Mayor Chris Christie and Mayor Mike Duggan
1/14/14
Today is a TWO day and being that the fact that Jennifer Barrett Boneno at the Reynolda Branch Library [manager]
[Jennifer Barrett Boneno,Reynolda Branch Libraryt [manager];
had the Reynolda Branch Library staff to block my access to printing of emails and posts as harassment for the last 2 1/2 weeks in which sent email requesting help for the thousandth time to a white male[new hire in another city];
[right now am being cornered by white male system[white female[looks to unstressed to be at this library][sitting in front of me][harassment]; and white male and white female who look like they are doing something else other than just coming to the public library to do some work[sitting to the right side of me to intimidate me][harassment];
Thus after sending info on 1/13/14 [13th number/amendment/slavery]about Jennifer Barret Bonebo intentionally keeping the printer off so I could not print; today 1/14/14 a [two] day the printer is working? and got a response concerning asking for help from the white male in training in housing department where I had called and an African Amrican female was trying to help] ]housing[Mel Watts New housing finance director][put there to do what Chris Christie did to the mayor of Fort LEE using the "George Washington Bridge";which was to block traffic so people in FORT Lee would suffer because their Mayor would not endorse Mayor Chris Christie
for the next election;in which the process of closing down the lanes on the "George Washington Bridge" is the same process used to block certain African American[s] economically in the Winston-Salem Carver School Road Area;
Just as the people who work for Chris Christy used their governmental positions to block those traffic lanes; [http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/nynj0113.pdf];the people in Winston-Salem use their governmental positions, [such as Jennifer Barrett Boneno Reynolda Branch Library], to harass, intimicate, abuse, threaten African American[s] in order to block African American[s] from ecnomic prosperity to punish African Americans for not supporting white males system[s] of abuse of other African American[s];
George Washington Bridge:
The result of Chris Christie co-workers doing their jobs[blocking ACCESS to traffic lanes] [to cause people to suffer];
The result of Jennifer Barrett Boneno at the Reynolda Branch Libraryt [manager] and her WS Forsyth County co-workers doing their job[blocking economic ACCESS to African American[s] that white males decided was wealthy in African American culture];
Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop speaks to supporters at City Hall during his inauguration ceremony on July 1, 2013. Jason Andrew for The Wall Street Journal [coincidental that "Andrew" is name of reporter for WALL street Journal=code that situation is part of path to hinder African American wealth];
[note} hispanic male almost bald, dark eyebrows, mustache, gotee and slight breard at computer numer 9 [in front of me]=harassment=intimidation[if=sent by Jennifer Barrett Boneno at the Reynolda Branch Libraryt [manager] and her [bosses][?][authorities in charge of local area, Carver Road Area, Hanes Mall];[---pm]
Listing the picture by Jason Andrew because have notice that the entire list of characters have that have blogged about on this blog and on "If Rosa Parks KNEW!!!";Bridget Ann Kelly= Bridget[name of the African American female prostitute whose job it was to do my ex]; Ann[name associated with a relative of the TWIN child stolen]; Kelly [name of a distant relative of the TWIN child stolen]; Mayor Steve Fulop[name Steve is first name of Steve WHITEheart in Winston-Salem[connected with the stealing of TWIN child];Mayor Chris Christie[Chris is the name of relative to the TWIN child Stolen];Bill Stepien[Bill is the name associated with MONEY];
The article title "Bridge Answers Sought"
[http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303595404579317130872243254?mod=WSJ_NY_MIDDLELEADNewsCollection] says it all; Bridget [the African American female prostitue is suppose to be the BRIDGE to living in white males society based on white males system that when TWO African Americans not working for white males marry; the white males send the African American female prostitute to take the African American husband from the African American wife[not working for white males] and give the African American female prostituteworking for white males the African American wife[not working for white males]husband;
So now ""Bridge Answers Sought"; there is a hole/gap/problem about how to bridge/rob the African Americans not working for white males with their heritage/wealth and culture;
The reason the word rob is used is because there would be a good, calm flow in all areas of an African Americans life who wanted a good life; but just as things were done by people to block the calm,good flow of people on the George Washington Bridge, so do the white male system[s] do the same /block African Americans wealth, prosperity, relationships, etc.
The picture of the jammed up traffic on the GEORGE WASHINGTON Bridge sums up EXACTLY where my life is; can't move forward, backward or to the sides [because white male system[s] have all of the paths to real life block;[which is illegal/and in violation of the United States Constitution]; the difference between the people in the picture and myself is that they have cars; they KNOW eventually they will get out of the traffic jam[which may even last eight hours; but they KNOW it will end; and in my case the jams created by man[those working in the government] has been going on over a decade; which brings the question 'When will it [harassment,threats, intimidation, abuse] end? Then there are TWO more coincidences:
1.GEORGE WASHINGTON Bridge -the name of the bridge is related to a President on MONEY;
2. The GEORGE WASHINGTON Bridge is the LARGEST bridge in the world[tv news programs]and was used in the 911[Sept.11,2001] destruction of the World Trade Center [TWIN Towers];[https://www.google.com/search?q=george+washington+on+100+bill&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=s8nVUsfMLIuvkAeLqIDQBg&ved=0CD8QsAQ&biw=792&bih=411];
2a. Notice the TWO connectors on the bridge;
3. The New Billion DOLLAR land project by Fort LEE, New Jersey has TWO big highrises that are across from each other; just like the World Trade Center [TWIN Towers];[of which Gwyndolyn Gwyn and the secret group[Pauline,Paula-code names] are position to do again what took place in the stealing of the TWIN child that World Trade Center [TWIN Towers] was built off of and who was used as communication to the secret group;
[http://www.bradblog.com/?p=10453];
4. The silimarities between sibling Cintas and white males working together to block my ACCESS lane to my wealth and the BIG national issue in the news about the ACCESS lanes at Fort LEE, NJ
[http://www.bradblog.com/?p=10453];
" Kornacki teased. "What exactly was at stake with these closures?"
Somewhere in the article '16 Acres and a Billion Dollar Deal': A Second Alternate Theory for Christie's 'BridgeGate'" there was mention of the question of what is so important about ACCESS to lanes;
Answer if the lanes represented the issue about the stealing of a BILLION Dollars from African Americans and which white males would control the BILLION DOLLARS, ACCESS to the lanes [being that the white bastards and CINTAS in Winston-Salem are trying to block the origal owner of the BILLION DOLLARS which would go into an African American culture not slaving to/ for white males] would be extremely important;
CONFIRMATION:
Cynthia [little girl from CUBA]; who is being used to communicate to Cintas that what is suppose to go to Deanna [white males in process of transfering to her[Cintas][means closing the ACCESS lane to Deanna]=Cintas /forced to serve white males;Cynthia the little Cuban girl lives at D11[like 911]; father Ean[license #BHE1104]-Ean's father lives in a mansion which means -Ean's father probably connected to somebody in Fort Lee, New Jersey,etc..
***Note: LEE is a code name[Kathie LEE on Today Show];
Just as there are documents that varify that something other than a road construction was going on at the George Washington Bridge ; have shown numerous documents to various official[working as one of the members of a secret club] who are suppose to be serving the general public and no action taken as stated by the United States Constitution that says that citizens are to be protected;
Godwillst
********
"Records Show Christie Administration Canceled Meetings After Jersey City Mayor Didn't Endorse"
[http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303595404579318403306044302];
Documents released Monday indicate that meetings arranged between top commissioners to Gov. Chris Christie and Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop were abruptly canceled without reason last year—providing evidence of Mr. Fulop's claim that he was cut off after he decided not to endorse the governor.
The documents viewed by The Wall Street Journal through a public records request showed communications between Mr. Fulop and Christie administration staff members arranging the meetings in June and July, until the commissioners all canceled one meeting after another.
The documents don't indicate why the meetings were scrapped, but Mr. Fulop has said that he was punished for declining to endorse the governor. Mr. Christie attended the Democrat's inauguration in Jersey City in July, and Mr. Fulop's advisers had considered endorsing Mr. Christie, a Republican, but ultimately didn't
"The emails that were requested speak for themselves. Our administration has sought to operate in a professional and cooperative manner with the Christie Administration," Mr. Fulop said in a statement.
When asked about cutting off communication with Mr. Fulop, Mr. Christie said last week that discussions have continued with Jersey City and projects have continued to move forward. "We've continued to work with Jersey City over the course of time since he's been mayor," he said.
Mr. Christie's office pushed back at Mr. Fulop's statements Monday by criticizing him for being partisan and seeking to advance his political aspirations. The Democrat is widely seen as looking to run for governor in New Jersey in 2017.
"Mayor Fulop's words and actions must be viewed through the lens of partisan politics and his attempt to advance his own personal agenda," a spokesman for Mr. Christie said. "He has made clear his future political aspirations."
The spokesman said that the Christie administration will continue to work on behalf of the people of New Jersey.
The documents come as the Christie administration faces an investigation over lane closures to the George Washington Bridge that were pushed by his allies. Some senior members of the administration were also involved in the closures and the subsequent downplaying of media attention over them.
Bridget Anne Kelly, a senior staffer to Mr. Christie, was involved in the lane closures
Bridget Anne Kelly, a senior staffer to Mr. Christie, was involved in the lane closures, and also appears in emails documenting the administration arranging meetings for Mr. Fulop. "Congratulations, Mayor Elect! What an exciting time for you, and for the city. We're looking forward to working closely with you and your administration," Ms. Kelly wrote to an assistant to Mr. Fulop on June 20.
Ms. Kelly then lists the commissioners who will meet with Mr. Fulop, including the heads of the Department of Community Affairs, the state Economic Development Authority, the Office of Recovery and Rebuilding and the state Department of Transportation.
"There may be others that you see relevant, and I'd be happy to add those. I defer to you and your teams," Ms. Kelly.
A text message included in the documents sent to Mr. Fulop on July 12 stated: "I know the gov is sending quite a contingent of his cabinet up to you on the 23rd. Let us know how we can continue to work closely together." The text message in the document is from "Bill."
Mr. Fulop said Monday that the text message was from Bill Stepien, Mr. Christie's campaign manager for reelection.
On July 16, the correspondence shows that meetings were arranged for July 23 and 29
with Mr. Fulop and five commissioners and the deputy executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Bill Baroni.
On July 18, Mr. Fulop was informed by his aide that four commissioners had canceled the meetings. No explanation was given, according to the emails. On July 19, Mr. Fulop was told that Mr. Baroni had canceled, and on July 22nd the last commissioner canceled, the documents show.
Mr. Fulop later sends several emails to Mr. Baroni to try and reschedule their meeting, but they aren't returned, according to the documents.
In a statement, Mr. Fulop said his decision not to endorse was communicated to the Christie administration on or before July 18.
"Mayor Fulop believed the cancellations were connected to his decision not to endorse Governor Christie," Mr. Fulop's spokeswoman said.
In an August email from Mr. Fulop to Mr. Baroni, the mayor indicated he thought there were political undertones to the cancellations.
"I am not sure if it is a coincidence that your office canceled a meeting several weeks back that seemed to be simultaneous to other political conversations," he wrote. "Prior to that you were always very responsive and I sincerely hope the two two issues are not related."
Write to Heather Haddon at heather.haddon@wsj.com
********
"Another Mayor Felt Christie-Tied Reprisal"
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303595404579318403306044302];
The night he was elected mayor of Jersey City in May, Steven Fulop got a call from Gov. Chris Christie congratulating him and offering whatever help he could — a pledge that was followed up by texts and emails from Mr. Christie’s campaign and State House aides, who set up a day’s worth of meetings with high-level commissioners in what they promised would be the beginning of a happy relationship.
Two months later, the day Mr. Fulop, a Democrat, relayed word that he could not endorse the governor, a Republican, the meetings were all suddenly off. Documents show that Mr. Christie’s commissioners themselves called to cancel — most within the space of an hour — leaving Jersey City needing to fill its budget without money from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, its requests for help with Hurricane Sandy recovery, transportation and other issues falling on deaf ears.
Meanwhile, the Democratic mayor of Harrison, who endorsed Mr. Christie, got $250 million in Port Authority money for a new transit station. The mayor of Union City, another Democratic endorser, got an increase in state aid when bigger cities were being cut off, and $3 million in Port Authority money even though the authority does not operate there. The Democratic county executive in Essex County, who brought along other mayors and black pastors with his endorsement of Mr. Christie, got $7 million in Port Authority money for a park, $4 million in state aid for a vocational school, and personal assistance from Mr. Christie, who served as chairman of a fund-raising campaign for the executive’s beloved zoo. Mr. Christie even showed up to a groundbreaking for a new garage for county vehicles.
Throughout his four years as governor, and particularly in his re-election campaign last year, Mr. Christie has worked his powers of government as an arm of his political operation, awarding favors to those who rewarded his political ambitions and punishing those who got in his way. A system of give and take has always been part of American politics, but the documents from Jersey City, obtained through a Freedom of Information request, demonstrate Mr. Christie’s particularly aggressive embrace of it.
The accusation that he used his powers to punish those who did not support him is now presenting Mr. Christie with the greatest political challenge of his career. Last week, documents showed that one of Mr. Christie’s top aides gave the signal to his associates at the Port Authority to close two lanes leading to the George Washington Bridge in an act of political, traffic-jamming vengeance against the mayor of Fort Lee, a Democrat who had declined to endorse the governor.
Two Christie allies at the Port Authority have resigned. Last week, Mr. Christie fired the aide who gave the signal for the lane closings, and cut ties with his former campaign manager, who had been involved in an effort to hide the political motive for the lane closings, and who had written emails disparaging the mayor.
On Monday, as Mr. Christie prepared to give his State of the State speech on Tuesday, Democrats in the Legislature said they would name a special investigative panel with subpoena power to continue looking into the lane closings, and said they expected to subpoena more Christie loyalists as soon as Thursday, when a special legislative session convenes to discuss the investigation.
Federal investigators announced that they would audit Mr. Christie’s use of Hurricane Sandy relief money on a $25 million ad campaign that featured his family to promote the Jersey Shore. And a Monmouth University/Asbury Park Press poll showed that Mr. Christie’s popularity — while still enviably high for a politician — had suffered its first hit since Hurricane Sandy sent it soaring. While 70 percent viewed the governor in a positive light a year ago, 44 percent did in the poll conducted Friday through Sunday.
More than 80 percent of those polled said they had heard about the scandal, and about the same percentage of them said that they expected more aides to be implicated. A majority — 51 percent — of those people who were aware of the lane closings said that the governor had not been completely honest about what he knew about the subject.
Mr. Christie had been working to get Democrats to support him since the morning after he was elected in 2009. He made his first stop as governor-elect at a community center in Newark run by the political boss who then ran much of northern New Jersey.
His re-election campaign worked aggressively last year to get Democratic officials to endorse him, holding well-choreographed news conferences and keeping a running tally in news releases and on Twitter whenever another signed on.
His political advisers said they wanted support from Democrats so that the governor could present himself to his national party as the presidential candidate who could win among groups that typically do not support Republicans.
The mayors he courted particularly aggressively were not only Democrats; they also represented important blocs he wanted to win: Hispanic voters in Harrison and in Union City, which has the highest concentration of Hispanics in the state; and Democrats and blacks in Essex County, which includes Newark.
Jersey City, across the Hudson River from Lower Manhattan, is the second largest city in the state, and Mr. Christie’s office was known to be working hard to win an endorsement from Mr. Fulop, a 36-year-old Iraq war veteran whose victory in May in a nonpartisan election signaled him as a rising star in the Democratic Party
Mr. Christie called him the night he won. The next morning, according to records, Mr. Christie’s campaign manager, Bill Stepien, texted Mr. Fulop to say the Christie administration would do as much as Mr. Fulop wanted to get help from the administration.
Mr. Christie’s office then set up a full day of meetings, and scheduled appointments with commissioners or heads of six different administration agencies, including transportation, economic development, the state treasurer and the commissioner of community affairs — the government official who handles state aid to municipalities, among other matters. Meetings were also set up with the director of Hurricane Sandy recovery and Bill Baroni, the governor’s top appointee at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, who resigned as the bridge scandal began to heat up last month. Emails indicate that the Christie administration planned to send staff members from the governor’s office as well.
