A Port Authority of New York and New Jersey commissioner resigned Monday following news of a second criminal investigation into the agency’s ties to Gov. Chris Christie, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Anthony Sartor, a New Jersey appointee, has been chair of the agency’s subcommittee on World Trade Center redevelopment, and he submitted his resignation just a few days after the news that Manhattan’s district attorney had opened an investigation into the agency’s work rebuilding the World Trade Center, according to the Journal.
A number of Port Authority officials have resigned in recent months as separate investigations into the George Washington Bridge lane closures have intensified. Most recently, David Samson, a close ally of Gov. Chris Christie (R), announced his resignation as chairman of the agency.
And Christie thought his so-called investigative report was going to let him put it all behind him. The truth is that it’s just getting started. And it ain’t over 'til the fat man gets the perp walk.
Or perp waddle, as the case may be.
It’s sure looking that way! I would say that at this point without total exoneration from a third party, Christie isn’t even likely to run for president. Sure, he can try the old “Obama and Holder are using the DOJ to target me just like they used the IRS to target others” but even that’s a hard sell. I mean, even Republicans would have a tough time swallowing the idea that the president would go after the same guy who’s embrace single-handedly got him reelected (according to Republicans).
I visited Ground Zero when I attended a conference in early 2002 and I was amazed by the changes when I visited again in '05. I’d done work for Global Crossing down there in 2000 and now the whole area had changed. It was hive of construction activity and I couldn’t help feeling that the tragedy had been very very good for business. You could almost smell the money.
When Brian Murphy posted his article on the intersection between politics and construction projects, I knew they’d find corruption in the Port Authority on both sides of the Hudson if they ever opened that can of worms and I assumed that’s why Cuomo was keeping a low profile in the BridgeGate scandal.
Then last week I saw this article.
U.S. Attorney Criticizes Cuomo’s Closing of Panel
It would be an especially hard sell for Christie, who did exactly that when he was US Attorney. Sauce for the goose …
But the impetus for this didn’t come from Washington – it came from news reporters in New Jersey, and subsequently from the New Jersey legislature. And ultimately, from the mayor of Hoboken.