Saint Peter’s University To Host Port Authority Reform Panel February 23rd

Jersey City, N.J. – Saint Peter’s University  has announced that it will host a bipartisan, bi-state panel on reforming the Port Authority. The event, “How Should We Fix the Port Authority?,” will be held on Monday, February 23 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in The Duncan Family Sky Room in the Mac Mahon Student Center. The panel will feature a number of key officials who will discuss how to reform the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey so that it is more responsive to the region’s needs.

The five panelists include New York State Assemblyman James Brennan, chair of the Assembly Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions; Thomas D. Carver ’58, former New Jersey commissioner of Labor Workforce and Development; New Jersey State Senator Bob Gordon of Bergen County, chair of the Senate Legislative Oversight Committee; New Jersey Assemblywoman Amy Handlin of Monmouth County, member of the Health and Senior Services as well as the Regulated Professions committees; and Martin Robins, director emeritus of the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center at Rutgers University.

Each member of the panel has in-depth experience relevant to the transportation industry in the tri-state area. In particular, Carver previously served as the assistant general manager of Newark Liberty International Airport, Gordon sponsored the Senate bill to reform Port Authority, Handlin sponsored the reform legislation in the General Assembly, and Robins previously served as director of the Port Authority’s Planning and Development Department and as deputy executive director of New Jersey Transit.

“Saint Peter’s is bringing together the key players from both sides of the Hudson River to help us solve a regional problem and take advantage of new opportunities,” said Philip Mark Plotch, Ph.D., director of the master’s program in public administration at Saint Peter’s University and author of the forthcoming book Politics Across the Hudson: The Tappan Zee Megaproject. “We are acutely aware of the Port Authority’s importance in Jersey City given our proximity to many of its bridges, airports, seaports, tunnels, PATH trains and World Trade Center.”

The Port Authority affects every business and resident in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area because it builds, operates and maintains a vast network of aviation, rail, surface transportation and seaport facilities. In 2014, both the New Jersey and New York legislatures unanimously passed legislation to reform the Port Authority. However, this legislation was vetoed in December 2014 by both Governor Andrew Cuomo and Governor Chris Christie. Although the New York State and New Jersey legislatures have not overturned a veto in a decade, they are now both considering overturning legislation to reform the Port Authority....

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Pallone Calls On U.S. Attorney General to Investigate Misuse of E-ZPass Data by Port Authority Officials

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), the Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, sent a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder requesting that the U.S. Department of Justice conduct an independent review to determine whether E-ZPass data of New Jersey drivers was repeatedly accessed by officials at the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey (PANYNJ) without proper authority and, potentially, for political purposes. In the letter, Pallone made clear that any such actions violate New Jersey law and that, since New Jersey’s Attorney General is appointed by Governor Chris Christie (R-NJ) and has not announced any plans to investigate these allegations, an independent review was necessary at this time.

“It is our duty as public servants to protect the public trust,” Pallone said in the letter. “These incidents seem to demonstrate the exact opposite, showing a remarkable abuse of power and violation of privacy.”

New Jersey law states that toll records may not be released to any person, including a government agency, without a subpoena or a court order. However, in an April 2012 Senate hearing, PANYNJ Deputy Executive Director William Baroni repeatedly referenced the personal E-ZPass data of the late Senator Frank Lautenberg. Lautenberg’s private travel records were then referred to once again at a press conference held by Governor Christie. Recently, Mr. Baroni, appearing before the state legislature, also referenced detailed travel information of New Jersey drivers obtained through a review of E-ZPass records.

“The use of this data seems to go well beyond any overarching general use of statistical data for analytical purposes, and rather seems to be specific examination of the E-ZPass usage of individual drivers,” Pallone stated.

