3 former Chris Christie allies charged in George Washington Bridge scandal
NEWARK, N.J. (WABC) -- Federal prosecutors brought charges Friday against three former allies of Gov. Chris Christie - but not Christie himself - in the George Washington Bridge traffic scandal, easing the legal threat that has hung over his 2016 White House ambitions for more than a year.
David Wildstein, who looked noticeably thinner, pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy -- knowingly misapplying property that receives federal funds and conspiracy to violate civil rights -- in connection with access lane closures in 2013.
Wildstein admitted in Newark federal court that the bridge's access lane closures were the result of political retribution for Fort Lee's mayor, Mark Sokolich, for refusing to endorse Christie's bid for re-election as New Jersey governor that same year. He admitted that Christie staffers Bridget Kelly and Bill Baroni chose the first day of school to maximize the punishment and used the traffic study as a "cover story."
Christie was not publicly implicated in any wrongdoing and appears to be in the clear for now.
"Based on the evidence currently available to us, we're not going to charge anyone else in this scheme," U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman said at a news conference.
The Republican governor claimed vindication.
"Today's charges make clear that what I've said from day one is true - I had no knowledge or involvement in the planning or execution of this act," he said in a statement.
Wildstein, 53, could face about two years in prison at sentencing Aug. 6.
The two people he implicated - former Christie deputy chief of staff Bridget Kelly and Bill Baroni, who was the governor's top appointee at the Port Authority - were charged in an indictment unsealed later in the day.
Kelly and Baroni are due in court Monday on charges including conspiracy, fraud and deprivation of civil rights. The charges carry a combined 86 years in prison, though any sentence would almost certainly be much shorter.
Essentially, all three defendants were accused of misusing public resources for political gain.
"David Wildstein is a liar," Kelly said at an afternoon news conference. "I am not guilty of these charges. I never ordered or conspired with David Wildstein to close or reallign lanes at the bridge for any reason, much less for retribution."
Wildstein gave no indication in court that Christie had any role in the scheme. But after the hearing, Wildstein's lawyer Alan Zegas said "Christie knew" of the lane closures as they were happening. He has made similar allegations in the past, but the governor's office has repeatedly denied it.
While Christie appears to be out of legal danger, politically it could be more complicated.
Christie has been putting off for months a decision on whether to run for president. The charges put the scandal back in the news just as the presidential cycle is getting underway and other candidates are jumping into the race.
Also, even if Christie is not charged with a crime, the case serves as a reminder of the frequent criticism of him as a bully. Some of Christie's foes have suggested that even if he had no direct role in the plot, he created a culture that led members of his administration to think they could get away with such tactics.
Asked about that, Fishman said: "I won't comment on culture."
Baroni's lawyer, Michael Baldassare, said that Baroni would be fully exonerated and that Wildstein is a habitual liar who told Baroni that the traffic jam was part of a legitimate traffic study. Kelly was planning a news conference later Friday.
The scandal broke wide open more than a year ago when an email from Kelly to Wildstein was revealed. It read, "Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee." Wildstein's reply: "Got it." That exchange was key in the indictment.
The closing of two of three access lanes caused monumental, bumper-to-bumper tie-ups at the George Washington Bridge, one of the busiest spans in the nation, linking New Jersey with New York City. School buses and emergency vehicles were held up, and commuters were stuck in traffic for hours over four mornings.
Wildstein said they orchestrated the lane closings to start on the first day of school to punish the mayor of Fort Lee, a town at the foot of the bridge, for not endorsing Christie's re-election bid.
Christie, who coasted to re-election in the fall of 2013, has called the scheme "stupid" and ridiculed the notion that he was even interested in an endorsement from Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich.
On Friday, Sokolich said the allegations that he was the target of a political retribution scheme were "a true punch in the gut."
"I didn't sign up for this," he said. "I signed up to open up Little League fields and lower taxes."
As the scandal unfolded more than a year ago, Wildstein and Baroni resigned, and the governor fired Kelly and cut ties with Bill Stepien, his two-time campaign manager. Stepien was not indicted.
Information from The Associated Press and ABC News.