We’re looking forward to working closely with you and your administration,” wrote Bridget Anne Kelly, a deputy chief of staff to Mr. Christie — and the aide who was revealed last week to have given the signal to close the lanes on the bridge. She added, “Some of the conversations may be simple and introductory, while others may focus on actual pending projects and issues.”
Mr. Fulop and his aides had numerous entreaties from Mr. Stepien and others — though not the governor — to endorse him. But Mr. Fulop decided that he could not. His city has a large population of gay men and lesbians, and the governor was fighting the Legislature’s attempt to legalize same-sex marriage.
After Mr. Fulop told Christie aides on July 18 that he would not endorse the governor, the commissioners began calling to cancel. Almost all cancellations came within an hour, and the remaining ones followed closely on their heels. That the commissioners called the mayor’s office personally shows an unusually close level of involvement for high-ranking government officials.
**********
Bridge Answers Sought
NY Politics;[http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303595404579317130872243254?mod=WSJ_NY_MIDDLELEADNewsCollection];
New Jersey Lawmakers Could Issue New Subpoenas for Documents and Sworn Testimony as Soon as Monday
******
Today is a TWO day and being that the fact that Jennifer Barrett Boneno at the Reynolda Branch Library [manager]
[Jennifer Barrett Boneno,Reynolda Branch Libraryt [manager];
had the Reynolda Branch Library staff to block my access to printing of emails and posts as harassment for the last 2 1/2 weeks in which sent email requesting help for the thousandth time to a white male[new hire in another city];
[right now am being cornered by white male system[white female[looks to unstressed to be at this library][sitting in front of me][harassment]; and white male and white female who look like they are doing something else other than just coming to the public library to do some work[sitting to the right side of me to intimidate me][harassment];
Thus after sending info on 1/13/14 [13th number/amendment/slavery]about Jennifer Barret Bonebo intentionally keeping the printer off so I could not print; today 1/14/14 a [two] day the printer is working? and got a response concerning asking for help from the white male in training in housing department where I had called and an African Amrican female was trying to help] ]housing[Mel Watts New housing finance director][put there to do what Chris Christie did to the mayor of Fort LEE using the "George Washington Bridge";which was to block traffic so people in FORT Lee would suffer because their Mayor would not endorse Mayor Chris Christie
for the next election;in which the process of closing down the lanes on the "George Washington Bridge" is the same process used to block certain African American[s] economically in the Winston-Salem Carver School Road Area;
Just as the people who work for Chris Christy used their governmental positions to block those traffic lanes; [http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/nynj0113.pdf];the people in Winston-Salem use their governmental positions, [such as Jennifer Barrett Boneno Reynolda Branch Library], to harass, intimicate, abuse, threaten African American[s] in order to block African American[s] from ecnomic prosperity to punish African Americans for not supporting white males system[s] of abuse of other African American[s];
George Washington Bridge:
The result of Chris Christie co-workers doing their jobs[blocking ACCESS to traffic lanes] [to cause people to suffer];
The result of Jennifer Barrett Boneno at the Reynolda Branch Libraryt [manager] and her WS Forsyth County co-workers doing their job[blocking economic ACCESS to African American[s] that white males decided was wealthy in African American culture];
Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop speaks to supporters at City Hall during his inauguration ceremony on July 1, 2013. Jason Andrew for The Wall Street Journal [coincidental that "Andrew" is name of reporter for WALL street Journal=code that situation is part of path to hinder African American wealth];
[note} hispanic male almost bald, dark eyebrows, mustache, gotee and slight breard at computer numer 9 [in front of me]=harassment=intimidation[if=sent by Jennifer Barrett Boneno at the Reynolda Branch Libraryt [manager] and her [bosses][?][authorities in charge of local area, Carver Road Area, Hanes Mall];[---pm]
Listing the picture by Jason Andrew because have notice that the entire list of characters have that have blogged about on this blog and on "If Rosa Parks KNEW!!!";Bridget Ann Kelly= Bridget[name of the African American female prostitute whose job it was to do my ex]; Ann[name associated with a relative of the TWIN child stolen]; Kelly [name of a distant relative of the TWIN child stolen]; Mayor Steve Fulop[name Steve is first name of Steve WHITEheart in Winston-Salem[connected with the stealing of TWIN child];Mayor Chris Christie[Chris is the name of relative to the TWIN child Stolen];Bill Stepien[Bill is the name associated with MONEY];
The article title "Bridge Answers Sought"
[http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303595404579317130872243254?mod=WSJ_NY_MIDDLELEADNewsCollection] says it all; Bridget [the African American female prostitue is suppose to be the BRIDGE to living in white males society based on white males system that when TWO African Americans not working for white males marry; the white males send the African American female prostitute to take the African American husband from the African American wife[not working for white males] and give the African American female prostituteworking for white males the African American wife[not working for white males]husband;
So now ""Bridge Answers Sought"; there is a hole/gap/problem about how to bridge/rob the African Americans not working for white males with their heritage/wealth and culture;
The reason the word rob is used is because there would be a good, calm flow in all areas of an African Americans life who wanted a good life; but just as things were done by people to block the calm,good flow of people on the George Washington Bridge, so do the white male system[s] do the same /block African Americans wealth, prosperity, relationships, etc.
