Schar is a current partner at Jenner & Block LLP and is the co-chair of the firm's White Collar Defense and Investigation Practice. Since joining the firm in 2012, he has worked on a number of government investigations acting as a special counsel.
Schar's appointment was announced on Wednesday. Assembly leaders also announced on Wednesday appointments to the 12-person committee created to investigate the Washington bridge lane closure scandal. The committee has eight Democrats and four Republicans, and would be led by Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D., Middlesex), who also oversaw the legislative probe into the incident.
Governor Christie has denied any knowledge of any plot to create traffic obstructions and a recent media poll shows that a majority of voters do not believe that Christie was personally involved in the bridge lane closures. Last week, Christie fired one of his top aides and dismissed another political adviser close to him, after e-mails subpoenaed by Wisniewski's committee showed the apparent existence of a plot by allies of Christie to jam traffic in Fort Lee. It has been pointed out that the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee had refused to endorse Christie's reelection.
The subpoena power of Wisniewski's committee expired this week with the start of the new legislative session. A special session of the Assembly was called to reauthorize the subpoena powers and create the new investigative committee.
