Lawyer claims Christie knew about bridge closures as they happened
TRENTON, N.J. – Gov. Chris Christie made inaccurate statements during a news conference about the lane closures near the George Washington Bridge, according to a letter released Friday by a lawyer for a former Christie loyalist who ordered the closures and resigned amid the ensuing scandal that has engulfed the New Jersey governor’s administration.
The letter from David Wildstein’s lawyer said evidence exists suggesting the governor knew about the closures as they happened in September – which, if accurate, contradicts some statements Christie made on the matter. The letter, though, does not detail any evidence.
Attorney Alan Zegas’ letter focuses on a nearly two-hour televised news conference Christie gave on Jan. 9 where his responses to questions about what he knew about the closures and when could be open to interpretation. But at a Dec. 13 news conference, Christie said definitively he didn’t know about the traffic problems until they were over.
Asked about the traffic backups, Christie noted a top leader at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the entity that runs the bridge, was slow to learn of the closures so it’s no surprise Christie wouldn’t hear about them until later.
“It was certainly well after the whole thing was over before I heard about it,” Christie said.
The Republican governor’s office said the letter’s claim does not contradict Christie’s statements.
“He had absolutely no prior knowledge of the lane closures before they happened and whatever Mr. Wildstein’s motivations were for closing them to begin with,” Christie’s office said in a statement. “As he said in his Jan. 9 press conference, (he) had no indication that this was anything other than a traffic study until he read otherwise the morning of Jan. 8.”
When asked directly about what Christie said on Dec. 13, the governor’s office reiterated its statement.
The unannounced lane closures caused massive gridlock in Fort Lee in September, delaying emergency vehicles and school buses and tying up some commuters for hours over four mornings.
New Jersey legislators are investigating whether Christie aides engineered the lane closures to send a message to the town’s Democratic mayor. The U.S. Attorney’s office is also investigating.
Christie, who has been seen as a possible 2016 presidential contender, could be vulnerable because of the scandal. At the very least, could tarnish the image he has built as a pragmatic conservative who is willing to work with Democrats on key issues.
At the news conference on Jan. 9, Christie’s statements did not necessarily address when he learned of the closings, however he flatly denied knowing anything about an apparently political motive until months later.
When asked if he understood why people would have a hard time believing “you didn’t know about this thing,” he responded:
“I don’t know what else to say except to tell them that I had no knowledge of this – of the planning, the execution or anything about it – and that I first found out about it after it was over.”
“And even then, what I was told was that it was a traffic study,” he said.