The picture of the jammed up traffic on the GEORGE WASHINGTON Bridge sums up EXACTLY where my life is; can't move forward, backward or to the sides [because white male system[s] have all of the paths to real life block;[which is illegal/and in violation of the United States Constitution]; the difference between the people in the picture and myself is that they have cars; they KNOW eventually they will get out of the traffic jam[which may even last eight hours; but they KNOW it will end; and in my case the jams created by man[those working in the government] has been going on over a decade; which brings the question 'When will it [harassment,threats, intimidation, abuse] end? Then there are TWO more coincidences:
1.GEORGE WASHINGTON Bridge -the name of the bridge is related to a President on MONEY;
2. The GEORGE WASHINGTON Bridge is the LARGEST bridge in the world[tv news programs]and was used in the 911[Sept.11,2001] destruction of the World Trade Center [TWIN Towers];[https://www.google.com/search?q=george+washington+on+100+bill&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=s8nVUsfMLIuvkAeLqIDQBg&ved=0CD8QsAQ&biw=792&bih=411];
2a. Notice the TWO connectors on the bridge;
3. The New Billion DOLLAR land project by Fort LEE, New Jersey has TWO big highrises that are across from each other; just like the World Trade Center [TWIN Towers];[of which Gwyndolyn Gwyn and the secret group[Pauline,Paula-code names] are position to do again what took place in the stealing of the TWIN child that World Trade Center [TWIN Towers] was built off of and who was used as communication to the secret group;
[http://www.bradblog.com/?p=10453];
4. The silimarities between sibling Cintas and white males working together to block my ACCESS lane to my wealth and the BIG national issue in the news about the ACCESS lanes at Fort LEE, NJ
[http://www.bradblog.com/?p=10453];
" Kornacki teased. "What exactly was at stake with these closures?"
Somewhere in the article '16 Acres and a Billion Dollar Deal': A Second Alternate Theory for Christie's 'BridgeGate'" there was mention of the question of what is so important about ACCESS to lanes;
Answer if the lanes represented the issue about the stealing of a BILLION Dollars from African Americans and which white males would control the BILLION DOLLARS, ACCESS to the lanes [being that the white bastards and CINTAS in Winston-Salem are trying to block the origal owner of the BILLION DOLLARS which would go into an African American culture not slaving to/ for white males] would be extremely important;
CONFIRMATION:
Cynthia [little girl from CUBA]; who is being used to communicate to Cintas that what is suppose to go to Deanna [white males in process of transfering to her[Cintas][means closing the ACCESS lane to Deanna]=Cintas /forced to serve white males;Cynthia the little Cuban girl lives at D11[like 911]; father Ean[license #BHE1104]-Ean's father lives in a mansion which means -Ean's father probably connected to somebody in Fort Lee, New Jersey,etc..
***Note: LEE is a code name[Kathie LEE on Today Show];
Just as there are documents that varify that something other than a road construction was going on at the George Washington Bridge ; have shown numerous documents to various official[working as one of the members of a secret club] who are suppose to be serving the general public and no action taken as stated by the United States Constitution that says that citizens are to be protected;
Godwillst
********
"Records Show Christie Administration Canceled Meetings After Jersey City Mayor Didn't Endorse"
Documents Back Up Jersey City Mayor's Claim that He Was Cut Off
[http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303595404579318403306044302];
Documents released Monday indicate that meetings arranged between top commissioners to Gov. Chris Christie and Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop were abruptly canceled without reason last year—providing evidence of Mr. Fulop's claim that he was cut off after he decided not to endorse the governor.
The documents viewed by The Wall Street Journal through a public records request showed communications between Mr. Fulop and Christie administration staff members arranging the meetings in June and July, until the commissioners all canceled one meeting after another.
The documents don't indicate why the meetings were scrapped, but Mr. Fulop has said that he was punished for declining to endorse the governor. Mr. Christie attended the Democrat's inauguration in Jersey City in July, and Mr. Fulop's advisers had considered endorsing Mr. Christie, a Republican, but ultimately didn't
"The emails that were requested speak for themselves. Our administration has sought to operate in a professional and cooperative manner with the Christie Administration," Mr. Fulop said in a statement.
When asked about cutting off communication with Mr. Fulop, Mr. Christie said last week that discussions have continued with Jersey City and projects have continued to move forward. "We've continued to work with Jersey City over the course of time since he's been mayor," he said.
Mr. Christie's office pushed back at Mr. Fulop's statements Monday by criticizing him for being partisan and seeking to advance his political aspirations. The Democrat is widely seen as looking to run for governor in New Jersey in 2017.
"Mayor Fulop's words and actions must be viewed through the lens of partisan politics and his attempt to advance his own personal agenda," a spokesman for Mr. Christie said. "He has made clear his future political aspirations."
The spokesman said that the Christie administration will continue to work on behalf of the people of New Jersey.
The documents come as the Christie administration faces an investigation over lane closures to the George Washington Bridge that were pushed by his allies. Some senior members of the administration were also involved in the closures and the subsequent downplaying of media attention over them.
Bridget Anne Kelly, a senior staffer to Mr. Christie, was involved in the lane closures
Bridget Anne Kelly, a senior staffer to Mr. Christie, was involved in the lane closures, and also appears in emails documenting the administration arranging meetings for Mr. Fulop. "Congratulations, Mayor Elect! What an exciting time for you, and for the city. We're looking forward to working closely with you and your administration," Ms. Kelly wrote to an assistant to Mr. Fulop on June 20.
Ms. Kelly then lists the commissioners who will meet with Mr. Fulop, including the heads of the Department of Community Affairs, the state Economic Development Authority, the Office of Recovery and Rebuilding and the state Department of Transportation.
"There may be others that you see relevant, and I'd be happy to add those. I defer to you and your teams," Ms. Kelly.
A text message included in the documents sent to Mr. Fulop on July 12 stated: "I know the gov is sending quite a contingent of his cabinet up to you on the 23rd. Let us know how we can continue to work closely together." The text message in the document is from "Bill."
