New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, right, phoned New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, left, in 2013 with a colorful message for the head of the New York and New Jersey Port Authority. | AP Photo Report: Christie asked Gov. Cuomo to tell Port Authority executive director to "f--k off"

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie once phoned New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and told him to tell Pat Foye, the executive director of the New York and New Jersey Port Authority "to f--k off."

The call in December 2013 and Christie's colorful language is detailed in a newly released book, American Governor: Chris Christie's Bridge to Redemption by Matt Katz.


Christie, according to the account, made the call after Foye, speaking under oath, said he was "not aware of any traffic study" during questioning about the "Bridgegate" scandal that once threatened to derail Christie's political career. Christie has denied knowing anything about the shutting down of the lanes of traffic on the George Washington Bridge in 2013. Federal officials indicted Christie's former deputy chief of staff as well as two Port Authority officials in May, alleging they carried out an act of political vengeance on a mayor who would not endorse Christie's re-election campaign.

Christie, according to Katz, was listening to the hearings on his computer and quickly texted Regina Egea, his incoming chief of staff and also his aide charged with liaising with the Port Authority. He then called Cuomo, who had appointed Foye to the Port Authority post.

"I told Cuomo to tell Pat Foye to fuck off," Christie told his staff, according to the book. Foye had written emails quoted in the press that were critical about the lane closures.

The book is full of other juicy nuggets, including the 2016 Republican presidential candidate describing the marital problems he had with his wife, and a spat he got into with Sen. Rand Paul.

That feud started when Christie said he was against Paul's call to dismantle the government's federal surveillance program. Paul snapped back that Christie loved government largesse as illustrated by his efforts to get federal relief aid after hurricane Sandy. Paul said it was "gimme gimme gimme" and that the New Jersey governor was the "king of bacon." Eventually Paul tried to thaw relations by proposing a beer summit in 2013. That didn't happen though and in the end Paul sent flowers to Christie.