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So now more cronies have emerged in the never-ending Bridgegate Brouhaha. A high school buddy of Governor Christie was the policeman who helped Port Authority insider David Wildstein tour the bridge after the lanes were closed. And that same cop just happens to be the brother of a wealthy Republican donor who supported Christie's election campaigns. Also there are reports that it was the Port Authority Police who told angry drivers to call the mayor of Fort Lee and complain, as though it was part of a rehearsed plot.
Via Dartagnan on Daily Kos
The "Port Authority Police Officer," Lietenant Thomas "Chip" Michaels, was Christie's childhood buddy, coach of Christie's son's Little League hockey team and his brother Jeff Michaels is (or was) a top Christie donor and one of the most powerful Republicans in the state. Jeff Michaels purportedly delivered the news to Christie that he had won the election of 2009.
Essentially the guy was assigned to monitor the bridge, texting Wildstein at the Port Authority over and over, apparently about how "the plan" was going. According to MSNBC, he took Wildstein for a drive around the area so Wildstein could see for himself.
From Steve Kornacki on MSNBC
On Sunday, MSNBC’s Steve Kornacki reported that a Port Authority police officer with long-time ties to Gov. Christie drove and exchanged text messages with one of the political appointees, David Wildstein, as he was overseeing the traffic snarl last September. Port Authority police Lt. Thomas “Chip” Michaels grew up with Christie in Livingston, N.J., and in recent years coached one of the governor’s children in youth hockey. Michaels is posted to the PAPD’s George Washington Bridge command. Michaels’ brother, Jeffrey, is a powerful Republican lobbyist in Trenton who was a high-level adviser to Christie’s successful 2009 campaign.
Port Authority executive director Pat Foye, appointed by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, ordered the latest investigation after learning of the connection between Michaels and Christie. Foye was also concerned by a Bergen Record report Sunday on comments Port Authority police officers made to those stuck in the traffic jams. Multiple commuters recalled being told to call Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich to complain, something Sokolich wrote about in a September 12 letter to then-deputy director Bill Baroni, another Christie appointee who has since resigned.
The Governor has never had any conversations with either Jeff or Chip Michaels on this topic.
~ Email from Chris Christie's Office to MSNBC
I'm sure @GovChristie had no idea about Chip. After all Christie was an athlete and class president #inners
— Dina (@uberfreude) February 18, 2014Will Thomas 'Chip' Michaels, longtime Christie friend, be next one thrown under the bus by #Christie? http://t.co/EQRoQv6Ovh #bridgegate
— RB Blair (@TuxcedoCat) February 16, 2014I bet calls are flying in NJ right now. Chip calling Jeff, Jeff calling George, George calling Gov, Gov calling David... #uppers #Christie
— BluEyesWitHope (@blueyeswithope) February 16, 2014
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