Skip to main content

Christie aide: I didn’t alert bosses about jams

By WTOP Staff

GEOFF MULVIHILL
Associated Press

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — An aide to Gov. Chris Christie said Thursday that she did not alert any of her bosses when she learned about the closure of lanes leading up to the George Washington Bridge in part because she believed someone else was trying to get to the bottom of it.

Regina Egea testified before a legislative panel that is investigating the closures, which appear to have been carried out for political retribution and have become a major distraction for Christie, a possible 2016 Republican presidential contender.

She was forwarded an email last September from Patrick Foye, executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, ordering that the lanes be reopened and suggesting that their closure may have broken the law.

Egea said the authority’s deputy executive director, Christie appointee Bill Baroni, called her, explained the situation and then forwarded the email from Foye.

Assemblyman John Wisniewski, a co-chairman of the committee, asked her if she thought closing lanes was something the Port Authority might be involved with. She said it was.

“That they would do traffic studies, absolutely, and that they would look for ways to enhance the customer experience,” said Egea, who said she normally would not get involved with what she called operational issues at the independent and semi-independent authorities she oversees such as the Port Authority, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and New Jersey Transit.

She said she understood the accusations from Foye, an appointee of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, as part of a dispute between the two states’ contingents, something that was common.

She also said she did not feel a need to investigate further because Foye was reviewing what happened. Some committee members blasted her for not following up on that report — which has never been produced.

“I have been bothered for a long time about the curious lack of curiosity,” said Sen. Loretta Weinberg, a Democrat and co-chair of the committee. Egea later said she should have had a date in mind to ask for such a report from Foye.

Egea testified that during a December legislative hearing about the lane closures — like others in the administration, she called them a “realignment” — she texted Christie about testimony from Port Authority officials, including complimenting the professionalism of one of them.

But she said she deleted the messages, and said she was inconsistent about which messages she saved and which she did not.

Weinberg asked whether she purged those messages before or after the story erupted into a major distraction.

“I don’t know,” Egea said. “I believe it was before, but I don’t know.”

She told the panel that the December hearing made her realize that abruptly closing lanes was not the only way to study new traffic patterns, a method Baroni had defended. “The testimony on the 9th certainly caused me to question the deputy’s judgment,” she said.

Egea is the fifth member of Christie’s administration to testify before the legislative panel, but she may be the last for a while.

She was one of 13 people on a list of potential witnesses the committee compiled last month. Wisniewski said the U.S. attorney’s office, which is also probing what happened, advised the lawmakers’ lawyer not to call about half the people on the list, at least for now.

No one else has been sent a subpoena to appear and no other committee hearings are scheduled.

Before Thursday’s hearing, Republicans lawmakers reiterated their concerns that the legislative probe is focused on politics rather than fact-finding and that it’s not accomplishing anything.

“It appears that the U.S. attorney is trying to turn off the John Wisniewski show,” Republican Assembly Leader Jon Bramnick said. “But John Wisniewski doesn’t want to turn off the lights.”

Even during the hearing, there was sparring. When one member left, Sen. Kevin O’Toole, a Republican, asked whether it was proper to go ahead with only half of the committee’s 12 members. A lawyer for the Legislature said the hearing could continue, though no votes could be taken.

Also Thursday, U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman said at an unrelated news conference that media reports on where his office stands on its investigation are “almost entirely incorrect.” He didn’t specify which reports he meant.

___

Follow Mulvihill at http://www.twitter.com/geoffmulvihill

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote