Chris Christie knew about Bridgegate plot, prosecutors say
The corruption trial over New Jersey's "Bridgegate" scandal, which relates to a 2013 incident where several lanes of the George Washington Bridge were reportedly closed for political vengeance reasons, started Monday in Newark with U.S. prosecutors alleging New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) knew of the plot as it unfolded. The New York Times reports prosecutors made the claim during opening statements, where two former Christie administration officials are on trial: Bridget Anne Kelly, Christie's former deputy chief of staff, and Bill Baroni, former deputy executive director of the Port Authority, which oversees the bridge.
Kelly and Baroni are accused of conspiring to close bridge access lanes in Fort Lee, New Jersey, in September 2013, to retaliate against Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich (D) for not endorsing Christie in that year's gubernatorial race. Another Port Authority official, David Wildstein, has already pleaded guilty and is expected to be a "star witness" for the prosecution, Philly Voice reports; he was the recipient of Kelly's now-famous email in August 2013 calling for "some traffic problems in Fort Lee." The next month, on Sept. 9, two of the three lanes that allow commuters access to the George Washington Bridge were closed, causing gridlock in Sokolich's riverside town.
Lawyers for the defense had previously claimed Christie knew of the plot, though Christie himself has consistently denied knowledge of the closings since they occurred. In November 2013, Christie coasted to re-election by claiming 60 percent of the vote, and after a failed run for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination has become a top surrogate for the party's standard-bearer, Donald Trump.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kimberly Alters is the news editor at TheWeek.com. She is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91
Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Moldova's pro-West president wins 2nd term
Speed Read Maia Sandu beat Alexandr Stoianoglo, despite suspicions of Russia meddling in the election
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
2024 race ends with swing state barnstorming
Speed Read Kamala Harris and Donald Trump held rallies in battlegrounds over the weekend
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditions
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billion
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on record
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homes
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creature
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published