Two Top Allies of Trump Surrogate Chris Christie Found Guilty for Role in Bridgegate
Bill Baroni and Bridget Anne Kelly found guilty of conspiracy and fraud
A federal jury on Friday found two former top aides of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie guilty on all counts for their role in the scandal known as Bridgegate.
That refers to the September 2013 closing of access lanes to the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee, N.J., as an act of political revenge over the failure of that city's mayor to endorse Christie's candidacy for governor.
The aides--Bill Baroni, a Christie-appointed former deputy executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and Bridget Anne Kelly, Christie's former deputy chief of staff--"were each charged with seven counts of conspiracy and wire fraud, including misusing the resources of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the bridge, and violating the rights of the citizens of Fort Lee, N.J., to travel without government restriction," the New York Times reports.
Over the course of the six-week trial, NJ.com reports, "the most damaging evidence might have been the now-infamous 'time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee' email sent by Kelly less than a month before several local access toll lanes at the world's busiest bridge were inexplicably closed for nearly a week in September 2013, leading to paralyzing gridlock on local streets."
Baroni and Kelly's "co-conspirator," Reuters reports,
a former Port Authority official and confessed mastermind David Wildstein, pleaded guilty and appeared as the government's star witness, detailing how the three schemed to pay back Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich, a Democrat.
But Wildstein also implicated Christie, saying he and Baroni discussed the lane closures with the governor while they were ongoing. Christie, Wildstein testified, laughed at the notion that Sokolich was frustrated by the traffic.
In fact, NBC News writes, throughout the trial "several witnesses said Christie was aware of the plan before, during, and after."
Christie, for his part, issued a statement following the verdict saying he is "saddened about the choices made by Bill Baroni, Bridget Kelly, and David Wildstein," adding, "I had no knowledge prior to or during these lane realignments."
Noting also the guilty plea from former chairman of the Port Authority David Samson, WNYC writes that "now the verdict 'guilty' has been rendered four times for aides Christie once named to some of the most sensitive positions in his administration."
Christie, who's suffering record-low approval ratings, is a surrogate for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and head of his White House transition team--a point noted by MSNBC's Rachel Maddow:
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
A federal jury on Friday found two former top aides of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie guilty on all counts for their role in the scandal known as Bridgegate.
That refers to the September 2013 closing of access lanes to the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee, N.J., as an act of political revenge over the failure of that city's mayor to endorse Christie's candidacy for governor.
The aides--Bill Baroni, a Christie-appointed former deputy executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and Bridget Anne Kelly, Christie's former deputy chief of staff--"were each charged with seven counts of conspiracy and wire fraud, including misusing the resources of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the bridge, and violating the rights of the citizens of Fort Lee, N.J., to travel without government restriction," the New York Times reports.
Over the course of the six-week trial, NJ.com reports, "the most damaging evidence might have been the now-infamous 'time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee' email sent by Kelly less than a month before several local access toll lanes at the world's busiest bridge were inexplicably closed for nearly a week in September 2013, leading to paralyzing gridlock on local streets."
Baroni and Kelly's "co-conspirator," Reuters reports,
a former Port Authority official and confessed mastermind David Wildstein, pleaded guilty and appeared as the government's star witness, detailing how the three schemed to pay back Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich, a Democrat.
But Wildstein also implicated Christie, saying he and Baroni discussed the lane closures with the governor while they were ongoing. Christie, Wildstein testified, laughed at the notion that Sokolich was frustrated by the traffic.
In fact, NBC News writes, throughout the trial "several witnesses said Christie was aware of the plan before, during, and after."
Christie, for his part, issued a statement following the verdict saying he is "saddened about the choices made by Bill Baroni, Bridget Kelly, and David Wildstein," adding, "I had no knowledge prior to or during these lane realignments."
Noting also the guilty plea from former chairman of the Port Authority David Samson, WNYC writes that "now the verdict 'guilty' has been rendered four times for aides Christie once named to some of the most sensitive positions in his administration."
Christie, who's suffering record-low approval ratings, is a surrogate for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and head of his White House transition team--a point noted by MSNBC's Rachel Maddow:
A federal jury on Friday found two former top aides of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie guilty on all counts for their role in the scandal known as Bridgegate.
That refers to the September 2013 closing of access lanes to the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee, N.J., as an act of political revenge over the failure of that city's mayor to endorse Christie's candidacy for governor.
The aides--Bill Baroni, a Christie-appointed former deputy executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and Bridget Anne Kelly, Christie's former deputy chief of staff--"were each charged with seven counts of conspiracy and wire fraud, including misusing the resources of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the bridge, and violating the rights of the citizens of Fort Lee, N.J., to travel without government restriction," the New York Times reports.
Over the course of the six-week trial, NJ.com reports, "the most damaging evidence might have been the now-infamous 'time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee' email sent by Kelly less than a month before several local access toll lanes at the world's busiest bridge were inexplicably closed for nearly a week in September 2013, leading to paralyzing gridlock on local streets."
Baroni and Kelly's "co-conspirator," Reuters reports,
a former Port Authority official and confessed mastermind David Wildstein, pleaded guilty and appeared as the government's star witness, detailing how the three schemed to pay back Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich, a Democrat.
But Wildstein also implicated Christie, saying he and Baroni discussed the lane closures with the governor while they were ongoing. Christie, Wildstein testified, laughed at the notion that Sokolich was frustrated by the traffic.
In fact, NBC News writes, throughout the trial "several witnesses said Christie was aware of the plan before, during, and after."
Christie, for his part, issued a statement following the verdict saying he is "saddened about the choices made by Bill Baroni, Bridget Kelly, and David Wildstein," adding, "I had no knowledge prior to or during these lane realignments."
Noting also the guilty plea from former chairman of the Port Authority David Samson, WNYC writes that "now the verdict 'guilty' has been rendered four times for aides Christie once named to some of the most sensitive positions in his administration."
Christie, who's suffering record-low approval ratings, is a surrogate for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and head of his White House transition team--a point noted by MSNBC's Rachel Maddow: