I don’t for a moment buy that Wildstein is so stupid and politically naïve that he would engage in a political payback stunt with such serious ramifications for the general public. (TPM report) Sokolich’s refusal to endorse Christie for reelection was close to irrelevant. Closing bridge access lanes could be predicted to create a traffic nightmare. However, not so predictable that a) it would land on Sokolich’s door and b) Sokolich would connect it to his non-endorsement of Christie.
The evidence that Wildstein had been a participant in a conspiracy is solid. It was post-toll lanes closing’s speculation that the intended target could have been Sokolich that provided Wildstein with his least damaging explanation. Allows him to maintain that he wasn’t much more than a flunky taking orders from Bridget Kelly and Bill Boroni. Flunkies, after all, aren’t in a position to object to stupid stuff their superiors order them to do. Better to be a dumb flunky engaged in a relatively petty and local plot than expose anything pointing to far more extensive corruption in the Christie administration.
August 13, 2013
At 7:34 a.m., Bridget Anne Kelly emails David Wildstein: “Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee.”August 13, 2013
David Wildstein replies “Got it” to Bridget Anne Kelly at 7:35 a.m.
No other way to read that than that Kelly was giving Wildstein the go ahead for the previously planned GW Bridge toll lane closings. (Operation began on September 9, 2013) Formally, Kelly was not in the chain of command for Wildstein and Boroni. She worked for the Christie administration, and Wildstein and Baroni worked for the NY/NJ Port Authority and Baroni was in the more senior position. All were political appointees, but none were officials on Christie’s re-election team.
Fishman may have accepted the plea because it was good enough to indict Kelly and Boroni who aren’t talking at all. Wildstein is scheduled for sentencing in August. Unless Wildstein draws a heavy sentence and fine instead of a slap on the wrist, doubt Kelly and Baroni’s indictments will change their legal strategies. Not likely they’ll be treated as harshly as the cheating Atlanta teachers.
(Not going to shed a tear for Kelly. She was imagining a high level position for herself in a President Christie’s administration and wouldn’t have shed a tear for any kids that got in the way of bombs Christie ordered to be dropped on his enemies.)
Unless Fishman has some big rabbits left to pull out of his hat, Wildstein’s plea and Kelly and Boroni’s indictments signal and end to this investigation. As unimpressive as Patrick Fitzgerald’s indictment of Scooter Libby. If Marilyn Mosby operated at this level of competence and diligence, it would be a year before the six Baltimore police officers were charged with misdemeanors.
Kelly responds
Don’t tell us, Bridget, tell Fishman exactly what Wildstein lied about and name those in Christie’s office that were in on the bridge deal. We’re all ears and willing to buy into the notion that you were nothing more than a conduit rat. But honey, you’re the one that was stupid enough to leave an electronic trail as you indulged in the fun of engaging in nefarious activities with the big boys.
Shades of Richard Nixon! In terms of bible study, none of these cretins ever got past the old testament.
She’s Catholic and other than selected Bible excerpts in their missals, Catholics don’t read the old or new Testament. Not that either is particularly good reading for moral development.
wrt Shades of Nixon. Had that sense from “day two” of the reports of the bridge toll lane closings, and the list of echoes has since become long. However, “day one” in both Watergate and GWBridge was the key to digging into the burglary and bridge toll closings because both stunts were so perfectly aligned with the respective characters/styles of Nixon and Christie.
Not all of Nixon’s skullduggery ended up being fully uncovered, but beginning with far less tangible evidence that the burglary went straight to the WH, a year after the fact, the Watergate investigation was much further along than the Christie Caper that took place over a year and a half ago. In part because John Dean chose not to be the fall guy. Wildstein. Baroni, and Kelly seem to be playing it more like the Iran-Contra gang. Stall, lie, cover-up, etc. Democrats have to own their responsibility for these people getting off because Congressional Dems were afraid to play hardball wrt Iran-Contra and all the other corrupt activities of the Reagan administration.
Does sound a lot like Christie’s “I didn’t know nuthin”
(he even looks a bit like Christie)
(am guessing that Nixon’s binders that were supposed to prove his innocence cost the USG a lot less money than what the State of NJ paid the attorneys to prepare the Christie is innocent report.
NYTimes U.S. Indictment Details Plotting in New Jersey Bridge Scandal
Blam!
Maybe a little jail time will teach Ms. Kelly some humanity and humility. (iirc she’s quite “religious.” Apparently she skipped the lessons in morality.) Not to single her out as Wildstein and Baroni are equally despicable. But I don’t want to hear anyone asserting a generic superiority of women in public office over men. Bad people are bad and that is independent of gender.
Coverage at TPM
Mayor Fulop of Jersey City was the one Christie wanted. But they left him alone in favor of going after Sokolich?
NYTimes: Christie’s Camp Mobilizes to Salvage White House Hopes
Tough to recognize when one has reached the pinnacle of one’s incompetence.
Comments from billmon
Monday – May 4, 2015 – Yahoo: Kelly and Baroni enter not guilty pleas each released on $150,000 bail.
On the NY side of the bridge, CBS NY: NY Senate Leader Dean Skelos, Son Surrender In Federal Probe
Cuomo’s other Albany BFF, Silver, was indicted earlier on separate and unrelated charges from that of Skelos. Nice to see a US Atty like Bharara that is properly going after corrupt politicians and not simply dicking around with those at the bottom of the food chain while playing footsie with the guys at the top.
It’s why I wanted him nominated for AG. But then for all I know, he’s better where he is now.
Probably better for us that he remains in his current position. Better chance to get things done and finish up on those in progress than to serve less than two years as AG.