Bridge firestorm could have bigger impact on Christie

(CNN) -- A political scandal that has rocked New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's administration could mean bigger trouble as the Republican seeks a brighter national spotlight amid speculation he'll run for President and polls anointing him the early front-runner for his party's nomination if he jumps into the race.

Political commentators from both sides of the aisle immediately recognized the potential for credibility questions, particularly around Christie's explanations in recent months about what occurred in the town of Fort Lee and previous comments rejecting suggestions of political mischief.

"He's already cemented a narrative as something of a bully," said S.E. Cupp, a Republican political strategist and CNN "Crossfire" host. "If this was happening in his administration, I don't think it would shocking."

But she said if it "turns out he's lying about what he knew or whether he ordered it -- that's going to be the worst, the most damaging. Because his authenticity is his calling card."

E-mails surfaced on Wednesday between top Christie appointees over lane closures around approaches to the George Washington Bridge -- the nation's busiest and spanning the Hudson River -- that tied up traffic in Fort Lee for several days last September.


The correspondence, subpoenaed by Democrats investigating the matter and spiced with tough Jersey political talk and expletives, is the most damaging evidence so far supporting their assertions the move was orchestrated because Fort Lee's mayor, a Democrat, didn't endorse Christie's re-election.

Mayor Mark Sokolich said the traffic mess created serious hardships for commuters and other residents, and impacted public safety in his community.

Christie said in a statement on Wednesday in response to the e-mail firestorm that he was misled by staff over the reasons for the lane closures. He called the conduct outrageous, said he knew nothing about it.

"This behavior is not representative of me or my administration in any way, and people will be held responsible for their actions," he said.

His administration previously blamed the problem on a mishandled traffic study.

'Time for some traffic problems'

The exchanges began three weeks before access lanes to the bridge were closed, causing heavy traffic backups between September 9-13, two months before Election Day.

"Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee," Bridget Anne Kelly, Christie's deputy chief of staff for legislative and intergovernmental affairs, said in an e-mail to David Wildstein, then the highest-level appointee representing the state at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the bridge.
"Got it," Wildstein replied.

Those cited in the series of e-mails and text messages did not respond to requests for comment or to verify the communications.

Wildstein, who has left his job, is expected to appear at a legislative hearing on Thursday.

Democratic New Jersey Assembly Deputy Speaker John Wisniewski said the e-mails call into question the integrity of the governor's office.

Christie, he said, "has a lot of explaining to do."

"I do not believe the governor called the Port Authority and said, 'Close some lanes.' But I did say I hold him responsible for the atmosphere. Now finding that that atmosphere existed in his own office is what I find really troubling," Wisniewski said.

Christie's name did not appear in the e-mails, he added.

Emergency services disrupted

Sokolich told CNN's "The Situation Room" the e-mails suggested that political motives behind the lane closures has led him to believe that Christie is more clued in than he's admitted.

"I'm rooting that the highest elected official in the state of New Jersey isn't involved. But I'm beginning to question my judgment," Sokolich said.

The mayor raised the issue of public safety being compromised. A letter by his emergency services coordinator, Paul Favia, on September 10 obtained by CNN cited "new traffic patterns" around the bridge's toll plaza that was backing up traffic in Fort Lee.

"This new traffic pattern is causing unnecessary delays for emergency services to arrive on scene for medical emergencies," Favia said, citing one case in which paramedics rushing to aid an unconscious elderly woman suffering a heart attack were held up and had to meet the ambulance transporting the victim at the hospital instead of at the scene. She later died.

Mistakes made

Christie acknowledged that mistakes were made, but previously forcefully denied the lane closures were politically motivated.

He said at a news conference last month that he could only repeat what another appointee, Port Authority Deputy Executive Director Bill Baroni, had said publicly blaming the lane closures and resulting congestion on the transportation analysis.

"Which is, they believed the traffic study was necessary and that they ordered it, but the way they did it was mistaken and they didn't follow protocols," Christie said at the time.

Baroni has left his post as did Wildstein.

Mayoral appeals

In response to a phone message from Sokolich regarding an "urgent matter of public safety in Fort Lee" on the first day of the lane closures, Kelly asked Wildstein in an e-mail if the Mayor's call had been returned.

Wildstein wrote to Kelly: "Radio silence. His name comes right after mayor Fulop."

Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, a Democrat who also didn't endorse Christie, raised his own suspicions about his cooled relationship with the administration and a suddenly tabled bill he was sponsoring in Trenton.

On the second morning of the closures, Sokolich apparently sent a text to Baroni: "Presently we have four very busy traffic lanes merging into only one toll booth. ... The bigger problem is getting kids to school. Help please. It's maddening."

Seeing that text, a person whose name has been redacted from the e-mails and text messages writes to Wildstein: "Is it wrong that I am smiling?"
"No," Wildstein responds.
"I feel badly about the kids," the unknown person writes.
"They are the children of Buono voters," responds Wildstein.
Barbara Buono was Christie's Democratic opponent in the election last November.

On September 13, Wildstein wrote to Kelly that New York authorities gave "Fort Lee back all three lanes this morning. We are appropriately going nuts. Samson helping us to retaliate."

David Samson chairs the Port Authority's Board of Commissioners and is a close Christie ally.

Sokolich reached out to Wildstein on September 17 seeking an explanation.

"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. Regards, Mark," Sokolich wrote.

Other documents raise questions, too

Wildstein sent the texts to Baroni.
"Have not heard back from Bridget," Wildstein noted.
"F**k," Baroni wrote back.

On September 18, Wildstein e-mailed Bill Stepien, Christie's campaign manager, and forwarded him a story from the Wall Street Journal titled "Bridge Jam's Cause a Mystery."
"I have empty boxes ready to take to work today, just in case," Wildstein wrote, an apparent reference to being fired. "It will be a tough November for this little Serbian," an apparent reference to Mayor Sokolich.

On October 3, Baroni asks Wildstein what the "Trenton feedback" is. Trenton is the capital of New Jersey and where Christie's headquarters are.
"Good," Wildstein wrote.
"Just good?" Baroni wrote. "S**t."
"No I have only texted brudget (sic) and Nicole they were VERY happy," Wildstein responded. "Both said you are doing great. Charlie said you did GREAT."

Christie is now campaigning for fellow GOP governors as chairman of the Republican Governors Association, and is seen as prime political target for national Democrats.

They rarely attacked him during his re-election campaign but are now becoming more aggressive with the bridge controversy unfolding.

"These revelations are troubling for any public official, but they also indicate what we've come to expect from Governor Christie - when people oppose him, he exacts retribution. When people question him, he belittles and snidely jokes. And when anyone dares to look into his administration, he bullies and attacks," said Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the Democratic National Committee chair, in a statement.

A source close to Christie said "there will probably be some sacrificial firing and that'll be it."


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