23. Bridgegate: Behind the Scenes at the Port Authority During the 2013 Scandal, with Anthony Hayes

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The George Washington Bridge between Manhattan and New Jersey is the world’s busiest motor vehicle crossing, carrying more than 103 million vehicles a year over the Hudson River.

And so in 2013, when accusations came out that hand-picked members of former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s staff deliberately caused massive traffic backups on and around the bridge, the story made national headlines... and that was before revelations that the shenanigans were likely tied to political motivations.

But for Anthony Hayes, the Bridgegate scandal was more than a flashy cable news headline. As the Assistant Director of Communications and Media at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, it was his job to manage the public relations fallout from the scandal.

Anthony’s tale is a telling tutorial in managing the reputation of a public institution damaged by private petty partisanship. And his behind-the-scenes insights shed new light on a scandal that many say ended Chris Christie’s 2016 presidential campaign before it really even had a chance to get off the ground.

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