Port Authority Commissioner William “Pat” Schuber
Bridgegate Committee Zeroes In On Port Authority Mismanagement
Republican legislators who have been urging the Select Committee on Investigation to broaden its focus beyond the George Washington Bridge lane closures got their wish yesterday, as Democrats and Republicans alike grilled Port Authority Commissioner William “Pat” Schuber on how such an array of scandals could have beset the bistate agency.
Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Middlesex), the committee’s cochair, led Democrats in questioning the behind-the-scenes machinations of Port Authority staffers in orchestrating the massive 2011 toll hike, as well as the failure of Schuber and other Port Authority higher-ups to dig into the reasons for the lane closures as the Bridgegate scandal unfolded between September and January.
Meanwhile, Assemblywoman Amy Handlin (R-Monmouth) led Republicans in zeroing in on the Port Authority’s questionable payments to an architect for unsolicited work, excessive real estate holdings in Jersey City, conflict of interest policies, failure to adequately pursue reports of ethics violations, and the wisdom of doling out special grants to municipalities instead of using whatever money is available for needed airport and infrastructure repairs.
It marked the first time since the formation of the committee more than four months ago that the panel’s four Republican legislators devoted their energies not to defending the Christie administration’s response to Bridgegate and questioning the purpose of the committee, but to aggressively going after Port Authority mismanagement — which they have been arguing should be the panel’s primary focus. (Magyar/NJSpotlight)
