I don’t for a moment buy that Wildstein is so stupid and politically naïve that he would engage in a political payback stunt with such serious ramifications for the general public. (TPM report) Sokolich’s refusal to endorse Christie for reelection was close to irrelevant. Closing bridge access lanes could be predicted to create a traffic nightmare. However, not so predictable that a) it would land on Sokolich’s door and b) Sokolich would connect it to his non-endorsement of Christie.
The evidence that Wildstein had been a participant in a conspiracy is solid. It was post-toll lanes closing’s speculation that the intended target could have been Sokolich that provided Wildstein with his least damaging explanation. Allows him to maintain that he wasn’t much more than a flunky taking orders from Bridget Kelly and Bill Boroni. Flunkies, after all, aren’t in a position to object to stupid stuff their superiors order them to do. Better to be a dumb flunky engaged in a relatively petty and local plot than expose anything pointing to far more extensive corruption in the Christie administration.
August 13, 2013
At 7:34 a.m., Bridget Anne Kelly emails David Wildstein: “Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee.”August 13, 2013
David Wildstein replies “Got it” to Bridget Anne Kelly at 7:35 a.m.
No other way to read that than that Kelly was giving Wildstein the go ahead for the previously planned GW Bridge toll lane closings. (Operation began on September 9, 2013) Formally, Kelly was not in the chain of command for Wildstein and Boroni. She worked for the Christie administration, and Wildstein and Baroni worked for the NY/NJ Port Authority and Baroni was in the more senior position. All were political appointees, but none were officials on Christie’s re-election team.
Fishman may have accepted the plea because it was good enough to indict Kelly and Boroni who aren’t talking at all. Wildstein is scheduled for sentencing in August. Unless Wildstein draws a heavy sentence and fine instead of a slap on the wrist, doubt Kelly and Baroni’s indictments will change their legal strategies. Not likely they’ll be treated as harshly as the cheating Atlanta teachers.
(Not going to shed a tear for Kelly. She was imagining a high level position for herself in a President Christie’s administration and wouldn’t have shed a tear for any kids that got in the way of bombs Christie ordered to be dropped on his enemies.)
Unless Fishman has some big rabbits left to pull out of his hat, Wildstein’s plea and Kelly and Boroni’s indictments signal and end to this investigation. As unimpressive as Patrick Fitzgerald’s indictment of Scooter Libby. If Marilyn Mosby operated at this level of competence and diligence, it would be a year before the six Baltimore police officers were charged with misdemeanors.