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starroute

(12,977 posts)
3. That's an interesting question
Sun Apr 6, 2014, 09:36 PM
Apr 2014

There appear to be two sources for the claim. One is a letter from Wildstein's lawyer saying that "evidence exists ...tying Mr. Christie to having knowledge of the lane closures, during the period when the lanes were closed, contrary to what the Governor stated publicly in a two-hour press conference." (http://www.northjersey.com/news/gwb-scandal-christie-knew-of-bridge-lane-closures-ex-port-authority-official-says-1.676341)

The other is the study by Crhistie's hand-picked lawfirm, which "surmises" that this letter was referring to Wildstein's having told Christie's press secretary two months later that he'd "mentioned" the lane closures to Christie during the September 11 commemoration ceremonies.

The study concludes that because of the hectic circumstances, it's plausible that Christie is telling the truth when he says he has no memory of such an exchange. But to me it suggests just the opposite -- that Wildstein wouldn't have brought the matter up in the middle of a ceremony except as confirmation of something Christie already knew was in the works.

There's also Wildstein's lawyer's use of the phrase "evidence exists." Lawyers choose their very carefully, and I doubt this one would have said "evidence" unless there was actual physical proof of the claim.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2014/03/27/wildstein-mentioned-fort-lee-traffic-problems-to-christie-at-sept-11-memorial-event-lawyers-report-says/6956889/

The report issued by Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP surmises that the assertion by Wildstein’s lawyer, Alan Zegas, in a January letter to the Port Authority that “evidence exists” that Christie was aware of the closures is about a Sept. 11 memorial event at which Christie, Wildstein and other authority officials were together on the third day of the controversial lane closures in Fort Lee. The report says Christie doesn’t recall the exchange and that there is no evidence it took place.

Wildstein mentioned the conversation to Michael Drewniak, Christie’s press secretary, in a dinner in New Brunswick on Dec. 4, two nights before he was forced to resign from the Port Authority, Drewniak told the Gibson Dunn investigators.

“It will apparently be Wildstein’s contention—as he alleged in early December 2013 to Drewniak—that he mentioned the traffic issue to the governor on that occasion,” says a footnote in the report. “Whatever brief exchange they had occurred in a public setting where they were surrounded by many, including other Port Authority officials, the governor’s wife, and a steady stream of spectators requesting photographs and handshakes with the governor. Not surprisingly, the governor has no recollection of such an exchange.”

The report also says, “There is, however, no evidence we have seen that the governor and Wildstein actually had any substantive discussion of the Fort Lee lane realignment at that public event.”

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