Ex-Aide: Governor Christie Knew Of Lane Closings

A lawyer for a former official at the Port Authority says there is evidence that New Jersey Governor Chris Christie was aware of the lane closings at the George Washington Bridge while they were happening.

The lawyer represents the official who was blamed for the incident that was politically motivated. Christie’s office has denied the latest allegation in “Bridgegate.”

A letter from the attorney for David Wildstein says that evidence existed that ties Governor Christie to knowing of the closure of the access lanes, during a time when the lanes had been closed, contrary to Christie’s public statement at a press conference just prior to Wildstein meeting before the Transportation Committee.

The letter written by Alan Zegas the attorney for Wildstein and addressed to the New York and New Jersey Port Authority seeks reconsideration on the Port Authority’s decision not to pay the legal fees of Wildstein.

The press office for Christie distributed a prepared statement saying Governor Christie did not have any prior knowledge of access lane closings. The statement went on to say that, the lawyer for Wildstein confirmed what Governor Christie has always said – he did not have any prior knowledge of the closures prior to them happening.

The letter from Zegas sent shock waves through the entire political community of New Jersey, with a veteran pundit calling the revelation a bombshell.

Wildstein is the center of the probe into the bridge lane closings, which took place in September, causing traffic to snarl in the city of Fort Lee for many hours over a stretch of four days.

The lane closings led a number of Democrats to claim the incident had been meant as a political retribution because the mayor of Fort Lee had declined to endorse the reelection of Governor Christie.

Christie, Wildstein amongst others originally claimed the closing of the lanes had resulted from a traffic study, but earlier in January in emails released, it showed that the closing had been discussed between Christie’s Deputy Chief of Staff and Wildstein. Anne Kelly, the Deputy Chief of State wrote in one email, “time for traffic problems for Fort Lee.”