Prison term for bridge revenge plot

Two former aides of New Jersey Gov. Christie sentenced on fraud, conspiracy charges

NEWARK, N.J. — Two former aides to Republican Gov. Chris Christie were sentenced to prison on Wednesday for creating a colossal traffic jam at the George Washington Bridge for political revenge, a scandal that sank Christie’s White House campaign and was attributed by the judge to a venomous climate inside state government.

Bill Baroni, Christie’s appointee to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, was sentenced to two years in prison, and Bridget Kelly, Christie’s former deputy chief of staff, was sentenced to 18 months at separate hearings in the 2013 lane-closing case.

Both must also serve 500 hours of community service.

U.S. Judge Susan Wigenton told Baroni he misled a legislative committee when he tried to pass the gridlock off as a legitimate traffic study and later misled the jury with the same contention.

“It was completely intended to wreak havoc,” she said. “It only served a punitive purpose. You clearly knew, and know today, that it was not” legitimate.

The government’s star witness, David Wildstein, testified that he and the co-defendants had sought to retaliate against the Democratic mayor of nearby Fort Lee for not endorsing Christie’s reelection. Fort Lee was plunged into gridlock for four days in September 2013. Text messages and emails produced at trial showed Mayor Mark Sokolich’s desperate pleas for help being ignored by Kelly and Baroni.

“I let a lot of people down who believed in me and relied on me. Most of all I let Mark Sokolich down. That was my choice and my responsibility. And I made the wrong choice,” Baroni told the judge before she sentenced him to prison and community service.

“I was wrong and I am truly sorry, and I’ve waited three years to say that,” he said. Sokolich said the sentence was fair and that he hopes Baroni “gets through things and resumes his life” after he serves his term.