NY Officials: Chris Christie Port Appointee Should Resign

Three New York elected officials have joined the call for the resignation of Gov. Chris Christie's top appointee to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey following unannounced lane closings at the George Washington Bridge created a traffic nightmare in Fort Lee.

Two New York state officials and a city council member issued a statement Wednesday saying Deputy Executive Director Bill Baroni should resign immediately.

Baroni, a former New Jersey lawmaker, told a New Jersey Assembly panel the September lane closings were for a traffic study.

However, Executive Director Patrick Foye, an appointee of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, testified that he was unaware of any study.

Democrats suspect another Christie appointee who works under Baroni ordered two-thirds of Fort Lee's lanes shut to punish the mayor for not endorsing Christie.

The governor denies it, calling the notion "crazy."

Meanwhile, the Port Authority's inspector general says it will investigate why the lanes were closed.

Last week, the Port Authority who ordered the traffic study -- also a Christie appointee -- resigned effective Jan. 1. He said in his resignation letter that he planned to leave later in 2014, but his decision was hastened by the Fort Lee controversy.

(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)