Bridgegate trial: What to know

Long before New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie ran for president, and later transformed into one of Republican nominee Donald Trump’s main supporters on the 2016 campaign trail, he was mired in a political scandal that left its mark on his career: Bridgegate.

It’s been a few years since the brouhaha over the George Washington Bridge’s lane closures rocked the Christie administration. Now, after three years of federal investigations, a couple of indictments and jury selection, the trial of a former aide of New Jersey’s governor and one of his longtime political allies will begin this morning in federal court.

Though Christie himself has not faced any charges related to this incident – he’s denied all involvement from the onset – he’s expected to remain a key figure in the trial, unable to fully escape scrutiny from a controversy that’s overshadowed his second and final term as governor.

On Monday, prosecutors said Christie knew of the road closures while they were happening. The allegations came during opening arguments in the case involving Bill Baroni, deputy executive director of the Port Authority, and Bridget Kelly, Christie’s former deputy chief of staff.

In case you forget how Bridgegate all went down – and what’s at stake in the coming weeks – here’s an explanation of how we got to this point.

So, what’s Bridgegate again?

In November 2013, Christie won re-election to his second and final gubernatorial term (he’s term limited), cruising to a decisive victory fueled in part by his strong showing of leadership in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Despite his popularity at the time, not everyone endorsed the Republican, who needed bipartisan backing in a blue state. Mark Sokolich, the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee, was among the politicians who didn’t support the incumbent governor.

The following September, on the first day of the school year, Port Authority officials abruptly shut down some of the traffic lanes on the New Jersey side of the George Washington Bridge, drawing the ire of motorists.

Initially, Christie’s administration characterized the closures as a part of a traffic study. Later on, though, Port Authority officials testified that no such study ever happened.

One month before the lane closure, with Christie’s re-election campaign in full swing, and Kelly texted David Wildstein, a former Port Authority official and a political ally of Christie: “Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee.”

“Got it,” Wildstein replied.

The messages, contrary to the Christie administration’s spin that chalked it up to ineffective bureaucracy, offered evidence that the closures were an act of political vengeance, according to federal prosecutors.

“They agreed to and did use public resources to carry out a vendetta and exact retribution,” US Attorney for New Jersey Paul Fishman said in May 2015.

Who was charged in Bridgegate?

Photos: Who's who in Christie bridge scandal

Mel Evans/AP

Who's who in Christie bridge scandal —

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was not indicted as part of the Bridgegate scandal. But one of his appointees pled guilty and 2 former staffers face criminal charges.

Photos: Who's who in Christie bridge scandal

northjersey.com

Who's who in Christie bridge scandal —

David Wildstein, a former top Christie appointee at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey pleaded guilty to one charge of conspiracy to commit fraud on federally funded property and one civil rights violation.

Photos: Who's who in Christie bridge scandal

Phil Stilton/Getty Images

Who's who in Christie bridge scandal —

Bridget Anne Kelly, Gov. Chris Christie deputy chief of staff, was fired when her e-mail about it being time for "traffic in Fort Lee" became the center of the scandal. She has been charged with nine criminal counts, including conspiracy and fraud.

Photos: Who's who in Christie bridge scandal

Henny Ray Abrams/AP

Who's who in Christie bridge scandal —

Bill Baroni was executive deputy director of the Port Authority until he resigned amid the scandal in December 2014. He has been charged them with nine criminal counts, including conspiracy and fraud.

Photos: Who's who in Christie bridge scandal

Peter Foley/Bloomberg/Getty

Who's who in Christie bridge scandal —

Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer claims New Jersey Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno approached her in a parking lot last May and told her that Sandy recovery aid for her town depended on her support of a redevelopment project backed by the governor.

Photos: Who's who in Christie bridge scandal

Tanya Breen/The Asbury Park Press/AP

Who's who in the Christie controversies —

Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno denies telling Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer that her town's Superstorm Sandy relief money depended on her support for a redevelopment project proposed by a company with ties to Gov. Chris Christie that he had backed.

