Testimony: Christie pals OK'd gridlock, campaign chief knew

A political revenge scheme to create traffic gridlock near the George Washington Bridge in 2013 was approved by two former allies of Republican Gov. Chris Christie on trial for fraud and shared with Christie's

News 12 Staff

Sep 27, 2016, 1:47 AM

Updated 2,778 days ago

Share:

Testimony: Christie pals OK'd gridlock, campaign chief knew
A political revenge scheme to create traffic gridlock near the George Washington Bridge in 2013 was approved by two former allies of Republican Gov. Chris Christie on trial for fraud and shared with Christie's then-campaign manager, the government's key witness testified Monday.
David Wildstein also told jurors how he received the now-famous "Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee" email from Christie's then-deputy chief of staff, Bridget Kelly, on Aug. 13, 2013, about a month before the town next to the bridge was engulfed in four days of epic traffic jams.
Kelly, who is expected to testify in her defense, has previously said some of her emails and texts from that period were meant to be sarcastic and were taken out of context.
But Wildstein, a former official at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey who has pleaded guilty, told jurors Monday he assumed it meant it was time to put the scheme in action to punish Fort Lee's Democratic mayor, Mark Sokolich.
"I understood that to mean it was time to change the lanes configuration at the upper level of the George Washington Bridge in order to create traffic in the borough of Fort Lee," Wildstein said. "We had had joking emails before. I did not think she was joking."
According to Wildstein, the email set in motion a chain of events that ultimately led to last year's indictment of Kelly and former Port Authority executive Bill Baroni on fraud, conspiracy and civil rights deprivation charges.
In the days and weeks that followed, he testified, he went to Port Authority officials and sold them the story that the lane realignment was part of a traffic study. But he said he told at least two people the true reason: Bill Stepien, Christie's manager for his 2013 re-election campaign, and William "Pat" Schuber, a Port Authority commissioner nominated by Christie in 2011.
Schuber testified before a New Jersey legislative committee in 2014 that he had no prior knowledge of the plot.
Democratic state Sen. Loretta Weinberg, who co-chaired the committee, called Monday's revelation "personally disappointing" and said Schuber should resign if Wildstein is telling the truth.
A message left for Schuber at the Port Authority wasn't immediately returned Monday.
Christie hasn't been charged, but prosecutors say Wildstein will testify that he told the governor about the plot on the third of the four days of traffic chaos. Christie has denied that.
Both defendants say Wildstein conceived and carried out the scheme in September 2013. The bridge, one of the world's busiest, spans the Hudson River and connects New Jersey with New York City.
Last week, Wildstein testified that Christie's office used the Port Authority as a source of political favors for local Democratic officials whose endorsements were sought for his 2013 re-election. Christie wound up winning easily.
Wildstein said Christie and Stepien were among those who discussed the strategy at a meeting about Christie's re-election.
Christie cut ties with Stepien in January 2014 after emails released by a state legislative panel showed him referring to Fort Lee's mayor as an "idiot." Stepien had just been selected to run the state Republican party and had been in line to run what became Christie's failed presidential campaign.
He now works for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's campaign.
Stepien's attorney, Kevin Marino, didn't immediately return a message seeking comment on Wildstein's testimony.
Marino has said Stepien told Christie in mid-December 2013 that he was advised beforehand that the lane changes were for a traffic study and was one of many "crazy ideas" brought to him by Wildstein. Christie told reporters the following day that no one close to him had prior knowledge of the operation.
Kelly and Baroni say the government has twisted federal law to turn their actions into crimes. They also have said other people with more power and influence were involved in the lane closures but aren't being prosecuted.
Wildstein is scheduled to return to the stand on Tuesday.


More from News 12
Police: Construction worker dies after falling into trench in Kenilworth

Police: Construction worker dies after falling into trench in Kenilworth

1:28
Death of New Jersey state trooper during training incident prompts investigation

Death of New Jersey state trooper during training incident prompts investigation

2:00
Fog clears out this afternoon; rogue rain showers continue in New Jersey

Fog clears out this afternoon; rogue rain showers continue in New Jersey

0:22
Upgrades underway at Newark Liberty International Airport’s Terminal A

Upgrades underway at Newark Liberty International Airport’s Terminal A

1:32
How to prepare for spotted lanternfly season

How to prepare for spotted lanternfly season

0:28
Police: 23-year-old man drowns at beach in Spring Lake

Police: 23-year-old man drowns at beach in Spring Lake

0:25
Officials: 2 firefighters hospitalized; dog dies in Wayne house fire

Officials: 2 firefighters hospitalized; dog dies in Wayne house fire

0:19
Fire officials: Driver extricated from car following Lyndhurst crash

Fire officials: Driver extricated from car following Lyndhurst crash

0:29
Department of Justice: 2 men sentenced for defrauding JetBlue Airways of $10 million

Department of Justice: 2 men sentenced for defrauding JetBlue Airways of $10 million

0:59
Jersey Buzz: Newark's Frankie Valli receives star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

Jersey Buzz: Newark's Frankie Valli receives star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

0:26
Three groups are suing New Jersey to block an offshore wind farm

Three groups are suing New Jersey to block an offshore wind farm

1:59
Asian Pacific American Heritage: News 12 speaks to 1st woman & Asian-American to lead New Jersey National Guard

Asian Pacific American Heritage: News 12 speaks to 1st woman & Asian-American to lead New Jersey National Guard

1:55
'Real Housewives' star Margaret Joseph's Soiree mocktail is Made In New Jersey

'Real Housewives' star Margaret Joseph's Soiree mocktail is Made In New Jersey

2:13
'This was a remarkable recovery': I-95 officially operating at full capacity

'This was a remarkable recovery': I-95 officially operating at full capacity

New Jersey National Teacher Appreciation Week Photos

New Jersey National Teacher Appreciation Week Photos

2:15
Turn To Tara explores how to stay safe from ‘cyber kidnapping’ scams

Turn To Tara explores how to stay safe from ‘cyber kidnapping’ scams

Guide: Deals and freebies for health care workers

Guide: Deals and freebies for health care workers

10:02
be Well: Alfonso Ribeiro has tips to help celebrate moms

be Well: Alfonso Ribeiro has tips to help celebrate moms

2:06
Paterson homeowner says an abandoned home nearby is causing health, safety issues for his family

Paterson homeowner says an abandoned home nearby is causing health, safety issues for his family

0:28
Prosecutors: Discarded smoking material blamed for Lakewood fire that sent 3 to hospital

Prosecutors: Discarded smoking material blamed for Lakewood fire that sent 3 to hospital