Bridgegate and NSA Reforms both about abuses of power

Friday, January 10, 2014

Bridgegate and NSA Reforms both about abuses of power

Glenn Greenwald "I Would Say To Democrats Imagine If The NSA Was In The Hands Of Chris Christie"

Published on Jan 10, 2014

January 10, 2014 MSNBC News

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New documents reveal ‘Bridgegate’ PA appointees ignored danger warnings

Bill Baroni and David Wildstein — despite email warning that traffic problems could threaten lives — continued with punitive Washington Bridge scheme. Now documents reveal that Baroni reached out to another Christie appointee: PA Chairman David Samson. Samson issued a statement earlier this week denying knowledge of the shutdown.

By Pete Donohue , Rich Schapiro AND Larry Mcshane / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Published: Friday, January 10, 2014, 3:21 PM

Updated: Friday, January 10, 2014, 7:49 PM

Mel Evans/AP

Top aides to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie ignored warnings of potentially life-threatening traffic problems such as this email: “Wanted you both have a heads-up — Peggy Thomas, Borough Administrator, called me regarding the increased volume and congestion,” warned PA employee Tino Lado, “She mentioned there were two incidents that Ft Lee PD and ems had difficulty responding to: a missing child (later found) and a cardiac arrest ... If there is anything you need me to do, let me know.”

Gov. Chris Christie’s top two Port Authority appointees continued the George Washington Bridge gridlock for three days after learning the traffic jams were life-threatening.
A Sept. 9 e-mail to Bill Baroni and David Wildstein laid out the emergency response problems for police and ambulances in Fort Lee, N.J., after the punitive rush-hour lane closings.
“Wanted you both have a heads-up — Peggy Thomas, Borough Administrator, called me regarding the increased volume and congestion,” wrote PA employee Tina Lado.
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“She mentioned there were two incidents that Ft Lee PD and EMS had difficulty responding to: a missing child (later found) and a cardiac arrest ... If there is anything you need me to do, let me know.”
The lanes instead remained closed for three more days in the “Bridgegate” scandal that led to the resignations last month of Baroni and Wildstein.
A 91-year-old Fort Lee woman died on Sept. 9, and local officials said it took twice the usual time for first responders to reach her home.

Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie spoke about his knowledge of a traffic study that snarled traffic at the George Washington Bridge during a news conference on January 9, 2014.

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The punitive closings were apparent payback for the refusal of Fort Lee’s mayor to endorse Christie’s 2013 re-election bid.
The email was included Friday in a massive document dump by New Jersey state legislators investigating the Sept. 9-12 lanes closings that paralyzed traffic in and around the west side of the bridge.
PA Executive Director Patrick Foye said in a fiery email that “this hasty and ill-advised decision violates Federal Law and the laws of both states ... I pray that no life has been lost.”
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Foye’s page-long Sept. 13 rant detailed how “appalled” he was by word of the massive tie-ups.
“I will get to the bottom of this abusive decision which violates everything this agency stands for,” Foye continued. “I intend to learn how PA process was wrongfully subverted and the public interest damaged, to say nothing of the credibility of this agency.”