Photos: Who's who in Christie bridge scandal

N.J. Governor's Office

Who's who in the Christie controversies —

Maria Comella, a deputy chief of staff in Christie's office, had been monitoring the media reaction weeks after the George Washington Bridge traffic fiasco. She has been subpoenaed as part of the state legislative investigation.

Photos: Who's who in Christie bridge scandal

Marc A. Hermann/AP

Who's who in Christie controversies —

Randy Mastro, a former assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and a former deputy mayor of New York, will head the legal team representing the Christie administration in various investigations relating to the George Washington Bridge political scandal. He once a the federal racketeering lawsuit that forced the International Brotherhood of Teamsters to hold democratic elections and undergo court supervision.

Photos: Who's who in Christie bridge scandal

M. Spencer Green/AP

Who's who in Christie bridge scandal —

Reid Schar, a key figure in the federal prosecution of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, will assist the special state Assembly committee investigating the bridge scandal that has engulfed current and former aides of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

Photos: Who's who in Christie bridge scandal

Mel Evans/Getty

Who's who in Christie bridge scandal —

U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone of New Jersey, a Democrat, said he was concerned about the bidding process for using $25 million in Superstorm Sandy relief funds for a marketing campaign to promote tourism at the Jersey Shore.

Photos: Who's who in Christie bridge scandal

CNN

Who's who in Christie bridge scandal —

E-mails suggest that Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich was the apparent target of an alleged political payback scheme involving traffic jams around the George Washington Bridge. He met with Chris Christie in early January to discuss the matter, and said the governor was "gracious and apologetic."

Photos: Who's who in Christie bridge scandal

Mel Evans/AP

Who's who in Christie bridge scandal —

New Jersey Democratic Assemblyman John Wisniewski is chairman of the special state Assembly committee investigating the George Washington Bridge scandal. The panel has subpoenaed current and former top Christie aides as well members of his political organization, seeking documents and other materials. Chris Christie has not been subpoenaed but his office has.

Photos: Who's who in Christie bridge scandal

Mike Derer/AP

Who's who in Christie bridge scandal —

Michael Drewniak, Christie's chief spokesman, has been subpoenaed by a special state Assembly committee investigating the George Washington Bridge scandal. It is seeking documents and other materials. Although there is nothing to suggest Drewniak was involved in the scandal, e-mails released by investigators show he met with a key figure, David Wildstein, two days before Wildstein resigned from his job as a top Christie appointee at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Photos: Who's who in Christie bridge scandal

Julio Cortez/AP

Who's who in Christie bridge scandal —

David Samson, Port Authority chairman, said its board had no knowledge of the George Washington Bridge traffic jam mess until five days after the fact. He has been subpoenaed by the state assembly committee and is also a partner and founding member of Wolff & Samson, the law firm that represented the Rockefeller Group in the Hoboken redevelopment plan.

Photos: Who's who in Christie bridge scandal

Mark Lennihan/AP

Who's who in Christie bridge scandal —

Patrick Foye, the executive director of the Port Authority, said access lane closures that resulted in the George Washington Bridge traffic mess didn't follow proper agency protocols. He ordered the lanes reopened and has been subpoenaed by the state Assembly committee as part of its investigation into the bridge scandal.

Photos: Who's who in Christie bridge scandal

Julio Cortez/AP

Who's who in Christie bridge scandal —

Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, a Democrat who also didn't endorse Christie, has raised his own suspicions about his cooled relationship with the administration.

Photos: Who's who in Christie bridge scandal

Mel Evans/AP

Who's who in Christie bridge scandal —

New Jersey Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, a Democrat, has been pressing for information about the scandal.

Photos: Who's who in Christie bridge scandal

Julio Cortez/AP

Who's who in Christie bridge scandal —

Democrat Barbara Buono is a New Jersey state senator who challenged Chris Christie this past November and lost in a landslide. She derided Christie during the campaign as representing "the worst combination of bully and bossism," and she brought up the George Washington Bridge traffic mess as an example.

