Pssssssst!!! There Still May Be Options for Federal Investigators Probing the LaneClosures

http://www.northjersey.com/news/gwb-scandal-there-was-a-traffic-jam-but-was-there-a-crime-1.750962
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It was a traffic jam apparently created for political retribution — not an allegation of bribery or kickbacks — that set off the chain of events that has enveloped Governor Christie’s administration in a scandal that has threatened to derail his presidential ambitions.

But a group of former prosecutors, law professors and criminal defense attorneys say there still may be options for federal investigators probing the lane closures. Among them are laws and legal opinions that have deep roots in constitutional law, they say. And each of those options, while presenting a viable route to prosecution, also presents problems relating to proof.

“There’s a provision of the federal law that makes it a crime to interfere with the right of interstate travel,” said Stephen Gillers, a New York University law professor who has written widely on legal and judicial ethics. “It’s a rather broad statute, and given the clear, undeniable fact that movement across a state line was impeded, it seems to be a statute that would attract the interest of federal prosecutors.”

That statute was a key in prosecuting several cases involving discrimination and violence against African-Americans in the 1960s. Other statutes that might apply include those that relate to conspiracy and extortion, but they present tough hurdles for prosecutors. And if it turns out there was a coverup, charges for obstruction of justice could be used, experts said.

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