wildstein had come to him with the idea, to which Mr. Stepien responded that Mr. Wildstein would have to run the idea by normal channels in Trenton (i.e. the Governor's Office)."
At a press conference the next day, on Dec. 13, Christie told reporters that he had “made it very clear to everybody on my senior staff that if anyone had any knowledge about this that they needed to come forward to me and tell me about it and they’ve all assured me that they don’t," according to The Bergen Record. Asked specifically at the news conference about Stepien, Christie said that he had spoken to his former campaign manager, who had assured him of “the same thing.”
Several weeks later, documents were released tying several of Christie's staff members to discussions of the lane closures both before and after they occurred.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/stepien-christie-bridgegate-plans
= new reply since forum marked as read
I never would have guessed
so the Gov. can still deny that he had anything to do with the initial decision. Yes, Stepien said that the proposal had to be run through the Gov.'s office, but they can still blame it all on Bridget Kelly.
And I have no doubt that he knew in advance that the lanes would be closed, but I was just pointing out the way I think that the Christie camp will parse what Stepien said in order to maintain the coverup. 
to reporters at a press conference that Stepien also assured him of the "same thing" of NOT having ANY knowledge of the closed access lanes to the George Washington Bridge in September.
Either Stepien is lying or Chris Christie is lying!
If Governor Christie intentionally lied about the facts at that press conference as a means of covering up his direct or indirect knowledge or possible involvement, then Governor Christie needs to resign or be impeached!!
I expect that Bridget Kelly's evidence will come forward at some point and doubt very much that it will help Christie in any way.
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Last edited Fri May 16, 2014, 06:43 PM - Edit history (1)
If Governor Christie intentionally lied about the facts at that press conference as a means of covering up his direct or indirect knowledge or possible involvement, then Governor Christie needs to resign or be impeached!!Even if it turns out to be true that he did not plan or participate in the lane closures (which it won't because it isn't possible), he did plan and participate in its coverup. That's good for a charge of obstruction if nothing else, and I hope it's why nobody gets immunity.
rocktivity
[font color=gray]Did you authorize it?
No.
Did I know about it?
No.
Did I approve it?
No.
Did I have any knowledge of it beforehand?
No.[/font]
[font size=4]AND I'LL KILL ANY MOFO THAT GETS IN THE WAY OF ME AND THE WHITE HOUSE!!!!! NOW STOP ASKING ME SO MANY QUESTIONS!!!
[/font]
...qualified as a 'MAN'..?
rim shot! 
..............
How twoo. How twoo.