Bridgegate: The Phantom Tollbooth

Scamfluencers

This episode explores the 'Bridgegate' scandal, a political retribution scheme orchestrated by officials in New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's

Key takeaways

The scandal was triggered by Mayor Mark Sokolich's refusal to endorse Governor Chris Christie's re-election campaign.
David Wildstein used his position at the Port Authority to coordinate the strategic lane closures on the George Washington Bridge.

Main topics

Bridgegate Scandal
Political Retaliation

Notable quotes

Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee

Conclusion

The episode highlights how petty political vendettas can escalate into

Transcript preview

Speaker 2 (0:00) Audible subscribers can listen to all our episodes of Scamfluencers ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. Speaker 3 (0:14) Sarah, when I say the words New Jersey, what comes up for you? Speaker 2 (0:19) Well, great question, because either it's Sopranos or Real Housewives of New Jersey. Honestly, I really want to visit New Jersey and just do the Sopranos tour personally. Speaker 1 (0:30) Yeah, I also want to do that. I live in New York, so I always think of New Jersey as like New York Shelbyville, which will probably get me some very angry letters later. But I also think about, unfortunately, corruption. The Sopranos, the mob, the pizza lobby. I feel like New Jersey is especially steeped in scams for whatever reason. You Speaker 2 (0:51) know, I never thought of it that way, but I guess it is kind of steeped in Speaker 1 (0:54) scams. Yeah. Well, I ask because today we have an episode all about one particularly New Jersey scam that combines all of the state's greatest hits. An unpopular populist governor, a poorly managed cover-up, and of course, heavy traffic. Speaker 1 (1:16) It's Monday, September 9th, 2013, and Mark Sokolich's phone is ringing off the hook. He's the mayor of Fort Lee, New Jersey. He looks like the muscle in a mob movie, but he's actually a pretty chill guy. He even refers to himself as Mayor Mark to keep things casual. And right now, he's behind the wheel on his way to the office, and his phone is popping off. Speaker 1 (1:40) He can't help but feel like this week is off to a bad start. His constituents are anxious and confused, and they're looking to him for answers. Because there's a massive traffic jam around the George Washington Bridge. The number of lanes leading to the toll plaza has been reduced from three to one, with no warning. That might sound like a minor inconvenience, but this bridge is the busiest in the world. More than 100,000 commuters cross it every single day. Shutting down just one lane would have massive effects. Two is almost catastrophic. And to make matters worse, today is the first day of school for local kids. So you just know parents are pissed. Speaker 1 (2:24) Mayor Mark has no idea why this is happening, or why he didn't get a heads up. And now he's hearing disturbing reports from emergency workers. The traffic is so bad, ambulance drivers can't take their normal routes, so 911 operators are being forced to give alternative directions on the fly. And then one of the worst calls imaginable comes through the dispatch. A four-year-old child has gone missing from school. The dispatcher relays the child's description. He was last seen wearing a yellow shirt and a blue jacket. The operator warns that traffic is a nightmare, so the search is going to be even more difficult and time-consuming. And when it comes to a missing child, every moment counts. Luckily, he's found safe and sound. But Mayor Mark knows that he has to figure out what's going on and fix it before something truly terrible happens. Speaker 2 (3:18) I had no idea that the busiest bridge in the world would be in New Jersey. I mean, I guess it does make sense, but it's mind-blowing that one thing can go wrong and the busiest bridge in the world can, like, make a state collapse, basically. I Speaker 1 (3:33) know. So Mayor Mark calls Bill Barone, the deputy executive at the Port Authority, the government entity that manages transportation infrastructure in New York and New Jersey. But he gets sent a voicemail. The next day, the lanes are still closed and Mark still hasn't gotten an answer. So he texts Bill directly, writing, quote, Help, please. It's maddening. But Bill just ghosts him. Mark is spinning his wheels and has started to think it might actually be personal. Can you read what he told a local reporter? Yeah, Speaker 2 (4:06) he says, I've asked the port for an explanation, but they haven't responded. I thought we had a good relationship. Now I'm beginning to wonder if there's something I did wrong. Am I being sent some sort of message? You know, I understand the mayor's kind of grasping at straws, trying to figure out, like, why he's being shut out. But also the fact that he so quickly went to wondering if this was personal against him says so much about how the state is being run. Yes, exactly. Speaker 8 (4:36) And to your point, Mayor Mark is racking his brain to figure out what this could be payback for. Speaker 1 (4:42) And all he can think of is the fact that he was reluctant to give his full support to Governor Chris Christie's reelection campaign. It's wild to even consider that the governor would stoop this low. But then again, this is New Jersey. On September 12th, the fourth day of lane closures, Mark emails Bill again. He asks him point blank if the closures are punitive. When Bill continues the radio silence, Mayor Mark takes that as