But once the trial kicks off, all attention will focus on the elephant in the room – the scandal-scarred governor and his possible involvement in the scheme. Christie hasn’t been indicted in the case, and he says he’s not anxious about what might come out at the trial.
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It’s a risky strategy but one that might work with New Jersey residents who are still fuming over the 2013 George Washington Bridge lane closures, which prosecutors said were politically orchestrated to punish the mayor of Fort Lee.
Like storm clouds, ominous questions have trailed New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie since the day the Bridgegate scandal upended his administration.
Prosecutors say the lane closures were ordered in September 2013 by Kelly, Christie’s then deputy chief of staff; Baroni, then deputy executive director of the Port Authority of NY and New Jersey; and David Wildstein, another Christie ally at the Port Authority who has since pleaded guilty.
Bill Baroni (l.) is one of two Christie cronies on trial. Port Authority executive director Patrick Foye later told the committee he had no knowledge of a study.
“The real culprit is going to be not just Christie but hardball NJ politics”, Hale said. “That’s the intrigue, and that’s the sexy part of this case”.
The government is expected to home in on the communications between Baroni, Kelly and Wildstein in which they appear to alternate between joking about the havoc they created and cavalierly dismissing pleas for assistance from Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich. Christie fired Kelly in January 2014.
Bridget Kelly, Christie’s former deputy chief of staff..
But prosecutors say that wasn’t the case.
“Wildstein brings the big picture to this trial”, said Brigid Callahan Harrison, a professor of political science and law at Montclair State University.
“And the fact that he has already cut a deal means that his own individual legal agenda will be less important”.
Wildstein, who is expected to be a star government witness, has previously said there is evidence that Christie was aware of the lane closures when they occurred.
Christie has denied knowing anything about the plot before or while it was being carried out.
In a pretrial motion, a lawyer for Baroni revealed that a former Christie aide said in a text message that the governor “flat-out lied” when he said during a 2013 press conference that none of his senior staff were involved in the scandal.
“Are you listening?” Christina McKenna texted a colleague.
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GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE: The failed presidential candidate and current surrogate for GOP nominee Donald Trump isn’t on trial and may not testify, but his name will never be far from the minds of jurors and onlookers. Baroni and Kelly face both counts as well as several others including wire fraud.
