Christie Crime Digest-Volume IV

[Laxman]

29. Former Port Authority Director Patrick Foye.....

took the witness stand today. Despite the defense scoring some shots about prior statements, the story in general was damning. Baroni wanted the lanes closed again because "it was important to Trenton". Really. I don't know why they didn't cop a plea. This is looking bad (or good-depending on your perspective).

P.A. director: Bridgegate lane closures were 'abusive decision'

Patrick Foye, the executive director of the Port Authority, wanted a witness when he confronted his New Jersey counterpart about a series of inexplicable toll lane shutdowns at the George Washington Bridge.

"I thought what had happened was—in my experience at the Port Authority—unprecedented," Foye testified Wednesday in federal court.

So when he finally met Bill Baroni, the agency's deputy executive director who was one of those involved in the September 2013 incident involving the unannounced closure of several local toll lanes at the bridge, he made sure to bring in his chief of staff to sit in on the conversation.

"I thought something weird and problematic had happened," he said. He wanted someone in the room to hear what he heard.

The hidden drama that played out in the days and weeks after the lane closings came to light Wednesday as federal prosecutors and defense attorneys focused on the inconsistent stories and outright lies that were told in the wake of the bizarre goings-on at the bridge — a scheme allegedly orchestrated by campaign operatives tied Gov. Chris Christie's 2013 re-election effort in a game of political retribution.

Prosecutors allege the scheme was orchestrated by campaign operatives tied Gov. Chris Christie's 2013 re-election effort in a game of political retribution.

Foye, an appointee of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, said he was mystified by the lane closures, and, more significantly, distrustful of the orchestrator, David Wildstein, a political appointee to the Port Authority who he recalled as a man feared by many at the agency.

Yet after ordering the toll lanes reopened, Foye acknowledged that he agreed to put out a press release prepared by Baroni asserting it was all part of a legitimate traffic study—despite knowing full well that the claim was untrue.

"I saw it as Bill Baroni's mess. David Wildstein's mess," the executive director explained. "I was okay with it going out."

Read the rest here: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2016/09/gridlock_politics_and_lies_on_the_stand_at_the_bri.html#incart_river_home