confirmation. He's being purposefully ignored. Mark won't give up asking questions, but it will be months before anyone gets answers. Because this isn't just a case of miscommunication. This is a sprawling scandal that reveals the petty politics consuming New Jersey's government with implications that reach all the way to the White House. And when the truth comes to light, the people at fault will do anything to cover their asses. Speaker 6 (5:39) James Arthur Ray was a charismatic self-help guru who promised his followers a path to wealth and enlightenment by becoming the best versions of themselves. But not all who followed him finished their journey. For the best Bingeable series, listen to the Audible True Crime Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Speaker 7 (5:59) I'm Candace D. Long, host of the podcast Killer Psyche. In our latest episode, we go inside the case of Lindsay Clancy, the postpartum psychosis defense, and the stunning mistrial that just reignited a national debate. Listen to Killer Psyche on Audible or wherever you get your podcasts. Speaker 3 (6:21) From Audible Originals, I'm Sachi Cole. And I'm Sarah Hagee. And this is Scamfluencers. Speaker 1 (6:35) The word Bridgegate might sound familiar, but you may not remember all the juicy details of this early 21st century scandal. At the center of the story was Chris Christie, the Republican governor of New Jersey and, at the time, one of the frontrunners for the presidency. He was brash, loud, and beloved by his party. But behind the scenes, his inner circle was running a political operation built on loyalty and punishment. When a small-town mayor refused to endorse Christie's re-election, someone in the governor's orbit decided to make him pay by weaponizing traffic. What started as a mysterious lane closure on the world's busiest bridge spiraled into a full-blown scandal that implicated Christie's closest allies, tanked his presidential ambitions, and ended up before the Supreme Court. And the court's ruling went far beyond poorly behaved politicos. It ended up changing how fraud is handled all over the country. This is Bridgegate, Speaker 8 (7:30) the Speaker 1 (7:31) phantom toll booth. Speaker 1 (7:37) As is so often the case, a huge multi-year scandal that impacts national policy and politics began with one nerd from New Jersey. And that nerd would be David Wildstein. It's the late 70s in suburban New Jersey. David is sitting in the dugout of a high school baseball diamond running numbers. He's got a helmet-like haircut and big, dark-rimmed glasses. He looks 17 going on 45. At a school with nearly 2,000 students, he could easily disappear in the crowd. But he's found a way to get in with the jocks. As the statistician for the baseball team. This is long before the moneyball era of sports stats. But even though David's brilliant and his stats are helping make the team one of the best in the state, players aren't exactly besties with him. One of those players is 16-year-old Chris Christie. Yes, that Chris Christie, the future New Jersey governor. Chris is a big man on campus, popular, athletic, full of bravado, the total opposite of David. David admires Chris, and Chris doesn't seem to Speaker 8 (8:42) think about David at all. Speaker 2 (8:44) I'm sorry, Chris Christie was popular. You can't see it? No. I mean, this is coming from someone who just ends up knowing about these figures in Canada. Against your will? Against my will. Yeah. And nobody has screamed loser more than Chris Christie. But I guess if I knew about him, I guess he was kind of popular. It was a different time. You know, it's high school. Yeah. Speaker 1 (9:05) Well, eventually, Chris does learn to value David because they share an interest besides baseball. Politics. While still in high school, they work on a gubernatorial campaign together. And at first, it seems like David is the one destined for public office. He tries twice to get on local election ballots, even though he's technically too young to be on either. But nothing slows him down. David devotes his life to climbing the political ladder. After high school, he goes to college at George Washington University and gets a job working on a senatorial campaign. And he shows early on that he's not afraid to play dirty. Right before a debate between his Republican boss and the Democratic incumbent, David steals the Democrat's jacket, so the guy has to borrow someone else's and be uncomfortable while he debates. It is such a ridiculous move, but Speaker 2 (9:55) David brags about it constantly. You know what? That is a great move. It is thinking big. Making someone physically uncomfortable to throw them off is a pretty diabolical thing to do. Speaker 3 (10:08) Yeah, unfortunately, it's pretty smart. Well, finally, it's Speaker 8 (10:12) David's turn to take center stage. In 1987, when he's in his mid-20s, David runs for mayor in his New Jersey hometown. Speaker 1 (10:20) He speaks out against low-income housing and complains that the county government is wasting Speaker 8 (10:25) money. And that platform gets him the win. As mayor, he stalks around town hall observing people. Later, colleagues from around this time will remember him as, quote, a political animal and a, quote, major disaster who frightened people. It might not come as Speaker 1 (10:43) a Speaker 8 (10:43) surprise, then, that David struggles to gain support for re-election. But he can't face the thought of losing, so he pulls out of the race. In his final speech as mayor, He vows to stay out of local politics forever. He pivots to