Chris’ 9/11 jam laughter
NEW JERSEY Gov. Chris Christie was “happy” and “laughed” at a 9/11 memorial event when he learned that gridlock had overwhelmed Fort Lee following its mayor’s refusal to endorse his reelection, his former crony at the Port Authority testified Tuesday.
David Wildstein recalled in Newark Federal Court that he and his boss, Bill Baroni, bragged to the New Jersey governor about their political retaliation scheme during a “relaxed” conversation at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2013 — the third day of the intentional traffic tieups on the George Washington Bridge.
Wildstein has pleaded guilty for his role in implementing the closure of the toll lanes that jammed traffic in the town and is testifying under a cooperation agreement with the feds against Baroni and former Christie staffer Bridget Kelly.
“Governor, there’s a tremendous amount of traffic in Fort Lee this morning,” Wildstein recalled Baroni telling Christie. “You’d be pleased to know Mayor (Mark) Sokolich is very frustrated he can’t get his phone calls returned. Nobody is answering his phone calls.”
Wildstein said Christie replied, “I imagine he wouldn’t be getting his phone calls returned.”
Baroni then told Christie that Wildstein — who used the pseudonym Wally Edge while working as a political blogger — was monitoring the slowdown. “I’m sure Mr. Edge would never do anything political,” Christie said before cracking up, Wildstein said.
The government introduced photos of the trio gabbing at the World Trade Center, smiling and laughing.
Wildstein said he and Baroni were thrilled.
“This was our one constituent,” Wildstein said, referring to Christie. “I was pleasing my one constituent. I was happy he was happy.”
Kelly had predicted the governor was “going to love it” during preparation of the plan, Wildstein said.
On Tuesday, the Republican governor maintained he knew nothing of the scheme.
“I want to be really clear: I have not and will not say anything different than I’ve been saying since January 2014. No matter what is said up there, I had no knowledge prior to or during these lane realignments,” Christie said, according to The Associated Press.