Photos: Who's who in Christie bridge scandal

From Facebook

Who's who in Christie bridge scandal —

Bill Stepien managed Chris Christie's two successful campaigns for govenor. E-mails suggest he was aware of the bridge lane closures, and Christie has asked him to give up his political role. He, too, has been subpoenaed by the state committee investigating the matter.

Photos: Who's who in Christie bridge scandal

Peter Foley/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Who's who in Christie bridge scandal —

Scott Rechler, vice chairman of the Port Authority's board of commissioners, e-mailed other representatives of the agency saying he was disturbed that traffic was snarled "without regard to this being the Jewish high holiday weekend" last September. Rechler was appointed by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Photos: Who's who in Christie bridge scandal

Governor's Office/Tim Larsen

Who's who in Christie bridge scandal —

E-mails suggest Regina Egea, then a senior staffer and the governor's point person to the Port Authority and other agencies, was aware of concerns the George Washington Bridge lane closures were not part of an ongoing traffic study as the Christie administration initially claimed. She's now Christie's incoming chief of staff and has also been subpoenaed by the state Assembly committee.

Prev Next

Bill Baroni, deputy executive director of the Port Authority and Kelly were indicted on numerous conspiracy and fraud charges in May 2015. Wildstein avoided trial by pleading guilty to one charge of conspiracy to commit fraud on federally funded property and one civil rights violation.

The Bridgegate charges stem from a series of damning emails and texts made public in January 2014.

In response to the charges, Kelly chalked up her correspondence with Wildstein to “sarcasm and humor.” Then, she lambasted Wildstein for lying about her involvement in order to get himself a plea deal.

What about Christie?

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie reacts to a question during a news conference in Trenton, New Jersey March 28, 2014.

Those facing charges had clear and direct ties to Christie. However, the governor has not faced charges and he has maintained he had no knowledge of the lane closures, denying any wrongdoing.

Shortly after the texts surfaced, Christie fired Kelly, noting that he felt “embarrassed and humiliated” by the “abject stupidity” of her actions.

Two months after those emails went public, lawyers retained by Christie’s office released a Bridgegate report that exonerated Christie.

“It’s a search for the truth and we believe we have gotten to the truth,” former federal prosecutor Randy Mastro, whose law firm produced the Bridgegate report, told NJ.com in 2014 upon its release. “What we found was Gov. Christie had no involvement in the decision to close these lanes, and no prior knowledge of it.”

Will the governor testify at the Bridgegate trial?

It remains to be seen whether Christie will be subpoenaed. In an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper Sunday, the governor said he would have “no problem” testifying if called upon. However, he didn’t think he would be called he has “no knowledge of this incident at all.”

“Of course, I will,” Christie told CNN. “I’ve been more open about this than anybody in public life. I’ve been investigated by three public entities, two of them led by partisan Democrats who have all found that I had no knowledge of this incident and no involvement.”

it’s unclear what the developments from Monday’s court date, and prosecutors saying that Christie was aware of Bridgecate, means for the possibility that the governor will testify.

Even if Christie doesn’t take the witness stand, the governor will likely remain front and center in the federal trial. Last month, a former Christie staffer, who worked underneath Kelly, claimed that he “flat out lied” about his staff’s involvement in Bridgegate during a December 2013 news conference.

What’s at stake for the defendants?

If a jury finds Baroni and Kelly guilty, they each could face prison time for their involvement in Bridgegate.

Fishman, the federal prosecutor in the case, told The New York Times at the time of the indictment that Baroni and Kelly each face a maximum sentence of 86 years. It was more likely that Baroni and Kelly would receive up to three years behind bars if convicted, Fishman added.

Of course, they could also leave the court as free people, should a jury clear them of all charges.

As for Christie, who Trump has said would head his transition team, the Bridgegate trial has the potential to drag him through the mud — if not in a court facing a trial before his peers, then in the court of public opinion.