# Did Christie (or his staff) intentionally cause the Fort Lee traffic jam? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 9, 2014, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351 "2014-01-09T13:34:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 39
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/761 "2014-02-28T17:52:57Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Is there evidence that Christie hires people, as his senior staff, willing and capable of pulling this shit, bullying people in his name and laughing about it? And that he has to have it shoved in his face before he’ll do anything in response? Would you agree to that much, at least? Yeah, is he a plotter–or just an incompetent who hires people who plot behind his back? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/762 "2014-02-28T17:54:45Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > I thought it would be helpful to new participants, or confused old participants, to identify Wildstein as a Port Authority employee. Is there any reason to think anyone is confused about that? No, friend, the point is that Wildstein is one of Christie’s guys. Avoid that all you like, but it won’t work. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/763 "2014-02-28T18:07:19Z")
> [@Oldeb](#): > > That wasn’t what I was commenting on. I thought I made that clear when I quoted what I was responding to, but just in case you missed it the first time here’s what you said: > > You’re comparing it to your local government and what would be the appropriate channels. You certainly seemed surprised that Mayor Sokolich involved the governor’s office in what you feel was a dispute between Sokolich and the the Port Authority. And I agree it wouldn’t make sense for most mayors, including mine, to call the governor about a traffic jam. But the GWB isn’t a normal situation. Given the volume of traffic it sees it’s not even remotely surprising that Sokolich wanted Governor Christie’s support for anything involving the bridge or the Port Authority. > > If you want me to say that it’s possible for Christie to be cleared by any or all of the ongoing investigations, sure, it’s possible. The people he surrounds himself with and appointed to high level positions may have lied to and manipulated him. Personally, Christie seems too intelligent and too egotistical for that, but maybe he isn’t. Rick Perry as a figurehead governor, yes, but not Christie. Still if that’s the case then Christie seems to be such a terrible judge of character that it borders on gross incompetence. But completely 100% innocent. I’m disappointed that Mayor Sokolich did such a lousy job of trying to alleviate the traffic jam in Ft Lee. If it wasn’t for Port Authority Foye, who knows how long the traffic jam would have continued. One week, two weeks? I expect Sokolich to do whatever it takes to fix the traffic jam. Beating on heads at the Port Authority like they were Chinese gongs should have been Sokolich’s full time job. Get to the right person and get the problem fixed. Sokolich couldn’t get Baroni/Wildstein to return his calls? Boo Hoo. The Port Authority created the mess and the Port Authority cleared it up. ---
**Author:** ![MacCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maccat/32/216_2.png) [@MacCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacCat)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/764 "2014-02-28T18:09:52Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > I thought it would be helpful to new participants, or confused old participants, to identify Wildstein as a Port Authority employee. From [CNN](http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/16/politics/christie-wildstein-port-authority/) \*Give him a position at the top of the agency; he’s a good friend of the governor. That’s how David Wildstein was introduced to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in 2010, according to a former employee with extensive knowledge of the agency’s hiring practices. Soon after, Wildstein was named the director of Interstate Capital Projects, a title that previously had not existed at the bi-state agency, setting in motion a career that would eventually place the former political blogger at the center of the lane closures controversy at the George Washington Bridge.\* _A former Port Authority employee told CNN that agency officials were told in 2010 they had to find a place for WIldstein at the executive level and the directive was coming from Christie’s office. Soon after, the position was created specifically for WIldstein. When Wildstein started, Deputy Executive Director Bill Baroni, Christie’s top appointee at the agency, introduced him to people as a good friend of the governor._ and The Newark Star Ledger reported in February 2012 that critics accused Christie of turning the Port Authority into a patronage mill. Citing a document titled “NY/NJ Executive Referrals” the newspaper showed there were 35 new Port Authority hires directed by Christie during his first year in office. That’s more than the last four governors combined, according to the paper. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/765 "2014-02-28T19:05:23Z")
> [@MacCat](#): > > …The Newark Star Ledger reported in February 2012 that critics accused Christie of turning the Port Authority into a patronage mill. Citing a document titled “NY/NJ Executive Referrals” the newspaper showed there were 35 new Port Authority hires directed by Christie during his first year in office. That’s more than the last four governors combined, according to the paper. 35 new hires in the Port Authority! That’s a lot. It’s just my curiosity but how many of them are involved in the Great Lane Reassignment? More than two? How many new hires came about thru New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s recommendation? Has every Christie “appointee” turned out to be scoundrel? ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/766 "2014-02-28T19:09:52Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Is there any reason to think anyone is confused about that? No, friend, the point is that Wildstein is one of Christie’s guys. Avoid that all you like, but it won’t work. I don’t complain about the oft-cited Christie appointee Wildstein being included in “news” articles too numerous for me to count. Why should anyone object to my description as Port Authority Wildstein? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/767 "2014-02-28T19:23:02Z")
Scratching our heads in confusion and wondering what da fuq you were trying to say is not objecting so much as bewilderment. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/768 "2014-02-28T19:40:36Z")