Mr. Fulop said Monday that the text message was from Bill Stepien, Mr. Christie's campaign manager for reelection.
On July 16, the correspondence shows that meetings were arranged for July 23 and 29
with Mr. Fulop and five commissioners and the deputy executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Bill Baroni.
On July 18, Mr. Fulop was informed by his aide that four commissioners had canceled the meetings. No explanation was given, according to the emails. On July 19, Mr. Fulop was told that Mr. Baroni had canceled, and on July 22nd the last commissioner canceled, the documents show.
Mr. Fulop later sends several emails to Mr. Baroni to try and reschedule their meeting, but they aren't returned, according to the documents.
In a statement, Mr. Fulop said his decision not to endorse was communicated to the Christie administration on or before July 18.
"Mayor Fulop believed the cancellations were connected to his decision not to endorse Governor Christie," Mr. Fulop's spokeswoman said.
In an August email from Mr. Fulop to Mr. Baroni, the mayor indicated he thought there were political undertones to the cancellations.
"I am not sure if it is a coincidence that your office canceled a meeting several weeks back that seemed to be simultaneous to other political conversations," he wrote. "Prior to that you were always very responsive and I sincerely hope the two two issues are not related."
Write to Heather Haddon at heather.haddon@wsj.com
********
"Another Mayor Felt Christie-Tied Reprisal"
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303595404579318403306044302];
The night he was elected mayor of Jersey City in May, Steven Fulop got a call from Gov. Chris Christie congratulating him and offering whatever help he could — a pledge that was followed up by texts and emails from Mr. Christie’s campaign and State House aides, who set up a day’s worth of meetings with high-level commissioners in what they promised would be the beginning of a happy relationship.
Two months later, the day Mr. Fulop, a Democrat, relayed word that he could not endorse the governor, a Republican, the meetings were all suddenly off. Documents show that Mr. Christie’s commissioners themselves called to cancel — most within the space of an hour — leaving Jersey City needing to fill its budget without money from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, its requests for help with Hurricane Sandy recovery, transportation and other issues falling on deaf ears.
Meanwhile, the Democratic mayor of Harrison, who endorsed Mr. Christie, got $250 million in Port Authority money for a new transit station. The mayor of Union City, another Democratic endorser, got an increase in state aid when bigger cities were being cut off, and $3 million in Port Authority money even though the authority does not operate there. The Democratic county executive in Essex County, who brought along other mayors and black pastors with his endorsement of Mr. Christie, got $7 million in Port Authority money for a park, $4 million in state aid for a vocational school, and personal assistance from Mr. Christie, who served as chairman of a fund-raising campaign for the executive’s beloved zoo. Mr. Christie even showed up to a groundbreaking for a new garage for county vehicles.
Throughout his four years as governor, and particularly in his re-election campaign last year, Mr. Christie has worked his powers of government as an arm of his political operation, awarding favors to those who rewarded his political ambitions and punishing those who got in his way. A system of give and take has always been part of American politics, but the documents from Jersey City, obtained through a Freedom of Information request, demonstrate Mr. Christie’s particularly aggressive embrace of it.
Two Christie allies at the Port Authority have resigned. Last week, Mr. Christie fired the aide who gave the signal for the lane closings, and cut ties with his former campaign manager, who had been involved in an effort to hide the political motive for the lane closings, and who had written emails disparaging the mayor.
On Monday, as Mr. Christie prepared to give his State of the State speech on Tuesday, Democrats in the Legislature said they would name a special investigative panel with subpoena power to continue looking into the lane closings, and said they expected to subpoena more Christie loyalists as soon as Thursday, when a special legislative session convenes to discuss the investigation.
Federal investigators announced that they would audit Mr. Christie’s use of Hurricane Sandy relief money on a $25 million ad campaign that featured his family to promote the Jersey Shore. And a Monmouth University/Asbury Park Press poll showed that Mr. Christie’s popularity — while still enviably high for a politician — had suffered its first hit since Hurricane Sandy sent it soaring. While 70 percent viewed the governor in a positive light a year ago, 44 percent did in the poll conducted Friday through Sunday.
More than 80 percent of those polled said they had heard about the scandal, and about the same percentage of them said that they expected more aides to be implicated. A majority — 51 percent — of those people who were aware of the lane closings said that the governor had not been completely honest about what he knew about the subject.
Mr. Christie had been working to get Democrats to support him since the morning after he was elected in 2009. He made his first stop as governor-elect at a community center in Newark run by the political boss who then ran much of northern New Jersey.
His re-election campaign worked aggressively last year to get Democratic officials to endorse him, holding well-choreographed news conferences and keeping a running tally in news releases and on Twitter whenever another signed on.
His political advisers said they wanted support from Democrats so that the governor could present himself to his national party as the presidential candidate who could win among groups that typically do not support Republicans.
The mayors he courted particularly aggressively were not only Democrats; they also represented important blocs he wanted to win: Hispanic voters in Harrison and in Union City, which has the highest concentration of Hispanics in the state; and Democrats and blacks in Essex County, which includes Newark.
Jersey City, across the Hudson River from Lower Manhattan, is the second largest city in the state, and Mr. Christie’s office was known to be working hard to win an endorsement from Mr. Fulop, a 36-year-old Iraq war veteran whose victory in May in a nonpartisan election signaled him as a rising star in the Democratic Party
Mr. Christie called him the night he won. The next morning, according to records, Mr. Christie’s campaign manager, Bill Stepien, texted Mr. Fulop to say the Christie administration would do as much as Mr. Fulop wanted to get help from the administration.