The full text of the letter is below:

January 12, 2015

The Honorable Eric Holder
Attorney General
Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001

Dear Attorney General Holder:

I write to raise a matter of great concern. Recent media reports indicate that protected consumer E-ZPass data was repeatedly accessed by staff of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey (PANYNJ), and possibly by other government agencies, without proper authority and used for public, inappropriate, and possibly politically retaliatory purposes. I request that you direct your office to begin an immediate investigation of these breaches of privacy, and possible criminal access and use of data.

Media reports detail the well-publicized NJ Senate testimony of former PANYNJ Deputy Executive Director William Baroni, in which he repeatedly cites in his testimony the personal E-ZPass data of the late Senator Frank Lautenberg. This information was also later referred to in a press conference by Governor Christie. Reports also detail Mr. Baroni’s testimony before the NJ State Legislature, in which he refers repeatedly to detailed travel information of drivers obtained through review of E-ZPass records. Specifically, Mr. Baroni refers to travel of residents of the town of Sayreville, NJ, which is part of my Congressional District. The use of this data seems to go well beyond any overarching general use of statistical data for analytical purposes, and rather seems to be specific examination of the E-ZPass usage of individual drivers.

Such actions violate New Jersey law and are a breach of the public trust. Mr. Baroni, appointed to his position by Governor Christie, and others who may have violated the law should be held accountable. New Jersey’s Attorney General, also appointed by Governor Christie, has not announced any intention of investigating these allegations. Therefore, I ask that your office review these breaches of privacy and the actions of public officials to determine whether there is an actionable violation of law for the Department of Justice to pursue. I believe an independent review is critical at this time.

It is our duty as public servants to protect the public trust. These incidents seem to demonstrate the exact opposite, showing a remarkable abuse of power and violation of privacy.


Sincerely,



FRANK PALLONE, JR.
Member of Congress


CC: Honorable Edith Ramirez, Chairwoman, Federal Trade Commission

CHAIRMAN CURRIE ON GOVERNOR'S OVERDUE AND INADEQUATE PRESS CONFERENCE

For Immediate Release:
3/28/14

(Trenton) -- Today, John Currie, Chairman of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee, issued the following statement in response to Governor Christie's long overdue, often combative, and grossly inadequate press conference, which again sought to distract attention from the numerous allegations of administrative wrongdoing.

"It’s been 78 days since Chris Christie had a press conference to profess his sadness. Now, after spending an estimated $1,000,000 of the taxpayer’s money he wants the media to accept an incomplete and one-sided report as evidence of his innocence. The shameless and self serving nature of this public relations ploy only invites more doubt about the governor’s claims of ignorance."

"The resignation of David Samson changes little about how this scandal unfolded. After we learned that New Jersey citizens were put in harm’s way — stuck for days of gridlock for no good reason by the Governor’s top aides — we expected Governor Christie to be truthful and contrite. We needed him to demonstrate a genuine desire to make amends, and to cooperate with a real independent investigation. Instead, he chose defiance, diversion and delusion."

"Perhaps we should not be surprised. This is the same governor who says he takes responsibility, but then, in the same breath, blames others. This is the governor who lets Sandy Survivors linger out in the cold and entangled in bureaucratic red tape, while he jets around the country raising money from Republican fat cats. His behavior is not befitting of New Jersey's highest office, and it certainly ought to preclude any sort of promotion. Let’s remember: Governor Christie is not the victim of the scandal that he created, the people of New Jersey are."

Christie Gifted 9/11 Debris For Political Endorsements

This is despicable and wrong on so many levels. It just churns the stomach!


Rachel Maddow reports on a New York Times revelation that Chris Christie’s appointee to the Port Authority gave pieces from Ground Zero to woo endorsements.

CHAIRMAN CURRIE STATEMENT ON GOVERNOR CHRISTIE'S OCEAN COUNTY TOWN HALL

(Trenton) -- Today, John Currie, Chairman of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee, reacted to Governor Christie's town hall meeting in Toms River, New Jersey. The troubled governor again used the event as a platform to divert attention from his administration's unfolding scandals, to talk himself up and to blame the federal government for the state's many problems.

