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David Samson, a Christie Associate, to Plead Guilty to a Felony David Samson, a Christie Associate, to Plead Guilty to a Felony
(35 minutes later)
David Samson, a close associate of Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, will plead guilty Thursday to a felony in connection with the federal prosecution of the intentional tie-up of traffic at the George Washington Bridge in 2013, a person familiar with the investigation said.David Samson, a close associate of Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, will plead guilty Thursday to a felony in connection with the federal prosecution of the intentional tie-up of traffic at the George Washington Bridge in 2013, a person familiar with the investigation said.
Federal prosecutors in New Jersey have scheduled a news conference for 2 p.m. Thursday after a 12:30 p.m. proceeding in United States District Court in Newark. The inspector general of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will attend the news conference, the prosecutor’s office said.Federal prosecutors in New Jersey have scheduled a news conference for 2 p.m. Thursday after a 12:30 p.m. proceeding in United States District Court in Newark. The inspector general of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will attend the news conference, the prosecutor’s office said.
Mr. Samson was the chairman of the Port Authority, which owns and operates the bridge, when the scheme was hatched by allies of Mr. Christie. Federal prosecutors investigated Mr. Samson’s use of his position at the Port Authority to benefit himself and his former law firm, Wolff & Samson.Mr. Samson was the chairman of the Port Authority, which owns and operates the bridge, when the scheme was hatched by allies of Mr. Christie. Federal prosecutors investigated Mr. Samson’s use of his position at the Port Authority to benefit himself and his former law firm, Wolff & Samson.
That investigation homed in on Mr. Samson’s dealings with officials of United Airlines, the main tenant of Newark Liberty International Airport, which is also run by the Port Authority. United had been operating weekly flights between Newark and a small airport in Columbia, S.C., that was near a home owned by Mr. Samson.That investigation homed in on Mr. Samson’s dealings with officials of United Airlines, the main tenant of Newark Liberty International Airport, which is also run by the Port Authority. United had been operating weekly flights between Newark and a small airport in Columbia, S.C., that was near a home owned by Mr. Samson.
Mr. Samson and his wife were regular passengers on the sparsely used route, which was called “the chairman’s flight” by Port Authority officials. United halted the flight three days after Mr. Samson, who was appointed by Mr. Christie, resigned from the Port Authority in March 2014.Mr. Samson and his wife were regular passengers on the sparsely used route, which was called “the chairman’s flight” by Port Authority officials. United halted the flight three days after Mr. Samson, who was appointed by Mr. Christie, resigned from the Port Authority in March 2014.
His guilty plea comes a day before Donald J. Trump, the presumptive Republican candidate for president, said he would announce his choice to be his running mate. Mr. Christie, who leads Mr. Trump’s transition team, is among a handful of candidates who have been vetted by the Trump campaign. His guilty plea would come a day before Donald J. Trump, the presumptive Republican candidate for president, said he would announce his choice to be his running mate. Mr. Christie, who leads Mr. Trump’s transition team, is among a handful of candidates who have been vetted by the Trump campaign.
A felony plea would be the climax of a long, slow fall from power for Mr. Samson, who has been close to state officials for decades. He was an adviser to two former governors, Thomas H. Kean, a Republican, and James J. Florio, a Democrat, as well as chief counsel to the New Jersey Turnpike Authority in the 1980s. “If Christie’s chances weren’t dead already, I would think that this Samson thing would be the big flashing light that says if you pick Chris Christie this campaign will end up being about Chris Christie,” said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute. “Even Donald Trump, who generally doesn’t care about the normal concerns that other candidates have, would have to look at this and say, ‘Would I really want to be dealing with this?’”
But his alliance with Mr. Christie, a Republican, appears to have been the strongest. He was counsel to Mr. Christie’s 2009 campaign for governor and led his transition committee. Later, Mr. Samson was among the close advisers who traveled to Arizona with the governor in November, when Mr. Christie became chairman of the Republican Governors Association. Mr. Samson also accompanied Mr. Christie to the Republican National Convention in 2012, according to an associate. Mr. Murray noted that Mr. Christie’s job-approval ratings are at all-time lows, below 30 percent approval in all of the major polls in New Jersey.
It has been a long, slow fall from power for Mr. Samson, who has been close to state officials for decades. He was an adviser to two former governors, Thomas H. Kean, a Republican, and James J. Florio, a Democrat, as well as chief counsel to the New Jersey Turnpike Authority in the 1980s.
But Mr. Samson’s alliance with Mr. Christie, a Republican, appears to have been the strongest. He was counsel to Mr. Christie’s 2009 campaign for governor and led his transition committee. Later, Mr. Samson was among the close advisers who traveled to Arizona with the governor in November, when Mr. Christie became chairman of the Republican Governors Association. Mr. Samson also accompanied Mr. Christie to the Republican National Convention in 2012, according to an associate.
Wolff & Samson, which Mr. Samson helped found, enjoyed close ties to New Jersey’s government for decades. The firm served as outside counsel to state agencies and also lobbied agencies on behalf of clients seeking state contracts, favorable regulatory changes and approvals for large development projects.Wolff & Samson, which Mr. Samson helped found, enjoyed close ties to New Jersey’s government for decades. The firm served as outside counsel to state agencies and also lobbied agencies on behalf of clients seeking state contracts, favorable regulatory changes and approvals for large development projects.
After Mr. Samson retired from the firm in 2015, it was immediately renamed Chiesa, Shahinian & Giantomasi. Jeff Chiesa, a name partner at the firm, worked for Mr. Christie in the United States attorney’s office in New Jersey, and as his chief counsel and attorney general when he became governor. Mr. Christie also appointed him to temporarily fill the United States Senate seat left open when Frank R. Lautenberg, a Democrat, died in 2013.After Mr. Samson retired from the firm in 2015, it was immediately renamed Chiesa, Shahinian & Giantomasi. Jeff Chiesa, a name partner at the firm, worked for Mr. Christie in the United States attorney’s office in New Jersey, and as his chief counsel and attorney general when he became governor. Mr. Christie also appointed him to temporarily fill the United States Senate seat left open when Frank R. Lautenberg, a Democrat, died in 2013.