The office of US Attorney Paul Fishman, who is currently leading a criminal investigation in the George Washington Bridge lane closures, had sent a letter to New Jersey legislators requesting to delay the public testimony by Patrick Foye. Foye is the executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, who is expected to shed light into the September 9 to 12 closures that resulted to a massive traffic jam in Fort Lee. Foye is reportedly set to give his testimony before a 12-member panel on June 3.
Bloomberg said Fishman is looking into whether crimes were committed in the closing of the access lanes at the George Washington Bridge. The scandal was said to have marred New York Governor Chris Christie's chances as he is seeking a Republican run for the White House in 2016.
Lawmakers have said that they would not interfere with prosecutors in their investigation, who can take grand jury testimony and subpoena documents for their probe.
According to the letter from Fishman's office, Foye's testimony has been postponed before, as he was earlier scheduled to testify in May. Legislators then has agreed to push back Foye's testimony before the panel.
Assistant US Attorney J. Fortier Imbert wrote, "Our office is requesting again that his appearance before the committee be postponed."
Christie has been absolved by an internal probe he himself has commissioned, of which a law firm who has ties with the governor had been tasked to conduct the probe. According to the law firm's probe, former top Port Authority official David Wildstein and Christie's former deputy chief of staff Bridget Ann Kelly were to blame for the traffic tie-ups, as they were targeting the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee. The law firm fell short of explaining in detail the reasons for their actions, dubbing them as politically-motivated.
Bloomberg said the tie-ups could have been longer if not for Foye's email, who had sent an email to agency executives to reopen the lanes immediately. Foye, who is an appointee of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, said in the email that he had just learned of the closing.s
He wrote, "I am appalled by the lack of process, failure to inform our customers and Fort Lee and most of all by the dangers created to the public interest. I believe this hasty and ill-advised decision violates federal law and the laws of both states."
