Fort Lee Mayor Refuses To Be Interviewed By Christie’s Lawyers

Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich addresses a news conference at Fort Lee, N.J., City Hall, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2014. Sokolich called it "appalling" that the traffic jams appear to have been deliberately created at the Geor... Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich addresses a news conference at Fort Lee, N.J., City Hall, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2014. Sokolich called it "appalling" that the traffic jams appear to have been deliberately created at the George Washington Bridge for three days in September 2013. Chris Christie, in an attempt to avoid damage from a scandal that could undermine his presidential prospects, said Thursday he has fired a top aide who apparently created traffic jams as part of a political vendetta. Christie denied any knowledge of the scheme. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

The New Jersey mayor at the center of the George Washington Bridge lane closing scandal won’t cooperate with lawyers representing Gov. Chris Christie’s (R) office, The Newark Star-Ledger reported on Monday.

In a letter sent Monday to the defense attorney leading the Christie administration’s legal team, an attorney for Fort Lee, N.J. Mayor Mark Sokolich declined to have his client sit for an interview or voluntarily turn over documents related to the lane closures. Some democrats in New Jersey have for months suggested that the lane closures were retaliation against Sokolich, a Democrat who declined to endorse Christie’s re-election last year.

“While the mayor has gone out of his way to be fair to all parties in this matter, he wants to make sure that he respects the legal proceedings that are ongoing,” Sokolich’s attorney, Tim Donohue, wrote in his letter, according to the Star-Ledger. “In light of the parallel investigations being conducted at the same time regarding the same subject matter, I do not believe it would be appropriate for the mayor to be interviewed by you or to produce any documents.”

Christie’s office hired attorney Randy Mastro to help produce documents for the multiple investigations into the lane closures, but also to help with an independent internal review of the incident. Sokolich’s decision not to be interviewed by Mastro or his team follows a similar move by Hoboken, N.J. Mayor Dawn Zimmer.

Latest Livewire
Comments
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: