Now that people in New Jersey have had a chance to look up the phrase "conflict of interest," they are seeing the Christie-gate scandals in a new light. Yesterday, the Star-Ledger demanded that Port Authority Chairman David Samson resign for votes he made giving PA contracts to some of his largest clients. This morning, he announced that the previous history of his votes was 'non-operational,' and proposed a new history in which he actually abstained from those votes. But then when someone pointed out that the committee would have then lacked a quorum, a third alternative reality was proposed in which it was actually an operating committee that made that vote. While MiniTruth (snark alert!) is working out the final story, The Star Ledger is now reporting that the Lawyer for Christie in Bridge scandal withdraws as counsel to Port Authority in federal lawsuit." It appears that Randy Mastro's law firm has been receiving hefty legal fees for representing the Port Authority in an ongoing case. So Mastro has has quietly filed a "motion for withdrawal" from the PA case.
On Wednesday, Mastro filed a “Withdraw of Appearances” notice in federal court in Manhattan, where the legal action — filed in 2011 by the New York and North Jersey Chapters of the American Automobile Association — continues to crawl forward: The suit aims to block toll increases at six bistate bridges and tunnels, contending that the Port Authority violated federal law by imposing toll hikes as part of a plan to finance certain capital projects which are unrelated to transportation. ... Meanwhile, despite Mastro’s personal withdraw from the suit, some legal observers say Mastro and his firm remain potentially conflicted all the same. ...
Mastro’s withdraw, they argue, amounts to an “optics” move only — since his international law firm, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP, has kept itself as defense counsel to the Port Authority in the case. ...
“You can't wear two hats here,” said Miles Feinstein, a 40-year defense lawyer based in Clifton, “Remember, the internal investigation into the bridge scandal is centering on the Port Authority. So if you’re representing the Authority in the lawsuit, and you have an attorney-client relationship with that party, how can you be investigating that agency at the same time?”
Why didn't Mastro withdraw from the new Christie case, to continue his long-term representation of the AAA instead? Could it be because the tax payer funded fees from the Christie case look to be much larger. Or, could it be that he has only handed off the PA case to another lawyer in his firm. Whatever the explanation is I'm sure we can rely on Mastro's good word that he will not allow any knowledge he has from representing the PA leak over into his representation of Governor Christie.
I'm going to add a poll tonight where you can vote for which Governor or Senator will be indicted next -- Governor Scott Walker, Governor Chris Christie, Governor McCrory, or Senator Menendez? Also, another completely new scandal has been revealed concerning major beneficiaries of Christie favors, making major donations to the project to restore the Governor's mansion. I will add that to an update.
3:52 PM PT: Correction, the co-director of the Governor's mansion restoration project was not Christie's wife.
Christina Wilkie, reports that people who made large contributions to Governor Christie's mansion restoration fund, would subsequently received favorable approval of the NJ development proposals. Chris Christie's Mansion Fund Collected Millions From Political Favor Seekers
In 2012, prominent real estate developer Murray Kushner's KRE Group announced plans to take over a massive Jersey City development project, one it hoped would receive funding from the state under Christie's tax incentive programs. As the company laid the groundwork for the project, KRE gave $10,000 to the Drumthwacket Foundation, its first major donation to the governor's mansion. In April of the following year, the state Economic Development Authority awarded KRE's Journal Square Project $33 million in tax credits.
Even Donald Trump jumped on the Drumthwacket bandwagon. In 2011, the New York-based real estate mogul needed Christie's blessing to obtain permits to build a personal cemetery on the fairway at the Trump National Golf Club in New Jersey. The plan wasn't popular with locals, but Trump teed up his proposal with a $5,000 donation to Drumthwacket. As the permit process continued, Trump grew more generous, giving $10,000 in 2012 and another $10,000 in 2013. In September 2013, his cemetery permit was approved.
A second factor that makes the mansion such an attractive option for donors is that New Jersey's anti-corruption laws are the toughest in the country. Major state contractors are prohibited from contributing to state political candidates' campaigns, as are publicly regulated utility companies and financial firms that manage state pension funds. Lobbying, too, is more transparent in the state than practically anywhere else. With major options for exerting influence on politicians cut off, special interests and corporations in New Jersey are forced to find other ways to put themselves in the good graces of the powerful.
3:56 PM PT: Lest any accuse of being partisan, rather than objectively pursuing integrity in government where ever it takes us I've included our bipartisan nominee Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) who you may remember just recently tried to undermine our sitting U.S. President's national security efforts to negotiate a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear crisis. He is also under investigation by a U.S. Attorney as reported inFeds reportedly looking into Robert Menendez for allegedly helping fugitive bankers
TRENTON — U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez is under federal criminal investigation for allegedly helping a pair of Ecuadorian fugitives who are wanted in their home country on charges of embezzling money from their failed bank, according to a report by NBC New York.
The television station, citing unnamed sources, reported tonight that the FBI is looking into why the New Jersey Democrat contacted a high-ranking official at the Department of Homeland Security in April 2012 to ask him to give “full consideration” and “expedite” its review of the case of William and Roberto Isaias, who are seeking permanent residence in the U.S. The report said Menendez also made calls to the Department of State about the brothers. ...
A grand jury in Florida found no basis for the prostitution allegations, according to the Miami Herald. But the newspaper reported it continues to review evidence over whether Menendez used his position to influence officials to help Melgen in two instances: By speaking with top federal health officials about a finding that Melgen had over billed Medicare by nearly $9 million, and by attempting to help a Melgen-owned company with a port security contract in the Dominican Republic.