HOBOKEN–The Hoboken City Council last month approved a one year extension to the city’s contract with Gerald Krovatin, the lawyer appointed to represent city officials in the U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman’s investigation of Governor Chris Christie.
Last January, Mayor Dawn Zimmer alleged that high-ranking members of the Christie administration had linked Sandy relief aid for Hoboken to support for a development project in the city.
During a May 2013 walkthrough at the Hoboken ShopRite, Zimmer alleges. Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno implied that Sandy aid might depend on the advancement of a development project proposed by the Rockefeller Group in the north end of Hoboken. At the time, the Rockefeller Group was represented by attorney David Samson, who has been linked to Gov. Chris Christie.
Guadagno and Christie have stridently denied Zimmer’s allegations.
The Zimmer administration requested the contract extension at the Jan. 21 council meeting. On Wednesday, Zimmer characterized the move as a housekeeping measure.
The not-to-exceed amount of $17,000 on Krovatin’s original contract has not been exhausted, said Zimmer, and keeping the contract open will allow Krovatin to provide additional legal services related to the U.S. Attorney investigation if needed over the next year.
When asked whether anyone from her administration had recently communicated with representatives from Fishman’s office, Zimmer declined to comment.
Fishman has yet to issue any indictments resulting from his several investigations into Christie over the Hoboken sandy aid, retaliatory lane closures on the George Washington Bridge, and other issues.
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