Trump hires former Christie aide fired amid Bridgegate scandal

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) may have cut Bill Stepien loose in the wake of the Bridgegate scandal, but he's found a home in the incoming Donald Trump administration.

On Wednesday, Trump announced that Stepien, who joined his campaign over the summer, will serve as White House political director and deputy assistant to the president. Stepien was Christie's manager during both of his gubernatorial campaigns and was part of his senior staff, but after documents were released in January 2014 that detailed lane shutdowns on the George Washington Bridge in order to punish Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich (D) for refusing to endorse Christie's re-election, the governor said emails showed Stepien had "callous indifference" for Sokolich, NJ.com reports. Christie not only banished him from his circle and said he "lost confidence" in his judgment, but also removed him from jobs in New Jersey GOP and the Republican Governors Association.

Stepien was not charged in the scandal, but a person prosecuted for his role in the scheme said Stepien was aware of what was going on and prosecutors suggested that he was a driving force behind the culture in Christie's office that led to the misconduct.

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