David Samson, a former trusted adviser to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and one of the top figures who resigned in the wake of the Bridge-gate scandal in 2014, will plead guilty to a single felony charge in another case involving an alleged misuse of his position, the
Observer reports.
Samson, who was chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, will apparently be charged in connection to what became known as the "chairman's flight," according to a former prosecutor.
That refers to allegations that United Airlines, the largest airline at Newark Liberty Airport, operated a money-losing, often empty non-stop flight to Columbia, South Carolina, about 50 miles from Samson's vacation home, for the purpose of getting on his good side to aid United's extensive business with the Port Authority.
These suspicions were enhanced when United cancelled the route days after Samson resigned.
After federal prosecutors started to subpoena records regarding this arrangement last year as part of an investigation, United CEO Jeff Smisek also resigned.
Samson quit as chairman of the Port Authority when evidence began to surface that he had played a role in Bridge-gate and tried to limit the political fallout for Christie, according to
The New York Times.
Bridge-gate refers to the collusion of Christie political appointees in 2014 to create traffic jams in Fort Lee, New Jersey by closing lanes at the main toll plaza, apparently in retribution against the city's mayor for not endorsing Christie in the election for governor the year before.
The Observer said that Samson will not be cooperating with prosecutors and won't testify against others who might be involved in this scandal or in Bridge-gate.
Christie is under new scrutiny over Bridge-gate following last week's disclosure that a personal email account he used during the affair was never seen by investigators.
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