A Timeline of Governor Christie’s Unfolding Scandals

Wildstein says he has evidence that Christie knew “of the lane closures, during the period when the lanes were closed,
contrary to what the governor stated publicly in a two-hour press conference” on January 9.

Two Democratic congressmen from New Jersey call for U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan to review the cancellation of the Christie administration’s $68 million contract with Hammerman & Gainer Inc., the New Orleans-based company hired in May to manage the distribution of Sandy housing recovery funds. The state ended the three-year contract in December. It didn’t disclose the termination until Jan. 23. The cancellation “comes amid months of delays in the distribution of Sandy rebuilding funds,” Representatives Frank Pallone and Bill Pascrell Jr. said in a statement. They asked Donovan to appoint an official to monitor New Jersey’s use of Sandy funds.

Christie’s approval rating among New Jersey voters slides to its lowest point since May 2011, according to a survey by Fairleigh Dickinson University’s PublicMind institute. Forty-eight percent of respondents said they approved of the Republican’s job performance, wiping out the bounce he received in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. His approval rating stood at 62 percent in an October poll by the same group.

Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich, whose town is at the center of the traffic-jam controversy, attended President Barack Obama’s State of the Union speech in Washington as a guest of U.S. Representative Bill Pascrell, a New Jersey Democrat whose district includes Fort Lee.

The two state legislative committees investigating the bridge scandal merge into one. The Assembly and Senate approve measures formalizing the creation of the 12-member New Jersey Legislative Select Committee on Investigations.

Christie’s re-election campaign and the state Republican Committee received a U.S. subpoena seeking documents related to the lane closings, a lawyer said. The grand jury subpoena, issued Jan. 17, came in an investigation by U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman, according to lawyer Mark Sheridan, who represents the Christie for Governor campaign and the state GOP committee.

Christie and Guadagno sworn to second terms in Trenton.

A national poll by Quinnipiac University finds the traffic scandal taking a toll on Christie's 2016 presidential prospects. Christie trailed Democrat Hillary Clinton 46 percent to 38 percent in the survey. That compares with a Dec. 11 poll showing Christie at 42 percent and Clinton at 41 percent.

Guadagno calls Zimmer’s allegations “false” and “illogical.” Zimmer releases a statement saying she discussed the matter for two hours with representatives of U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman. Fishman’s office says it doesn’t confirm or deny such meetings.

Weinberg calls for a joint legislative committee to review the bridge matter, and the Assembly announces the formation of an investigatory committee, overseen by Wisniewski. The panel’s special counsel will be Reid Schar, the former assistant U.S. attorney who was the lead investigator and prosecutor in the corruption trials of Rod Blagojevich, the former Illinois governor, who was convicted and is serving a 14-year prison term.

Assembly Speaker-elect Vincent Prieto, a Democrat from Secaucus, schedules a special session, for Jan. 16, to consider legislation to reauthorize subpoena power. Wisniewski says he’s considering issuing subpoenas to Kelly and Drewniak.

The Record, a Woodland Park-based daily newspaper, publishes e-mails and text messages showing involvement by Christie’s staff, Port Authority appointees and a political adviser. Other media outlets also obtain the documents. Christie meets with Samson for two hours. Samson releases a statement saying “neither I nor anyone on the board had any direct knowledge of these lane closures” until the Sept. 13 e-mail from Foye.

Wisniewski subpoenas Wildstein to testify.

Baroni resigns.

Wisniewski issues seven more subpoenas. He seeks documents and communications from Foye; Baroni; Wildstein; Durando; as well as from Cedrick Fulton, the Port Authority’s director of tunnels, bridges and terminals; Paul Nunziato, president of the Port Authority’s police union; and Darcy Licorish, an authority police official.

Foye, responding to a subpoena to testify, appears before the Assembly transportation committee. The decision to restrict lanes, he says, was Wildstein’s, contrary to Port Authority procedure to coordinate such projects with local towns, media, state agencies and public-safety officials.

Wildstein resigns effective Jan. 1. Drewniak issues a press statement calling Wildstein “a tireless advocate” and thanking him “for his service to the people of New Jersey and the region.”

Wildstein e-mails Drewniak, thanking him for “all your sound advice last night.” Drewniak thanks Wildstein for “a great dinner.”

Christie, at a news conference in his Trenton office, announces his nomination of Chief of Staff Kevin O’Dowd to become attorney general, with duties including oversight of criminal investigations and prosecutions, the state police and homeland security. Kelly, who in April temporarily became a deputy chief of staff when Stepien left to join the Christie campaign, will remain in the role, he says. Addressing media reports about the Port Authority, Christie says it would be “incorrect” to call the agency “out of control.” Asked by a reporter whether he had anything to do with the traffic problems, he says: “I worked the cones, actually.” “Unbeknownst to everybody I was actually the guy out there. I was in overalls and a hat but I was actually the guy working the cones out there. You really are not serious with that question.” He adds: “Just because John Wisniewski is obsessed with this, and Loretta Weinberg, it just shows you they really have nothing to do if they’re obsessed with this. And by the way, 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 because I don’t know why Fort Lee needs three dedicated lanes, to tell you the truth, and I never knew it.”