Mr. Christie’s office then set up a full day of meetings, and scheduled appointments with commissioners or heads of six different administration agencies, including transportation, economic development, the state treasurer and the commissioner of community affairs — the government official who handles state aid to municipalities, among other matters. Meetings were also set up with the director of Hurricane Sandy recovery and Bill Baroni, the governor’s top appointee at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, who resigned as the bridge scandal began to heat up last month. Emails indicate that the Christie administration planned to send staff members from the governor’s office as well.
We’re looking forward to working closely with you and your administration,” wrote Bridget Anne Kelly, a deputy chief of staff to Mr. Christie — and the aide who was revealed last week to have given the signal to close the lanes on the bridge. She added, “Some of the conversations may be simple and introductory, while others may focus on actual pending projects and issues.”
Mr. Fulop and his aides had numerous entreaties from Mr. Stepien and others — though not the governor — to endorse him. But Mr. Fulop decided that he could not. His city has a large population of gay men and lesbians, and the governor was fighting the Legislature’s attempt to legalize same-sex marriage.
After Mr. Fulop told Christie aides on July 18 that he would not endorse the governor, the commissioners began calling to cancel. Almost all cancellations came within an hour, and the remaining ones followed closely on their heels. That the commissioners called the mayor’s office personally shows an unusually close level of involvement for high-ranking government officials.
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Bridge Answers Sought
NY Politics;[http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303595404579317130872243254?mod=WSJ_NY_MIDDLELEADNewsCollection];
New Jersey Lawmakers Could Issue New Subpoenas for Documents and Sworn Testimony as Soon as Monday
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By Brad Friedman on 1/13/2014, 7:05am PT ;
Last week, we highlighted the alternate "BridgeGate" scandal theory offered by MSNBC's Rachel Maddow. She reported, with circumstantial but seemingly plausible evidence, that the four-day closure of several Fort Lee, NJ access lanes to the George Washington Bridge last September might have had to do with something other than political payback for a lack of endorsement for Christie's re-election bid by the Democratic Mayor of Fort Lee.
Maddow posited that the timing of the now-infamous "Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee" email of August 13, 7:34am, as sent by Christie Deputy Chief of Staff Bridget Ann Kelly, may have been a direct response to something other than Fort Lee Mayor Mike Sokolich's refusal to endorse Christie. Instead, Maddow said, the still-unexplained closures might have been meant as retaliation to the state Senate's Democratic Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, who has been a particular thorn in the Republican Governor's side for many years. (By way of just one example, see her attempt to pass a bill to limit travel of the NJ Governor following our exclusive release of audio tapes revealing Christie's super-secret appearance at a secret Koch Brothers gathering in Colorado in 2011.)
In support of the theory, Maddow highlighted a late afternoon press conference given by a very angry Christie on August 12th, the night before Kelly's early morning email, concerning a NJ Supreme Court nominee being stalled by Senate Democrats led by Weinberg, who happens to represent part of Fort Lee.
For what it's worth, the Democratic NJ Senate President Assembly leader, as well as several others, have found reason to doubt Maddow's theory.
But, on Sunday, in another smart example of good investigative broadcast journalism on MSNBC's UP with Steve Kornacki, the host, a former New Jersey political reporter and, incidentally, former employee of David Wildstein (the Christie appointee at the NY/NJ Port Authority who ordered the actual shutdown at the agency, according to subpoenaed email and text messages) offered yet another plausible alternate explanation for the shutdown.
This one also sounds like yet another plot straight out of HBO's The Soprano's, as it relates to, in Kornacki's words, "something of enormous economic and political significance"...
"What could have motivated a Governor to care so much about the mayor of a medium size New Jersey town --- a town that's one of 566 municipalities in the state --- to single that mayor out for this kind of treatment?," Kornacki teased. "What exactly was at stake with these closures?"
Until now, the presumption has been that the actions of Christie's office (we don't yet know for certain whether he, himself, knew about the closures) was political payback for the rejected endorsement. But, as we also noted last week, many other Democratic mayors similarly refused to endorse Christie last year, and both Sokolich and Christie have credibly downplayed any particularly hardball effort to obtain that particular endorsement before the September closures.
So, if not the endorsement, and if not an act of retribution against state Sen. Weinberg, could there be something else?
Yes, as Kornacki details, a billion dollar commercial development on 16 acres of currently-vacant --- but incredibly valuable --- land, precisely adjacent to Fort Lee's now-storied GWB access lanes. The development project has been the source of various political machinations for at least four decades, including, as Kornacki explains, as part of an infamously-attempted bribe by members of the mafia back in the 1970s, of the then Mayor of Fort Lee.
With a new deal for development of that land now finally struck, and final approval of financing for it hanging in the balance on the very week the lanes were shut down by Christie's office last September, Kornacki's reporting could also make a lot of sense
As the MSNBC host and former New Jersey political journalist notes, this "billion dollar development" (as it was described by Mayor Sokolich in letters to the Port Authority during his frantic attempts to have the lanes re-opened during the September shutdown) has also been alluded to during this scandal both by Christie himself, when he was making light of the shutdown late last year, and by Wildstein, who included messages about a meeting Christie had with another one of his Port Authority appointees, Bill Sampson, just one week before Kelly called for "traffic problems in Fort Lee", in documents submitted by Wildstein in response to a subpoena for all documents related to the bridge closure.
Why did Wildstein view discussion about a meeting between Christie and Samson a week before the lanes were ordered closed by Christie's Deputy Chief of Staff, to be related to the bridge closure? That point remains unexplained at this time, as does the content of the Christie/Sampson meeting.
