As bridge scandal touches close aide, Christie says he was 'misled'

Source: The Philadelphia InquirerJan.迷利倉 08--TRENTON -- A top aide to Gov. Christie appears to have ordered an executive at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to close access lanes to the George Washington Bridge in September, newly disclosed e-mails show.Christie has denied involvement in the lane closings, which snarled traffic in the small Bergen County borough of Fort Lee for four days in September.In a statement Wednesday afternoon, Christie said he was "outraged and deeply saddened to learn that not only was I misled by a member of my staff, but this completely inappropriate and unsanctioned conduct was made without my knowledge."He added: "This behavior is not representative of me or my Administration in any way, and people will be held responsible for their actions."Christie earlier postponed his only scheduled public event, an 11 a.m. Sandy housing announcement in Manahawkin.Some Democrats have alleged that Christie's appointees at the Port Authority ordered the closings as retribution against the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee, Mark Sokolich, for not endorsing the Republican governor for reelection."Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee," Christie's deputy chief of staff, Bridget Anne Kelly, wrote in an Aug. 13 e-mail to David Wildstein, a former Christie appointee at the Port Authority, according to documents obtained by The Inquirer.Wildstein immediately responded, "Got it."Wildstein has since resigned.One of Christie's appointees at the Port Authority, Bill Baroni, has said the closings were part of a traffic study. He, too, has since resigned.Assemblyman John S. Wisniewski, the Democrat who is leading the investigation into the closings, said the revelations marked a "sad day for New Jersey" and showed "government at its worst.""They call into serious question the honesty of this governor and his staff," Wisniewski said at a Statehouse news conference Wednesday.But while Wisniewski said Christie had lost credibility in saying his staff was not involved in the traffic study, the assemblyman said he had not seen "any e-mails that have the governor's name on it."And he said the traffic study sugg迷你倉stion amounted to a "cover-up."Others, including the executive director of the Port Authority, an appointee of the New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, have disputed the account that the disruptions were caused by a traffic study, and said they were aware of no such study.According to the documents, on Sept. 9, Baroni sent Wildstein an e-mail referring to a phone call from Sokolich about an "urgent matter of public safety in Fort Lee."Kelly asked Wildstein in an e-mail whether Sokolich's call had been returned."Radio silence," Wildstein responded. "His name comes right after mayor Fulop," referring to Steven Fulop of Jersey City, another Democratic mayor who did not endorse the governor.In an apparent text message to Baroni Sept. 10, Sokolich said: "Presently we have four very busy traffic lanes merging into only one toll booth. . . . The bigger problem is getting kids to school. Help please. It's maddening."The text that follows -- from an unnamed sender -- reads: "Is it wrong that I am smiling?"In a follow-up text, when the sender says, "I feel badly about the kids," another responds, "They are the children of Buono voters," referring to Christie's Democratic opponent in his reelection campaign, State Sen. Barbara Buono of Middlesex County.Also included in communications about the lane closures was Christie campaign manager Bill Stepien, whom the governor has tapped as the next chairman of the state GOP.In a Sept. 18 e-mail to Wildstein responding to an article in the Wall Street Journal questioning the motive for the closures, Stepien said, "It's fine," and called Sokolich "an idiot."Stepien did not respond to an e-mail seeking comment. Neither did a lawyer for Wildstein.Wisniewski has issued Wildstein a subpoena to appear before the Assembly Transportation, Public Works and Independent Authorities Committee on Thursday. At the news conference, Wisniewski said Wildstein had filed a lawsuit seeking to quash the subpoena.___aseidman@phillynews.com 856-779-3846 @AndrewSeidmanCopyright: ___ (c)2014 The Philadelphia Inquirer Visit The Philadelphia Inquirer at .philly.com Distributed by MCT Information Services自存倉