Twenty subpoenas were handed out to 17 individuals and three organizations on Thursday as an investigation into the George Washington Bridge scandal continues, the Associated Press reported.
A legislative panel consisting of two New Jersey legislative committees, the U.S. attorney's office in New Jersey, and the chairman of a U.S. Senate committee will begin to investigate an "political payback scheme" led by close associates and aides of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, the AP reported.
Assemblyman John Wisniewski said the recipients of the subpoenas could not be named until after they were served, the AP reported.
With the investigation unfolding, Christie announced he has decided to hire a legal team led by former federal prosecutor Randy Mastro to assist with administration duties, according to the AP.
In a statement released by the Christie administration, the team is being hired to "review best practices for office operations and information flow, and assist with document retention and production," the AP reported.
The subpoenas were issued on the same day Christie made held the first event since the scandal broke on Jan. 8 to the "Republican Ocean County" where he spoke to the crowd about his continuing efforts on rebuilding communities affected by Sandy and dodged any questions related to the bridge scandal, according to the AP.
"I am focused as completely this morning as I was when I woke up on the morning of Oct. 30, 2012, and nothing will distract me from getting the job done," Christie told the crowd, according to the AP. "Nothing."
Christie has come under favorable spotlight as a Republican contender for the 2016 presidential elections because of his recovery work which helped produce a reputation of him being a "no-nonsense, hard-driving governor" who will look past labels and work with Democrats, the AP reported.
Those who were in attendance in Ocean County said the bridge scandal involving Christie aides and associates hadn't made a difference in their view of the governor, according to the AP.
"You do pay attention," Rob Hunsberger, a homebuilder who is rebuilding houses wrecked by the storm, told the AP. "But there are bigger problems that people are having."
