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Saturday, January 11, 2014

Bridgegate: Immunity for Kelly would put pressure on Christie, others


Bridget Kelly and Gov. Christie at Seaside Heights in 2012.

No one -- least of all Plainfielders who keep an eye on Trenton goings-on -- believes we are anywhere near getting to the bottom of 'Bridgegate', the fiasco over the punitive closure of three of Ft. Lee's approach lanes to the world's busiest bridge this past September.

Now that the U.S. Attorney is looking into the matter, there appear to be two opportunities to pry more information out of those involved.

The attorney for former Port Authority David Wildstein, Gov. Christie's high school buddy, offered at the end of Wildstein's non-testimony at an Assembly committee hearing on Thursday that his client would be willing to talk if he were offered state and federal immunity.

Bridget Anne Kelly, Christie's deputy chief of staff whom he announced on Thursday he had fired 'for lying to me' has not -- as far as the public knows -- asked for immunity. But things may change once the U.S. Attorney gets into full swing.

State Senator Loretta Weinberg says Kelly always behaved professionally in their dealings, but the Sierra Club's Jeff Tittel said he  cannot believe that Kelly would have acted on her own in the matter.

Kelly is hardly an ingenue and has moved steadily up in the Christie team, moving from being the point person for legislative contacts to one of two deputy chiefs of staff Christie's front office.

A tough-minded prosecutor may well decide that a working mom with four kids in school is better place to start than with the more highly-placed Wildstein.

If Kelly knows more details about who was involved and when, getting her cooperation may put Wildstein -- and by extension others including David Samson and even Gov. Christie himself -- in a trick bag.

Sen. Ray Lesniak thinks Christie's presidential bid is already over. But if Kelly and Wildstein can be co-opted, it would be a further stake in the heart.

But what do Plainfielders know of political intrigue?




-- Dan Damon [follow]


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3 comments:

Anonymous said...

For years Plainfield has had GREEN GATE... GREEN GATE has been causing problems BOTH IN FRONT AND BEHIND THE SCENE for years. Costing the tax payers big time! Plainfielders have to hope that Mapp can break free of Green Gate and keep Plainfield Green FREE

Anonymous said...

Hey RAY people in glass houses should not throw stones. Your demise is coming. Just look at the FBI probe in your county. Better get ready for the handcuffs and some prison time that you just might enjoy.

Anonymous said...

Sit back and watch the Dictator of Jersey being overthrown.