join his family's textile manufacturing business, where he holds a comfortable position as an executive for almost two decades. There is nothing in David's past that would make anyone believe that this promise would stick. And soon, he'll find a new, bitchier way to make his mark on Jersey politics. Speaker 1 (11:17) It's 2004, a full 16 years after David Wildstein ended his mayoral campaign. He's in his office and can't believe the incredible tip he just received. A source has spilled that New Jersey Governor James E. McGreevey was having an affair with a male aide. The governor is married to a woman, but the tipster says he's about to announce that he's gay and resign. This may be weird information for a textile executive to receive, but David has been living a double life. By day, he works for his family's company, and by night, he's a political gossip blogger. Wait, like the David we... Yes. That Speaker 2 (11:55) is so crazy. Oh my God, what a crazy guy. He's doing it for the love of the game. Yes. I was really like, wait a second, the David we've been talking about. Yeah, literally, there's only one. That's awesome. It's kind of sick, right? You go, girl. Speaker 1 (12:13) Well, after swearing to stay out of politics, David started a political blog called Politics NJ. He writes under the pen name Wally Edge, an homage to an early 20th century New Jersey governor of the same name. The blog is like Deux Moi for New Jersey politics in the early 2000s, more interested in gossip than actual policies. He publishes anonymous tips like the one about Governor McGreevy and breaking news. And he isn't afraid to editorialize. He especially loves stories about lawmakers being caught in a lie. The blog quickly becomes a must-read for anyone in Jersey politics. As Wally Edge, David earns a reputation for bipartisan critique and championing the hard-working underdog. David's sources don't know he's Wally, but he still manages to get tips from high-profile insiders, including his old classmate, Chris Christie, who is now a United States attorney. Speaker 2 (13:10) Oh, my God. This is so funny, especially because it's like this is Gossip Girl. It's literally Gossip Girl. It's Gossip Girl. And you know what? The show comes out a couple years after this and he's probably like, I understand you, Gossip Girl. XOXO, Wally Edge. Yeah, it's Speaker 3 (13:28) very Gossip Girl. Speaker 2 (13:29) It's amazing. It's so funny. Speaker 3 (13:31) Well, Speaker 1 (13:32) meanwhile, Christy doesn't stay in that role for long. In 2009, after David's been blogging for nine years. Christie gets a new title, Governor of New Jersey. And Governor Christie appoints a guy named Bill Barone as Deputy Executive Director of the Port Authority. Bill is 38, and he looks like politics Ken. Square jaw, full head of hair, and a slightly unsettling smile. He also happens to be friends with David. They go way back, having both consulted for the same New Jersey congressman. And they're really tight. Bill is just one of a handful of people who know that David is Wally Edge. Now, Bill wants David to work for him. So he creates a brand new role at the Port Authority just for David, director of Interstate Capital Projects. It's a fancy title for a job that is essentially Bill's chief of staff and right-hand man. Governor Christie signs off on David's hiring personally. Speaker 1 (14:29) After David announces his new gig, his secret life as Wally Edge is leaked to the press. And people are not happy that someone who spread rumors and gossip for years is now in a position of power at a major government agency. But for the Christie administration, David's fondness for political hijinks is a feature, not a bug. Officially, his role is to help reform the Port Authority in line with the governor's goals. But unofficially, he's basically operating as the governor's Speaker 8 (14:57) enforcer at the agency. And when a small-town mayor dares to defy a request from the governor, David will help make him Speaker 1 (15:05) pay. It's 2010, and Mayor Mark from Fort Lee is pulling up to Drum Thwacket, the governor's mansion in Princeton, New Jersey. It looks like a mini White House with columns in both the West and East Wing. It's been updated to add some modern touches, but it still has that creaky floor, crystal chandelier in every room kind of vibe. Your grandmother would call it fancy. Mark is led into a dining room, along with a few other Jersey mayors, to meet Governor Christie. As beef tenderloin is served, the governor talks to them about reducing the tax burden on their citizens. This may seem like run-of-the-mill FaceTime between politicians at different levels of government, but Mark knows that he is being wined and dined. Ever since the governor was inaugurated a few months earlier, Mark has been receiving gifts from the governor's office. And they keep coming after this lunch. Seats in the governor's box at a New York Giants game, an offer to attend a taping of Speaker 8 (16:07) MSNBC's Morning Joe, a private tour of the Ground Zero Memorial for some of Mark's out-of-town relatives. Mark knows Speaker 1 (16:14) perks like these don't come for free. And sure enough, The ask eventually comes when Christie's team starts calling Mark and not so subtly hinting that, when it comes time for re-election, they want him to publicly support the governor. Even though Christie's a Republican and Mark is a Democratic mayor in a predominantly Democratic town, Christie wants to be seen as a bipartisan guy who can work across the aisle. Mark punts the issue down the road.