Assemblyman John Wisniewski, a Democrat who is chairman of the Transportation Committee, subpoenas Foye to appear at a special hearing in Trenton. Drewniak responds to a Wildstein e-mail regarding questions from a Star-Ledger reporter: “F--k him and the S-L.” Steve Coleman, an authority spokesman, alerts staff to multiple questions from reporters and writes: “I’m not returning the calls unless told to do so.” New Jersey Senator Richard J. Codey, a Democrat, writes to Robert E. Van Etten, the Port Authority’s inspector general, and asks for an investigation. “It is disconcerting that the executive director of the Port Authority did not even know these closures were going to take place, which only adds more fuel to the fire that nefarious reasons were behind these closures,” Codey writes.

Baroni tells a special hearing of the New Jersey Assembly Transportation Committee that the closures were due to a traffic study.

The Wall Street Journal reports on Sokolich’s Sept. 12 letter to Baroni, and a reporter for The Star-Ledger of Newark solicits comment from Wildstein, who forwards the e-mail to Drewniak. “He is copying the WSJ story and making it his own – another ethical breach” by the reporter and his newspaper.

Foye tells reporters that the Port Authority is conducting an internal review.

Kelly, in an e-mail to Wildstein, refers to a media report on Foye’s displeasure: “Foye is a bad guy.”

Wildstein e-mails Stepien, apologizing for “causing you so much stress this close to November.” It is 33 days until voters will decide whether to re-elect Christie. Wildstein says “we need to address leaks from Foye, and his messing with us five weeks before election.”

The Wall Street Journal prints details of Foye’s Sept. 13 e-mail expressing his outrage to authority staff.

Loretta Weinberg, a Democrat from Teaneck who is New Jersey Senate majority leader, sends a letter to Pat Schuber, a Port Authority commissioner from New Jersey, and copies Christie, Sokolich and Samson. “I am at a loss for words regarding the Port Authority’s sudden change in the traffic-flow pattern,” Weinberg writes. The jams were significant for Bergen County, she writes, and the change was “made with no public comment.”

Samson, in an e-mail to Scott Rechler, chief executive officer and chairman of RXR Realty LLC and vice-chairman of the Port Authority board of commissioners, says he believes Foye was responsible for media leaks. As in the past, Samson writes, Foye “distances himself from an issue in the press and rides in on a white horse to save the day.” This time, Foye is “playing in traffic” and “made a big mistake.” Wildstein e-mails Bill Stepien, a former Christie campaign manager, a news article on the jams, and Stepien replies: “The mayor is an idiot.“ Wildstein, referring to Sokolich, writes: “It will be a tough November for this little Serbian.”

Sokolich texts to Baroni: “We should talk. Someone needs to tell me that the recent traffic debacle was not punitive in nature. The last four reporters that contacted me suggest that the people they are speaking with absolutely believe it to be punishment. Try as I may to dispel these rumors, I am having a tough time. A private face-to-face would be important to me. Perhaps someone can enlighten me as to the errors of my ways. Let me know if you’ll give me 10 minutes.” Michael Drewniak, a spokesman for Christie, refers reporter inquiries about the matter to the Port Authority, “an independent agency.”

On the fourth day, Sokolich, in a letter to Baroni marked “Personal,” complains about “complete gridlock.” He asks that the traffic decision “be reversed quietly, uneventfully and without political fanfare.” He adds: “Having received absolutely no notice of this decision, not having obtained any response to our multiple inquiries concerning same, and try as we may to understand its rationale without the benefit of a response from the Port Authority, we are reaching the conclusion that there are punitive overtones associated with this initiative.” Wildstein e-mails Kelly a statement: “The Port Authority is reviewing traffic-safety patterns at the George Washington Bridge to ensure proper placement of toll lanes.” the Port Authority’s police department “has been in contact with Fort Lee police throughout this transition.”

Lane closures begin. Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich contacts the office of Bill Baroni, appointed by Christie as deputy executive director of the Port Authority, regarding an “urgent matter of public safety.” Baroni forwards to Wildstein, who forwards to Kelly. Kelly writes to Wildstein: “Did he call him back?” Wildstein, who watched the traffic build-up from Port Authority offices in Fort Lee, replies: “Radio silence.” E-mails among Port Authority staff recount calls from irate bridge patrons. “Fort Lee is not happy,” writes Robert Durando, general manager of the bridge.

“Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee,” Bridget Anne Kelly, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s then deputy chief of staff for legislative and intergovernmental affairs writes to David Wildstein, a Christie appointee to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the George Washington Bridge. Wildstein responds: “Got it.”