During his attempts to downplay the shutdown last year at a December 2nd, 2013 press conference, Christie also alluded to conversations with Samson:
Samson is still at the Port Authority where, as Christie explained in his marathon 2-hour presser last Thursday, he still enjoys the Governor's confidence. "I'm confident that he had no knowledge of this," Christie said that day about Samson, "based upon our conversations and his review of this information." (Christie had also been confident of supposed assurances from other top members of his Administration, like Kelly, that they knew nothing about this affair, until the subpoenaed email and text messages came to light and proved otherwise.)
Here's Kornacki's theory about how the 16-acre development near the river's edge and adjacent to Fort Lee's GWB access lanes may be at the center of this still mysterious scandal...
In support of the theory, Maddow highlighted a late afternoon press conference given by a very angry Christie on August 12th, the night before Kelly's early morning email, concerning a NJ Supreme Court nominee being stalled by Senate Democrats led by Weinberg, who happens to represent part of Fort Lee.
For what it's worth, the Democratic NJ Senate President Assembly leader, as well as several others, have found reason to doubt Maddow's theory.
But, on Sunday, in another smart example of good investigative broadcast journalism on MSNBC's UP with Steve Kornacki, the host, a former New Jersey political reporter and, incidentally, former employee of David Wildstein (the Christie appointee at the NY/NJ Port Authority who ordered the actual shutdown at the agency, according to subpoenaed email and text messages) offered yet another plausible alternate explanation for the shutdown.
This one also sounds like yet another plot straight out of HBO's The Soprano's, as it relates to, in Kornacki's words, "something of enormous economic and political significance"...
"What could have motivated a Governor to care so much about the mayor of a medium size New Jersey town --- a town that's one of 566 municipalities in the state --- to single that mayor out for this kind of treatment?," Kornacki teased. "What exactly was at stake with these closures?"
Until now, the presumption has been that the actions of Christie's office (we don't yet know for certain whether he, himself, knew about the closures) was political payback for the rejected endorsement. But, as we also noted last week, many other Democratic mayors similarly refused to endorse Christie last year, and both Sokolich and Christie have credibly downplayed any particularly hardball effort to obtain that particular endorsement before the September closures.
So, if not the endorsement, and if not an act of retribution against state Sen. Weinberg, could there be something else?
Yes, as Kornacki details, a billion dollar commercial development on 16 acres of currently-vacant --- but incredibly valuable --- land, precisely adjacent to Fort Lee's now-storied GWB access lanes. The development project has been the source of various political machinations for at least four decades, including, as Kornacki explains, as part of an infamously-attempted bribe by members of the mafia back in the 1970s, of the then Mayor of Fort Lee.
With a new deal for development of that land now finally struck, and final approval of financing for it hanging in the balance on the very week the lanes were shut down by Christie's office last September, Kornacki's reporting could also make a lot of sense
As the MSNBC host and former New Jersey political journalist notes, this "billion dollar development" (as it was described by Mayor Sokolich in letters to the Port Authority during his frantic attempts to have the lanes re-opened during the September shutdown) has also been alluded to during this scandal both by Christie himself, when he was making light of the shutdown late last year, and by Wildstein, who included messages about a meeting Christie had with another one of his Port Authority appointees, Bill Sampson, just one week before Kelly called for "traffic problems in Fort Lee", in documents submitted by Wildstein in response to a subpoena for all documents related to the bridge closure.
Why did Wildstein view discussion about a meeting between Christie and Samson a week before the lanes were ordered closed by Christie's Deputy Chief of Staff, to be related to the bridge closure? That point remains unexplained at this time, as does the content of the Christie/Sampson meeting.
During his attempts to downplay the shutdown last year at a December 2nd, 2013 press conference, Christie also alluded to conversations with Samson:
The fact is, I didn't even know Fort Lee got three dedicated lanes until all this stuff happened. And I think we should review that entire policy, cause I don't know why Fort Lee needs three dedicates lanes, to tell you the truth. ... And I've told Chairman Samson this, that we should look at this. Cause I don't know why one town gets three lanes. One lane, maybe. Three lanes? For one town? I don't quite get it.
"I've told Chairman Samson this." Is that what he discussed with Samson, a former NJ Attorney General, when, as Wildstein's texts highlight, the Governor met with the Port Authority board member just one week before the lane closures were ordered?Samson is still at the Port Authority where, as Christie explained in his marathon 2-hour presser last Thursday, he still enjoys the Governor's confidence. "I'm confident that he had no knowledge of this," Christie said that day about Samson, "based upon our conversations and his review of this information." (Christie had also been confident of supposed assurances from other top members of his Administration, like Kelly, that they knew nothing about this affair, until the subpoenaed email and text messages came to light and proved otherwise.)
Here's Kornacki's theory about how the 16-acre development near the river's edge and adjacent to Fort Lee's GWB access lanes may be at the center of this still mysterious scandal...
After laying the theory out, Kornacki was then joined by New Jersey reporter Brian Murphy --- who is also a former employee of one-time Garden State political blogger David Wildstein --- to examine the viability of the "billion dollar development" in Fort Lee as having played a central role, somehow, in the bridge lane shutdown.
"If you wanted to try to muscle in, in some way, to get a piece of that, boy, this is one way to do that," says Murphy. "These are smart gentlemen. It's just hard for me to believe that people put themselves on the line for something like an endorsement."
"If you wanted to try to muscle in, in some way, to get a piece of that, boy, this is one way to do that," says Murphy. "These are smart gentlemen. It's just hard for me to believe that people put themselves on the line for something like an endorsement."
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