Top Official Involved in Lane Closing Ordered to Testify at Jan. 9 Hearing
Wisniewski: ‘Today’s subpoena is based, in part, on information already gathered from the subpoenaed documents’
(TRENTON) — Assembly Deputy Speaker John Wisniewski on Tuesday announced he has issued a subpoena to former top Port Authority of New York and New Jersey official David Wildstein to testify about his knowledge of the agency’s decision to close access lanes from Fort Lee to the George Washington Bridge in September without public notice or explanation.
Wildstein, who recently resigned as the Port Authority’s director of interstate capital projects amid continued questions about the lane closings, is ordered to appear at a Jan. 9 hearing of the Assembly transportation committee chaired by Wisniewski.
“When not making traffic cone jokes and shrugging off the threats to public safety these lane closings created, Gov. Christie has made clear that this decision was largely the fault of Mr. Wildstein,” said Wisniewski (D-Middlesex). “So as we continue gathering information on this matter the time has come to hear directly from Mr. Wildstein. The public deserves answers as to how this decision was made, who was involved and its true purpose. I look forward to Mr. Wildstein providing insight into this decision that put public safety at risk and raised serious questions about this vital yet dysfunctional agency being used for political vengeance.”
The committee has already heard testimony from four Port Authority officials and subpoenaed documents from Wildstein and six other Port Authority officials.
Wisniewski said he and staff continue to sort through the hundreds of pages of documents received through the subpoenas.
“Today’s subpoena is based, in part, on information already gathered from the subpoenaed documents,” Wisniewski said. “This will be a thorough and complete investigation focusing on how this abuse of power and threat to public safety came about.”
The subpoena — a copy of which can be viewed here — commands Wildstein to appear at a hearing scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 9 at noon in Committee Room 11 on the 4th floor of the State House Annex in Trenton.