Baroni Out at Port Authority

PHOTO: Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr introduces Governor Chris Christie during the dedication of the 9/11 memorial at Eagle Rock Reservation in West Orange. In the background is NY/NJ Port Authority Deputy Director Bill Baroni.

By Matt Rooney | The Save Jersey Blog

PHOTO: Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr introduces Governor Chris Christie during the dedication of the 9/11 memorial at Eagle Rock Reservation in West Orange.  In the background is NY/NJ Port Authority Deputy Director Bill Baroni.
PHOTO: Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr introduces Governor Chris Christie during the dedication of the 9/11 memorial at Eagle Rock Reservation in West Orange. In the background is NY/NJ Port Authority Deputy Director Bill Baroni.

Governor Chris Christie removed Bill Baroni from his position as deputy executive director of the New York and New Jersey Port Authority on Friday, Save Jerseyans, as a scandal concerning the Fort Lee lanes to the George Washington Bridge threatened to cloud the beginning of the GOP Governor’s second term.

Pressure has built up in recent days as Democrats stepped up their efforts to make hay of the scandal; the DNC just dropped an “explanatory” web ad.

He will be replaced by Deb Gramiccioni, a veteran Christie Administration official, former U.S. Attorney and head of the Governor’s authorities unit who Christie called “one his most trusted friends and advisers over the past ten years” during his Friday morning press conference. She’s best known as Christie’s point man in going after the PVSC earlier in term one.

Christie thanked former Senator Baroni for his service who, the Governor added, offered his resignation. Christie nevertheless said Baroni had fessed up to “mistakes” in his testimony and conversations with the Governor, specifically in approving the lane closures for a “study” which Christie said was executed in the wrong way. The Governor nevertheless told reporters he didn’t consider the authority “out of control” and reiterated that he “absolutely” played no role in the Fort Lee closure decision. He further assured the media that his campaign wasn’t involved in the decision.

Click here to watch the presser live.

Matt Rooney
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MATT ROONEY is SaveJersey.com's founder and editor-in-chief, a practicing New Jersey attorney, and the host of 'The Matt Rooney Show' on 1210 WPHT every Sunday evening from 7-10PM EST.

4 Comments

  1. @Joe Yes, he's never struck me as the lying type like the Governor said. These situations just serve to make people more jaded towards the entire system. Sad stuff.

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