Several published reports have claimed that the federal prosecutors in New York subpoenaed the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to obtain records and other documents in relation to its current chairman David Samson. According to USA Today, Samson and his law firm, Wolff & Samson, are being watched in light of the access lane closures allegedly ordered for political reasons.
The Wall Street Journal said that Wolff & Samson is known as one of the most prominent law firms in New Jersey and has clients who are involved in matters that are significant to the state's elected officials and the Port Authority.
According to an unidentified source who told WSJ, the inquiry on Samson's business relations will be handled by US Attorney for New Jersey Paul Fishman. Fishman is also leading the probe over the bridge lane closures that caused massive traffic jams in Fort Lee and allegations by the Hoboken, New Jersey mayor that Gov. Chris Christie had threatened to hold federal money should she not approve a Wolff & Samson client's real estate project.
WSJ said that the birdge scandal had also initiated a review on Christie's appointees, especially on Samson. Media and critics of the New Jersey governor are reportedly looking into the process of how Samson recused himself from his law firm's connections in projects that had authority consideration.
When WSJ asked a spokeswoman for Samson, she declined to comment and passed a statement from her employer's attorney, Michael Chertoff, which read, "We are not commenting on the progress of investigations."
Wolff & Samson also did not respond to comments immediately about the subpoena.
The newspaper had said that Samson earlier denied allegations that he had knowledge about the access lanes closures. Christie's administration also denied the allegations made by the mayor of Hoboken, insisting that her jurisdiction got the same amount of government money like the other cities.
