Politics & Government

Port Authority Exec: GWB Lane Closures 'Abusive' Decision

State Assembly transportation committee releases 907 pages of subpoenaed documents Friday in "Bridgegate.''

The head of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey called the sudden closure of several lanes of the George Washington Bridge a “hasty and ill-advised’’ and “abusive’’ decision that damaged the public interest, according to documents released by a state committee today.

The state Assembly transportation committee today released 907 pages of subpoenaed documents related to the Fort Lee bridge scandal plaguing Gov. Chris Christie’s administration.

Among them is a sharply worded September 13 email from Patrick Foye, the authority’s executive director, demanding that several high-ranking members of the authority immediately open the lanes shuttered near Fort Lee.

Find out what's happening in Red Bank-Shrewsburywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Foye also promises to find out who was responsible for the decision.

“To be clear, I will get to the bottom of this abusive decision which violates everything this agency stands for,’’ the email reads. “I intend to learn how PA (Port Authority) process was wrongfully subverted and the public interest damaged to say nothing of the credibility of this agency.’’

Foye is an appointee of Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York. Under Port Authority's rules, the New York governor appoints the executive director, while Christie appoints his assistant.

Find out what's happening in Red Bank-Shrewsburywith free, real-time updates from Patch.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here