Three months after the so-called Bridgegate scandal flared, Governor Christie still does not show a hint of concern that senior members of his administration put politics ahead of public safety -- an issue that he brushes off as 'a distraction.'

"I was hoping the governor would hit pause on the phony rhetoric and provide a credible explanation about why his administration botched the Superstorm Sandy recovery effort and how the Port Authority could be so badly abused for political purposes. Unfortunately, that did not happen," Chairman Currie said. "When eight out of ten grant applications from Superstorm Sandy survivors are inappropriately denied, it should trigger alarm and administrative action, not one-liners and finger-pointing. The people of New Jersey have a right to be angry that the Christie administration has made their lives more difficult. We deserve more substantive reform and less spin. Addressing the problems the governor helped create remains a top priority, even if Chris Christie considers them inconvenient or irrelevant."

When not covertly fundraising elsewhere, Governor Christie's limited public appearances have been held in friendly surroundings around New Jersey. The events have a heavily produced, show business quality, and have left unanswered the many serious questions about the George Washington Bridge lane closure scandal, crony Sandy recovery contracts, and the shady activities of his top political appointees, including Port Authority Chairman David Samson.

Sticker Shock: The Cost of Mass Transit

As I mentioned in an earlier post i'm planning on taking the kids and myself to New York City on Friday to partake in some of the Super Bowl XLVIII festivities that will be going starting tomorrow. Since I will be coming off of the night shift, driving into the city isn't an option so I'm looking into the cost mass transit for the three of us to get from Middletown to Manhattan and i'm experiencing a case of sticker shock in the process.

I'm always hearing that you shouldn't drive into Manhattan, that you should take mass transit. That's all well  and good I suppose if you're traveling in by yourself. Sure, the price is a little high but worth it to avoid the traffic and the hassle of finding parking. However, if you have to pay for yourself and others it's cheaper to drive in and in my opinion, worth all the effort. Especially when you consider that you're not tied to any train or bus schedule.

 For a single round trip ticket on a NJ Transit train from Middletown to mid-town Manhattan, the cost is  $28.50 per person on a weekday (weekend and holiday travelers enjoy a nice discount). To take an Academy Bus from Hazlet to the Port Authority round trip is an astounding $32 per person. That's crazy! I can drive my family of 4 into Manhattan for the day, paying about $15 in tolls and $30 for parking and save $80 in travel cost by doing so.

I've heard people complain about the costs associated with traveling back and forth to Manhattan for work each day but I never gave it much mind, now I understand what they are complaining about.

NorthernNewJersey.com: Emails link top Christie aide to GWB lane-closing controversy

This is big news and the most damaging story for Chris Christie and his administration to date!

From NorthernNewJersey.com:

"Private messages between Governor’s Christie’s deputy chief of staff and two of his top executives at the Port Authority reveal a vindictive effort to create “traffic problems in Fort Lee” by shutting lanes to the George Washington Bridge and apparent pleasure at the resulting gridlock. 

The messages are replete with references and insults to Fort Lee’s mayor — who had failed to endorse Christie for re-election — and they chronicle how he tried to reach Port Authority officials in a vain effort to eliminate the paralyzing gridlock that overwhelmed his town of 35,000, which sits in the shadow of the world’s busiest bridge. 

The documents obtained by The Record raise serious doubts about months of claims by the Christie administration that the September closures of local access lanes to the George Washington Bridge were part of a traffic study initiated solely by the Port Authority. 

Instead, they show that one of the governor’s top aides was deeply involved in the decision to choke off the borough’s access to the bridge, and they provide the strongest indication yet that it was part of a politically-motivated vendetta—a notion that Christie has publicly denied. 

“Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee,” Bridget Anne Kelly, one of three deputies on Christie’s senior staff, wrote to David Wildstein, a top Christie executive at the Port Authority, on Aug. 13, about three weeks before the closures. Wildstein, the official who ordered the closures and who resigned last month amid the escalating scandal, wrote back: “Got it.”

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