Eighteen more subpoenas were issues on Monday as the committee tasked with probing the September closing of George Washington Bridge access lanes by an ally of Gov. Chris Christie widens an investigation that has already touched some of the governor's closest aides, according to the Associated Press.
According to an anonymous source, 14 individuals will get new subpoenas, including two custodians of records for state agencies, the State Police aviation unit and Christie's office and campaign, which were previously subpoenaed as well, the AP reported. Two other individuals mentioned were also previously subpoenaed.
The committee is looking at the aviation unit, which operates the helicopter the governor uses, to see whether Christie flew near Fort Lee in a helicopter during the closing of the access lanes between Sept. 9 and 13, a second source close to the investigation said, according to the AP.
After a two-hour closed door session the Joint Legislative Select Committee on Investigation's special counsel announced the would widen the investigation and issues more subpoenas, the AP reported.
Eight Democratic committee members voted in favor of six motions, and all four Republican members abstaining from each, saying they didn't have enough time to absorb all the legal information, according to the AP.
Assemblyman Gregory McGuckin, R-Ocean, who was filling in for Assemblywoman Amy Handlin, R-Monmouth, said, "It's a very complicated legal issue - Fifth Amendment rights," the AP reported.
Assemblyman John Wisniewski, D-Middlesex and co-chair of the committee, said, "There are no Democratic facts or Republican facts here, just the facts," in response to the Republican's actions, according to the AP.
The four other employees in Christie's office that are also being issued subpoenas are: Nicole Crifo, who is senior counsel in the Authorities Unit; Jeanne Ashmore, director of constituent relations; Rosemary Iannacone, director of operations; and Barbara Panebianco, executive assistant to Kelly, who sent the now-famous "time for some traffic problems" email that appears to have set in motion the lane closings, the AP reported.
