Christie Aides Knew Traffic Was Life-Threatening

On Friday, the #Bridgegate scandal courtesy of New Jersey governor Chris Christie took a new twist. Leaked documents revealed that Christie's top two Port Authority aides kept the George Washington Bridge gridlock going for three days... after they found out that could be life-threatening. A email sent Sept. 9 fully explained the harm for emergency vehicles in keeping the bridge blocked — but hey! The plans went ahead anyway. Cue evil laugh.

"Wanted you both to have a heads-up — Peggy Thomas, Borough Administrator, called me regarding the increased volume and congestion,” wrote [Port Authority] employee Tino Lado. “She mentioned there were two incidents that Ft Lee PD and EMS had difficulty responding to: a missing child (later found) and a cardiac arrest ... If there is anything you need me to do, let me know.”

Meanwhile, emergency vehicles had severe delays getting to a car accident with multiple injuries; a missing four-year-old child; and a 91-year-old woman who died of a heart attack. Response times were much longer than normal, up to double the time in two cases. EMT coordinator Paul Flavia even emailed the Fort Lee mayor, Mark Sokolich informing him of the problem.

The documents are part of a dump released by state lawmakers today that damns Port Authority executive David Wildstein and his college, Bill Baroni, for their role in the scandal. #Bridgegate is thought to have been motivated by the desire to punish Sokolich for not backing Christie in the last election.

PA Executive Director Patrick Foye appears to have been against the gridlock, writing that “this hasty and ill-advised decision violates Federal Law and the laws of both states ... I pray that no life has been lost.”

Image: Getty