U.S. Supreme Court throws out Bridgegate convictions, 6 years after an epic traffic jam

In a sharp rebuke to prosecutors, the U.S. Supreme Court today threw out the convictions of Bridget Anne Kelly and Bill Baroni — the two former Christie administration officials charged in the bizarre scheme of political retribution that became known as Bridgegate.

“Because the scheme here did not aim to obtain money or property, Baroni and Kelly could not have violated the federal-program fraud or wire fraud laws,” the court ruled.

The unanimous 15-page ruling underscored the skepticism of a court that has repeatedly questioned the government’s “boundless interpretation” of the federal bribery … Read the rest of this entry »

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Wildstein Gets Probation for Bridgegate Role

Bill Baroni, Gov Christie and David Wildstein

David Wildstein, the central figure in the Bridgegate scandal, was sentenced to three years probation today, according to a statement by Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick.

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Bridgegate Defendants Demand Chris Christie’s Phone Be Turned Over

Bridget Ann Kelly, texting, with Governor Chris Christie and Michelle Brown at Seaside Park fire, September 12, 2013, photo by Phil Stilton

Lawyers representing indicted Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Executive Bill Baroni and staffer Bridget Kelly are asking for the cell phone embattled Christie was using at the time of Bridgegate. Baroni and Kelly’s attorneys cited Supreme Court precedent during the Watergate scandal, where it compelled President Richard Nixon to produce his audio tapes,… Read the rest of this entry »

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Judge orders release of Bridgegate co-conspirator names

A federal judge in Newark has ordered the release of the names of individuals who allegedly had knowledge of the scheme to shut down lanes at the George Washington Bridge before the Bridgegate scandal broke. In a ruling sought by a consortium of news organizations, including NJ Advance Media, U.S. District Judge Susan Wigenton said the… Read the rest of this entry »

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Bridgegate lawyer seeks more names of more public officials

NEWARK — A lawyer for a former aide to Gov. Chris Christie is asking a federal court to order prosecutors to reveal the names of individuals who knew about the plan to cause havoc by closing off lanes to the George Washington Bridge, saying the information could be vital to her defense. Attorney Michael Critchley, representing… Read the rest of this entry »

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Feds fight news media request to unseal Bridgegate records

NEWARK — The U.S. Attorney’s Office is asking a federal judge to maintain the seal and redactions on certain records the government gathered in the George Washington Bridge lane closure criminal case, court records filed Tuesday night show. In particular, the brief filed by U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman’s office states that news outlets covering the… Read the rest of this entry »

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Bridgegate Defendants Can Subpoena Christie’s Documents

Bridget Ann Kelly, texting, with Governor Chris Christie and Michelle Brown at Seaside Park fire, September 12, 2013, photo by Phil Stilton

NEWARK–A federal judge gave the green light to lawyers for defendants in the George Washington bridge scandal to subpoena documents from the law firm hired by Gov. Chris Christie’s office to investigate the lane closures in 2013. During a hearing over pretrial motions Friday in federal court, U.S. District Judge Susan Wigenton rejected a defense request… Read the rest of this entry »

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Bridgegate scandal defendants ask judge to throw out case

NEWARK — The lawyers for Bridgegate defendants Bridget Anne Kelly and Bill Baroni urged a federal judge Monday to throw out the cases against the former allies of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, saying federal prosecutors stretched the law too far. In court papers filed late Monday, the lawyers argued impeding traffic flow is not a… Read the rest of this entry »

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Bridgegate co-conspirators to be ID’ed in sealed list

As the Bridgegate case works its way toward a trial date later in 2016, defendants Bill Baroni and Bridget Anne Kelly will begin the new year by learning who the government claims helped them cause mayhem in Fort Lee. In court papers filed last week, attorneys for Baroni, the former deputy executive director of the Port… Read the rest of this entry »

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Year in review: May 2015

Christine Giordano Hanlon dropped the “Acting” from her title and became Monmouth County Clerk when the NJ Senate unanimously confirmed her nomination to replace M.Claire French.  Hanlon was elected to her own five year term on November 3.

U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman cleared Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno in the allegations lodged at her by Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer. Zimmer alleged that Guadagno delivered a message from Governor Chris Christie threatening to withhold Sandy relief funds if Hoboken did not approve a development application by the Rockefeller Group.

Former Manalapan Mayor Andrew Lucas was sentenced to five years in federal prison for his convictions related to his acquisition of Burke Farm.

David Wildstein pleaded guilty in the Bridgegate scandal, claiming that the George Washington Bridge lane closures in September of 2013 were political retribution against Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich for failing to endorse Governor Chris Christie’s reelection. Bridget Ann Kelly and Bill Baroni were indicted in the matter. Wildstein’s attorney claimed that Christie knew about the lane closures while they were occurring. Christie claimed that U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman’s indictment announcement cleared the governor of any wrong doing in the matter.

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