Mind you too that Wildstein is the guy who went and bought domain names for other Port Authority officials and for Barbara Buono, Christie’s opponent in the election. No reason was ever stated for why he did this.

It is not clear why Wildstein, a childhood friend of Christie’s, has been collecting domain names. In some cases, the Web addresses he’s purchased have been in the names of presumed adversaries, like Foye. But he also reserved Internet addresses for people he admires, such as the late U.S. Rep. Bob Franks, and a friend’s newborn baby.

The domain names often have a common thread, revealing hints of humor and secrecy in a man who once anonymously ran PolitickerNJ under the pseudonym of Wally Edge, the name of a former Republican governor.

None of the names are redirected to sinister websites. In fact, most take users to the website of Wildstein’s favorite baseball team, the Yankees.

Still, many targets had no idea that Wildstein reserved their Internet identities and some were stunned when they learned of purchases last week.

Foye “absolutely did not know,” that Wildstein in April had purchased patfoye.com, a Port Authority spokeswoman, Lisa MacSpadden, said on Friday. “He’s very disturbed and bewildered by that revelation.”

Wildstein purchased buonosilva.org on July 26 — the day it was made public that Buono would announce Milly Silva as her running mate. The same day, Wildstein purchased millysilva.com, according to a database of Internet domain names.

“It’s amusing, but also creepy and strange,” Silva said last week. “The notion that this person purchased domain names I might seek to use is troubling.”

Wildstein declined to be interviewed for this article or to explain why he has compiled an inventory of domain names over the years. Internet records show he has purchased at least 48 and has renewed some of them annually. Domain names typically cost less than $10 for a year’s exclusive use of the domain name.

Christie’s ally

Christie’s top political strategist, Mike DuHaime, said neither he nor the governor knew that Wildstein had been purchasing the opposition’s domain names.

“This was done independently of the campaign and without any authorization,” he said. “The governor had no knowledge either.”

Wildstein, who prefers to work in the background, has come under intense scrutiny as controversy has mushroomed over his decision to close two of three access lanes from Fort Lee to the George Washington Bridge in September.

This too is likely to come back with the investigations. Christie’s campaign says they didn’t know what Wildstein was doing, but now one has to wonder if Kelly was involved in some fashion given the way she was implicated in the lane closures.