Port Authority Boss Cancels Bridgegate Testimony

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Director Patrick Foye was scheduled to testify under oath on June 3 before the joint legislative panel probing Bridgegate. That appearance, however, has been canceled - at least for now.

Foye told the Select Committee on Investigation this week that at the request of U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman, he has decided to cancel his appearance.

“The committee’s position has always been to cooperate with the other investigations that are ongoing and our decision to postpone the testimony of Pat Foye is in keeping with that principal,” said SCI co-chair Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville). “We expect to have Pat Foye come back at a later date we just don’t have that date set yet.”

The SCI has largely finished reviewing the thousands of subpoenaed documents it has received and is now considering who else might be called to testify under oath, Wisniewski said.

The top Republican in the State Senate said it is time for the SCI to shut down its investigation into the lane closures at the George Washington Bridge and start exploring how to fix the Port Authority.

"The U.S. Attorney’s notice should serve as a conclusion to this legislative committee’s costly, excessively partisan ‘inquiry,’” State GOP leader Sen. Tom Kean Jr. said in a statement. “At last, it is time for the select committee to accomplish something for the public good and turn its full attention to passing bipartisan legislation to reform this long-troubled Port Authority."

In September, access lanes to the George Washington Bridge were closed without warning in Fort Lee. Traffic was snarled for four days. Democrats believe it was done as political payback because the town’s Democratic mayor refuses to endorse Gov. Chris Christie’s reelection bid.

The governor has denied any involvement and an internal probe he commissioned cleared him of any wrong doing. Christie cut ties with his two-time campaign manager and directed the firing of one of his deputy chiefs of staff. Two Port Authority officials also resign after the scandal unfolded.