Someone may finally have uncovered an explanation for this very “bridge & tunnel” scandal that could actually make sense.
The claim that Gov. Christie’s aides arranged a traffic jam to bully a recalcitrant small-time mayor always sounded too petty to be credible. The stunt would have been a dumb idea politically, but it may have been a brilliant piece of payback for a well-connected real estate developed in need of some help.
Reporter Steve Kornacki is claiming that the traffic jam may have been engineered to provide a boost to the developers of a nearby property who were struggling to obtain financing. From New York Magazine:
The project is question is the redevelopment of 16-acre piece of Fort Lee land located at the foot of the George Washington Bridge. Sokolich divided the space, which sat vacant for years, into two parts: The eastern portion is now occupied by two new residential towers that should be finished later this year. The western half is to serve as the site of Hudson Lights, a $218 million mix of residential, commercial, and parking space that, as Kornacki notes, used its proximity to the George Washington Bridge access lanes as a major selling point to potential investors and tenants. Groundbreaking on Hudson Lights was delayed this summer because of financing issues. However, the project’s developers announced that they had finally secured financing on September 16 — three days after New York Port Authority official Pat Foye put a stop to the access lane closures by questioning their legality in an e-mail to his New Jersey counterparts.
This line is a bit more interesting. It might explain why Christie appeared so clueless about the whole thing, and hint at the real reason he so promptly fired the aides involved when he finally took a close look.
Always follow the money.
Chris Ladd is a Texan living in the Chicago area. He has been involved in grassroots Republican politics for most of his life. He was a Republican precinct committeeman in suburban Chicago until he resigned from the party and his position after the 2016 Republican Convention. He can be reached at gopliferchicago at gmail dot com.
GOPLifer 
GG wrote: Where’s Woodward and Bernstein when we need them?
——————————————-
I’m not sure if Woodward and Bernstein would want to cover a traffic jam in Jersey (an everyday occurrence), but Woodward certainly thought Benghazi was serious enough to weigh in on the matter. Here’s what he said in an interview on MSNBC:
“And I have to go back 40 years to Watergate when Nixon put out his edited transcripts to the conversations, and he personally went through them and said, ‘Oh, let’s not tell this, let’s not show this.’ I would not dismiss Benghazi. It’s a very serious issue.”
http://www.ijreview.com/2013/05/53054-woodward-warns-dont-dismiss-benghazi-similar-to-watergate/
I wasn’t actually serious about the Woodward and Bernstein comment you know. Lighten up.
Sorry, GG, I couldn’t resist! Woodward was one of the few liberal journalists who came out strongly for condemning the handling of Benghazi. Lying and trying to cover up details by an administration should always be thoroughly investigated. (The same goes for Christie.) According to the newest information, Obama and the state department knew that the attack on the consulate was terrorism even while it was happening. They chose to mislead the American people. You be the judge.
My theory is its a NE press corps taking down a GOP candidate. Too bad Christie’s base is NE repubs that nobody cares about. If Christie actually gave the order to close the lanes it still pales in comparison to four dead Americans in Benghazi, Fast & Furious, IRS targeting and so many other issues.
Its political theater and nothing more. That the target is Christie is amusing to me. Heck it may even damage his chances to team with Clinton on the dem ticket.
Your “theory”?
What part of the traffic jams was “theoretical”?
What part of sentence structure don’t you understand? The scandal is the subject. Like Benghazi and all the rest (drink up baby!), that is not a scandal to you guys because the press doesn’t report it.
Man if stupid is painful you should be in traction.
We’re seeing here a case study in the GOP’s dilemma. The party’s most prominent voices are those of the belligerent, fearful conservatives for whom reality is a construct and facts are flexible, subject to narrative. This isn’t political participation. This is just rabid defense of personal self-esteem.
We’re seeing here a case study in the nation’s dilemma. The democrat party has so corrupted media, education and entertainment that lies pass for truth now. The masses are voting themselves the treasury as happens in all failing nations. This isn’t conjecture, it is well documented predictions proven by observable amoral human behavior. It is temporarily embellished with the well worn tactic of running in packs that provides the desperate some sense of optimism. See Greece and riots for example.
Benghazi! Drink!
I’d join you in your game Texan but I’m still at work. It sounds fun.
I would say that “Benghazi, Fast & Furious, IRS targeting ” pales in comparison with a false war that has killed 4,400 Americans and half-million Iraqis not to mention 13 Benghazis under Bush.
Your false outrage is getting old.
You are easily amused DanMan.
I have my own theory. Christie is a blustering, bullying, petty, vindictive, lying, feminine hygiene product. Other than that he’s a nice guy.
Chris, I’m not sure why you find the pettiness factor lacking credibility.
Have you ever driven in the east?
Bob – I agree. Why should this not be plain old fashion pettiness? There are many acts that are done for pure spite. I have heard of other reasons besides this one and the “pettiness” factor seems the most relevant. Is it smart but it is definitely withing human nature.
Like blocking 90 year old vets from attending their monuments, that are open 24/7 except when your pitiful precedent declares them off limits to score points with you folks.
DanMan, really. You’re reaching.
It was your man Cruz who shut down the monuments you dolt. Dan the Richard is a Vampire, he has no reflection. What is your problem? Do you not know what an idiot you sound like in your postings? Most of us here can prove how wrong you are, but alas it is not worth the time, you will not allow the truth to cloud your perceived reality.
rucas posse rides their hobby horses into the sunset as they congratulate themselves once again…and the townfolk laughed at them as usual.
Hey, are y’all keeping up with the rewrite of Fast & Furious that is coming out? You’ve argued nothing happened while yer golden boy is getting the word out Bush did it. Not unlike the rewrite we are seeing with Benghazi. It was a video for two weeks until that was exposed and now its nom-al-Qeada ex-Gitmo fuzzy bears. Aww
I could almost buy this as another theory of the “crime” if it came from someone other than Steve Kornacki, who has repeatedly acknowledged his close personal and professional ties to Wiederman. While it may be all too true I think it will be awhile before we know what really happened and why and who was involved.
* that would be Wildstien not Wiederman. My bad.
Christie was actually one of the few Republicans left who didn’t come across as batshit crazy to me. I really hope he isn’t involved in anything dirty but as Sassy said it will awhile before we know what truly happened. Where’s Woodward and Bernstein when we need them?
I’m missing something here. A traffic jam HELPS developers get funding? Sounds ass-backwards to me. Someone please explain a bit more.
I agree that doing it as payback bullying is extremely stupid and petty, but I can see the chain of “reasoning” with that one.
There wasn’t a word on those incriminating Tweets about dark ulterior motives. Since when is political vindictiveness “too petty to be credible”? The time-dishonored term from the Segretti era is “ratfucking.” The practice has a long, grimy history, and so far this suggests just one more episode.