2 Christie associates handed jail terms
NEWARK, N.J. — Two former aides to Gov. Chris Christie were sentenced to prison Wednesday for creating a colossal traffic jam at the George Washington Bridge for political revenge, a scandal that helped sink Christie’s White House campaign.
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. U.S. District Judge Susan Wigenton said it was clear there was never a legitimate traffic study, as they claimed during the trial.
During Kelly’s portion of the hearing, Wigenton also blamed the culture in Trenton, the state capital. Testimony described tirades by the governor and detailed his subordinates using the Port Authority as a source of favors for politicians whose endorsements they sought.
Christie was not charged with any wrongdoing in the federal case, but questions remain over how much he knew. He has said he was not aware that anyone in his office was involved until months after the fact, but that was contradicted by testimony.
The target of the traffic jams, Democratic Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich, had declined to endorse Christie for re-election in 2013. It was his town near the bridge that suffered four days of gridlock when access lanes were realigned.
“It was completely intended to wreak havoc,” Wigenton told Baroni. “It only served a punitive purpose.”
Kelly, 44, and Baroni, 45, were convicted in November of wire fraud, conspiracy and misusing the bridge for improper purposes. Both are appealing.