NJ Panel Orders Testimony From Christie Aides

A New Jersey legislative committee has ordered current and former aides to Republican Gov. Chris Christie and two Port Authority officials to testify in the committee’s probe of politically motivated traffic jams last year near the George Washington Bridge.

Lawmakers announced Tuesday that they had issued subpoenas to former Christie aide Christina Genovese Renna, current press secretary Michael Drewniak, Port Authority Commissioner William Schuber and executive director Patrick Foye.

A taxpayer-funded law firm hired by Christie’s office issued a report last month finding Christie and his current top aides had no involvement in the traffic jams. Christie, a possible 2016 Republican presidential contender, has consistently denied any involvement.

Democrats in the Legislature have questioned the thoroughness and impartiality of that report and have pressed ahead with their probe. Previously, they released thousands of pages of communications about the traffic delays.

“The documents we’ve assembled answer certain questions but raise other questions,” said Assemblyman John Wisniewski, a Democrat who co-chairs the panel. “The best way to get the answers is to begin asking people under oath.”

The four who were subpoenaed were told to appear in May.

In another development, election finance records show Christie’s 2013 re-election campaign owes more in legal fees than it has on hand, meaning it will need to resume fundraising to pay lawyers.

This article appeared in print on page 12 of the April 24th, 2014 edition of Hamodia.