Christie administration pushed Port Authority to hire governor's former law firm, report says

 Christie administration pushed Port Authority to hire governor's former law firm, report says.
By Brent Johnson
The Star-Ledger
July 08, 2014

TRENTON — The Port Authority fast-tracked the hiring of Gov. Chris Christie's former law firm under pressure from the Republican governors administration and proceeded to give the firm millions of dollars in legal work over the last four years, according to a report by The Record.

Dughi, Hewit & Domalewski — where Christie began his legal career and was a partner before becoming New Jersey's U.S. Attorney in 2002 — has been paid at least $6.3 million from the bistate agency since 2010, according to the report, which sites internal agency documents and two sources familiar with the situation.

The sources said Christie administration officials told the Port Authority to find work for the Cranford-based firm in 2010, the same year Christie took office, according to the report.

Later that year, an opportunity arose when the agency — which oversees bridges and tunnels between New York and New Jersey — was sued over a controversial land deal in Bayonne, the report said.

But the Port Authority skipped the competitive bidding process usually used to pick outside law firms, according to the report.

The governor's office referred questions to the agency, the report said. A spokesman Port Authority spokesman said the law firm had been "rated highly" and it was unlikely the agency would find a more qualified firm.

Christie's administration has come under fire in recent months for its relationship with the Port Authority. A state legislative committee and federal prosecutors are investigating whether members of the governor's staff and inner circle conspired with agency officials to organize lane closures at the George Washington Bridge last September in a case of political payback.

Federal investigators are also probing whether Christie and the agency broke federal securities law over a 2011 agreement to use $1.8 billion in Port Authority money to pay for repairs to the Pulaski Skyway, according to sources.

Chris Christie and his Trenton Mob Are Crooks!