New York’s governor demanded an investigation Tuesday into allegations that a lane in one of the traffic-clogged tunnels connecting Manhattan to New Jersey was shut down as a special favor to a politically connected businessman accused of paying bribes to police commanders.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo directed the inspector generals for both the state and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to conduct investigations to figure out what role, if any, the Port Authority played in allowing the closure at the Lincoln Tunnel.
“If members of the Port Authority or PAPD (Port Authority Police Department) participated in any fashion — through purpose or neglect — the State will deliver immediate and severe consequences,” Cuomo said in a letter Tuesday. “We will simply not allow Port Authority facilities to be chips in some nefarious pattern of deceit.”
The closure was revealed Monday in a federal criminal complaint that charged a fundraising businessman, a resident of Boro Park, and two high-ranking New York Police Department officers with conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud. They have all denied wrongdoing.
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said the officers accepted free flights, expensive meals and other bribes in exchange for “a private police force for themselves and their friends.”
Court documents said a cooperating witness told the FBI that the Boro Park resident “using his connections in local law enforcement agencies was able to arrange for the closure of a lane in the Lincoln Tunnel and a police escort down that lane for a businessman visiting the United States.” The court papers did not identify the businessman who was being escorted and did not disclose when the closure occurred.
“If this is true, it is deeply troubling,” Cuomo said.
Spokesmen for the New York Investigator General and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday.
When asked to comment Monday on the lane closure and other allegations, the mans lawyer, Susan Necheles, said her client “did not commit a crime.” She said his “only mistake” was befriending a government cooperator “who is desperately trying to get others in trouble in order to curry favor with prosecutors and save his own skin.”
A former Port Authority of New York and New Jersey official and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s former deputy chief of staff face federal charges in connection with the 2013 lane closures of the George Washington Bridge. The scheme was alleged payback when a Democratic mayor didn’t endorse Republican Christie’s re-election bid.
One defendant has pleaded guilty in the case; two others still face numerous charges. Christie has denied any involvement and has not been charged.
(AP)
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8 Responses
im surprised the ywn is posting this since it reclects bad on chasidish jews
hopefully they can link it to de blasio.
I don’t see why this reflects bad on chasidishe he’s. What’s so wrong of him doing it? The cops are the ones that something wrong.
because uf the fbi probe contiues they ate going to have eyes on other chasidish mosdos like monsey was already targeted which ywn didnt report
Moderators Note: YWN reported the Monsey FBI raids.
Is this a Gilgul of Bridge-gate?
kneidel – bribery is a crime. I’m sure we can all agree the so called orthodox person who bribers someone is guilty of a crime and committed a chilul Hashem. I for one cringed when I saw that the businessman was dressed like a frum person.
And what about closing lanes on the BQE so a Rebbe can get to the airport?
One chillul Hashem after another. This has got to stop. Come on Yidden! You know when your doing something wrong. It’s simple – if you don’t want what you are doing something questionable that you would not want to come to the light of the public, it is virtually certain that you are doing something wrong. Nobody is perfect, but c’mon! these stories come out almost daily. It has got to stop! and, yes, “they” hate us, no matter what. Do we need to give them more and more fodder for their hatred? Do we need to give the more and more “proof” that their accusations and slander of the Jews is justified. This has got to stop!
Interesting Targum Yonasan ben Uzziel on the Aseres Hadibros; Lo Signov (freely translated) “My Nation, Benei Yisrael, do not be thieves, not friends of thieves, not partners with thieves; and thieves should not be seen in Knesses Yisrael, so that your children when they grow up should not learn to associate with thieves – because for the sin of geneiva, hunger descends upon the world.” He interprets the other four “los” similarly. He was a tanna,and the world shook when he introduced his targum, He “probably” knew what he was talking about. Please, this has got to stop!