David Samson (lawyer)

David Samson
David Samson
Born	August 14, 1939 (age 87); Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation	Attorney
Known for	New Jersey Attorney General (2002–2003), Chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (2011–2014)

David Samson (born August 14, 1939) is an American attorney who held the position of New Jersey Attorney General during the administration of Democratic governor Jim McGreevey from 2002 to 2003. He served as chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) from 2011 until his departure on March 28, 2014, which followed the Fort Lee lane closure scandal. As a co-founder of the law firm Wolff & Samson, he stepped down in April 2015 and was recognized as a close associate of Governor Chris Christie.

On July 14, 2016, Samson admitted guilt to a felony charge involving a conspiracy to obstruct an airport development project aimed at pressuring United Airlines to resume a canceled flight near his property in South Carolina. He received a $100,000 fine and was sentenced to one year of home detention at that vacation residence.

Early life and education

Born into a Jewish family in Newark, Samson grew up in Hillside, Union County, New Jersey. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from Rutgers University in 1961 and earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1965.

Career in New Jersey government and politics

Samson began his professional journey clerking for Associate Justice Nathan L. Jacobs on the New Jersey Supreme Court.

Between 2002 and 2003, he acted as New Jersey Attorney General under Governor Jim McGreevey, managing divisions such as Criminal Justice, State Police, Consumer Affairs, and Gaming Enforcement. In his role as Chairman of the New Jersey Domestic Security Preparedness Task Force, he led counter-terrorism coordination efforts throughout the New Jersey-New York region.

A trusted advisor and ally of Chris Christie, Samson served as legal counsel for Christie's 2009 gubernatorial campaign and chaired his transition team. Additionally, he fulfilled responsibilities as a court-appointed labor union trustee, civil litigation discovery master, and federal monitor pursuant to a Department of Justice deferred prosecution agreement.

Governors James Florio and Thomas Kean appointed Samson to various commissions focusing on health care cost management and university governance reforms. From 1982 until 1990, he held the position of general counsel for the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. His service extended to roles on the Supreme Court of New Jersey’s ethics committee and advisory panels concerning governmental immunity and judicial appointments.

Governor Christie nominated Samson to join the Board of Commissioners for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on September 30, 2010. The New Jersey Senate confirmed this nomination in January 2011, after which Samson was elected Chairman on February 3, 2011.

In May 2013, he was honored with Essex County's Star of Essex award during the county’s Jewish Heritage Celebration.

Following Senator Frank Lautenberg’s passing in June 2013, Samson was considered as a possible appointee to fill the U.S. Senate vacancy; however, Governor Christie selected Samson's former law partner, Jeffrey Chiesa, instead.

Fort Lee lane closure scandal

In January 2014, emails obtained through subpoenas revealed that Samson sought to retaliate against Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) Executive Director Patrick J. Foye, who had leaked an email dated September 13, 2013. This email criticized the unauthorized shutdown of two toll lanes on the George Washington Bridge. Samson expressed support for David Wildstein, who resigned in December 2013 due to involvement in the lane closures. These developments intensified speculation regarding Samson’s role. His emails contained strong criticism toward Foye’s directive to reopen the lanes, accusing him of "stirring up trouble." To manage legal challenges, Samson engaged attorneys including Michael Chertoff from Covington & Burling and counsel from Genova Burns Giantomasi Webster.

On February 19, 2014, Samson issued an apology on behalf of the commissioners "for inconvenience caused to our travelers," yet did not explicitly acknowledge the deliberate traffic disruptions or their effects on Fort Lee’s municipal services and officials. The Star-Ledger, New Jersey's largest newspaper, characterized this apology as "too little, too late," highlighting Samson’s shortcomings and conflicts of interest while demanding his resignation. Subpoenaed documents underscored Samson’s significant involvement in Port Authority affairs.

Conflict of interest accusations and departure

Numerous dealings involving Wolff and Samson with the Port Authority attracted media attention over possible conflicts of interest. Investigations uncovered that Samson cast votes approving multimillion-dollar contracts awarded to Railroad Construction Company Inc, a firm whose owner was a client of Samson's legal practice. In March 2014, The New York Times reported on how clients of Samson's law firm gained financially from Port Authority contracts during his tenure as chairman, highlighting monetary advantages for Samson himself and political benefits for Governor Christie.

Patrick Foye, serving as Executive Director of the Port Authority, openly questioned Samson’s ethical suitability to continue leading the organization. The New Jersey Working Families Alliance filed an ethics complaint accusing Samson of exploiting his position to favor clients represented by his law firm.

Although the Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders has no direct oversight of the Port Authority, it demanded the resignation of Samson and other commissioners appointed by New Jersey due to their insufficient handling of the Bridgegate incident. Bergen County, New Jersey’s most populous region, includes Fort Lee and neighboring areas impacted by the controversial lane closures.

Prominent regional media outlets such as The Star-Ledger, The Record, The New York Times, and Daily News, along with Bergen County officials, publicly called for Samson’s resignation.

While Governor Christie initially voiced strong backing for Samson in late February 2014, he later announced Samson’s immediate departure on March 28, 2014.

In December 2014, Samson and his law firm filed a federal lawsuit against the New Jersey State Ethics Commission, contesting its jurisdiction to investigate Port Authority commissioners; this lawsuit was withdrawn later that same month.

Federal inquiries into the "chairman’s flight" and guilty plea

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, under Preet Bharara’s leadership, launched an investigation into Samson’s role as chairman of the Port Authority.

On March 7, 2014, federal prosecutors issued subpoenas to the Port Authority seeking documents related to Samson’s private business activities but retracted these requests on March 10 due to a concurrent investigation by the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey concerning toll lane closures.

In January 2015, prosecutors subpoenaed information regarding Samson’s personal travel habits and his connections with United Airlines, Newark Liberty International Airport’s principal carrier. The inquiry centered on a nonstop flight route between Newark and Columbia Metropolitan Airport in South Carolina, close to Samson’s weekend residence. United Airlines discontinued this route on April 1, 2014—just three days after Samson stepped down. Samson had referred to this twice-weekly service as “the chairman’s flight.” The Port Authority fully cooperated with the investigation. Additional subpoenas were issued in August 2015. Subsequently, in September 2015, several top executives at United Airlines resigned amid the ongoing probe.

Amid reports of an extensive investigation in April 2015, Samson retired from Wolff & Samson after a 44-year career. Following his departure, the firm was renamed Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi P.C.

On July 14, 2016, in U.S. District Court, Samson entered a guilty plea to one felony conspiracy charge related to obstructing an airport hangar project intended to pressure United Airlines into reinstating the Columbia flight. He was ordered to pay a $100,000 fine and received a sentence of one year under home confinement at his vacation home in South Carolina.

Official misconduct allegations

On April 4, 2017, Bill Brennan, a Democratic activist, submitted a citizen's complaint to the Newark municipal court, asserting that Samson's admissions of extortion and bribery amounted to official misconduct. However, Essex County Judge Marvin Adames dismissed the case, determining that Brennan did not have the legal standing required to pursue the claim.

External links

Chronology of "Chairman's Flight" developments as presented by
- WNYC-FM/AM (New York Public Radio)
Indictment details for David Samson, filed on July 14, 2016

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