> [@MacCat](#): > > Did you miss this? > Italicizing evidence and credible would be more effective and accurate than scare quoting. > Please cite that scenario is “_the most often cited_” > There is evidence they _joked_ about the Rabbi traffic jam _after_ the _Time For Some Traffic Problems In Fort Lee_ email. A) (I notice that quote identified Wildstein as “Port Authority official David Wildstein” instead of as Christie appointee Wildstein. Kind of refreshing, ain’t it.) What is Sokolich’s reason for not pursuing an actual solution to the Ft Lee - until it was solved? He seems to have given up because the other boys wouldn’t return his call. So sad. B) Thank you for the tip. C) I humbly concede the “most” part. I change it to “the often cited”. I’ve read it so many times that it seemed like it must be the most often cited. D) Ok, they joked. They had discussed creating a traffic jam on rabbi’s street but only in jest. They must have been discussing the traffic jam in Ft Lee in jest also. Or not. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/769 "2014-02-28T19:42:04Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Why should anyone object to my description as Port Authority Wildstein? Because A. You assume there’s confusion on the point where there is no evidence of it, and B. Because, as a wise man once said, “I believe there has been more than enough Misinformation, Subterfuge, Nonsense, Bullshit, Confusion, as well as misdirection, mistakes, unsubstantiated rumors associated with this incident”, so there’s no need for more, hmm? ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/770 "2014-02-28T19:46:57Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Scratching our heads in confusion and wondering what da fuq you were trying to say is not objecting so much as bewilderment. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to at least attempt to clear up any bewilderment. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/771 "2014-02-28T20:09:24Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Because A. You assume there’s confusion on the point where there is no evidence of it, and B. Because, as a wise man once said, “I believe there has been more than enough Misinformation, Subterfuge, Nonsense, Bullshit, Confusion, as well as misdirection, mistakes, unsubstantiated rumors associated with this incident”, so there’s no need for more, hmm? There is no evidence that Christie was involved in the Great Lane Reassignment, either. Some people prefer the assumption over the facts. Facts that might prove embareassing to those assumptions later on. You missed the best part. Misinformation, Subterfuge, Nonsense, Bullshit, Confusion… ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/772 "2014-02-28T21:35:26Z")
You’re not even trying anymore, are you? The fact is not in dispute that Wildstein was a PA employee. The fact is also not in dispute that he was/is Christie’s guy. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/773 "2014-02-28T21:50:30Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > There is no evidence that Christie was involved in the Great Lane Reassignment, either. I’m late to the party and trying to figure out terms: are you referring to the bridge scandal that Christie ordered? ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/774 "2014-02-28T23:58:34Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > I’m disappointed that Mayor Sokolich did such a lousy job of trying to alleviate the traffic jam in Ft Lee. If it wasn’t for Port Authority Foye, who knows how long the traffic jam would have continued. One week, two weeks? > > I expect Sokolich to do whatever it takes to fix the traffic jam. Beating on heads at the Port Authority like they were Chinese gongs should have been Sokolich’s full time job. Get to the right person and get the problem fixed. Sokolich couldn’t get Baroni/Wildstein to return his calls? Boo Hoo. The Port Authority created the mess and the Port Authority cleared it up. What authority does the mayor of Fort Lee have over the George Washington Bridge and the interstates feeding into it? ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2014, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/775 "2014-03-01T01:59:53Z")
> [@j666](#): > > What authority does the mayor of Fort Lee have over the George Washington Bridge and the interstates feeding into it? None that I’m aware of. I would expect the mayor of my city to keep fighting for us. Sokolich gave up because a couple of Port Authority employees wouldn’t return his call. _Oh my, what am I going to do? Nobody told me this job was going to be so gosh darn difficult._ In my opinion, Sokolich is a quitter. The voters gave him the ball and Sokolich dropped it. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2014, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/776 "2014-03-01T02:02:17Z")
> [@RaftPeople](#): > > I’m late to the party and trying to figure out terms: are you referring to the bridge scandal that Christie ordered? I’m unaware of any bridge scandal that Christie ordered. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2014, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/777 "2014-03-01T02:14:41Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > You’re not even trying anymore, are you? The fact is not in dispute that Wildstein was a PA employee. The fact is also not in dispute that he was/is Christie’s guy. I’m waiting for someone to provide proof that Christie was actually involved in the Great NJ Lane Reassignment. Until then, we can spend the time pleasantly discussing product branding. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2014, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/778 "2014-03-01T02:15:30Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > I’m unaware of any bridge scandal that Christie ordered. Darn tootin’! He did not order a scandal. He ordered the lanes from Fort Lee to the GWB cut down from three lanes to one. Order a scandal? No sir! ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2014, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/779 "2014-03-01T02:29:56Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Darn tootin’! He did not order a scandal. He ordered the lanes from Fort Lee to the GWB cut down from three lanes to one. Order a scandal? No sir! FINALLY, someone who can provide proof that Christie actually ordered the three lanes reduced to one. But you forgot to include that proof in your post? _Well? We’re waiting!_ - Judge Smails (Caddyshack) ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2014, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/780 "2014-03-01T02:36:44Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > None that I’m aware of. I would expect the mayor of my city to keep fighting for us. Sokolich gave up because a couple of Port Authority employees wouldn’t return his call. _Oh my, what am I going to do? Nobody told me this job was going to be so gosh darn difficult._ In my opinion, Sokolich is a quitter. The voters gave him the ball and Sokolich dropped it. Okay, I did not find the complete history of Sokolich’s attempts to get the lanes re-opened to Fort Lee traffic. I’ve seen the issue touched on, but not a thorough review of Sokolich actions. Where is that? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351.md?page=38) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351.md?page=40)