The lawsuit, which contends that the politically motivated closure of two bridge lanes from Fort Lee by Christie advisors with resulting traffic jams was a deprivation of “liberty,” was filed by attorney Rosemarie Arnold, who’s run some attention-getting TV ads in the past. [UPI]
P.S. From Widener lawprof John Culhane, a more serious look. “IRB/Human Subjects form from the Chris Christie bridge scandal” (humor, Kieran Healy) And Steve Chapman: “Anytime someone wants to expand some power of government, here’s what you should assume: [Bridget Anne] Kelly and [David] Wildstein will be the ones exercising it.”
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The Port Authority is run by the New Jersey governor, the New York governor, and a professional staff. The tension between these groups guarantees that no staff member of the New Jersey Governor could get lane closures on her own. It’s ridiculous even by modern journalism standards. We know that a message went through the traffic engineering office, but our dim witted press didn’t pursue that lead. I suspect that somebody wanted to see if lane restrictions would result in traffic adjustment out of Fort Lee to other bridge entrances. The engineers were asked to postpone their experiment until after an election. Then they were given the go ahead when condition warranted.
Every professional politician knows of what happened to Governor Grey Davis when he raised a registration fee by a modest amount If my memory is right, Bill Clinton was boxed in his ears when he messed with fees as governor of Arkansas.
[…] Weirdly, or tellingly? “Weirdly, two of [the New Jersey bridge plaintiffs] work for the attorney who’s representing them” [John Culhane, Slate via Howard Wasserman, Prawfs, earlier] […]