Report: Former Port Authority Official To Plead Guilty In Bridgegate Scandal
FORT LEE, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- The man who ordered the controversial lane closures at the George Washington Bridge reportedly will plead guilty to criminal charges.
According to Bloomberg, David Wildstein, a former Port Authority director and a close associate of Gov. Chris Christie, could enter his plea Friday in Newark federal court, where grand jurors are hearing testimony on the scandal.
The September 2013 lane closures appear to be part of a political retribution plot against Fort Lee Mark Sokolich, who did not support Christie's re-election bid. Christie, however, has repeatedly denied having any knowledge of the lane closures before they happened.
Christie Responds To Bridgegate Report
The governor fired Bridget Kelly, his deputy chief of staff, over the scandal. Wildstein, who was appointed by Christie, resigned.
The four days of traffic jams were apparently triggered by an email from Kelly to Wildstein saying, "Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee."
"Got it," Wildstein replied.
Report: Former Port Authority Official To Plead Guilty In Bridgegate Scandal
Wildstein pleaded the Fifth Amendment last year in front of state lawmakers investigating the lane closures, but indicated he'd talk to prosecutors in exchange for immunity.
His lawyer teased the U.S. attorney by saying "evidence exists" that Christie knew about the lane closures when they were happening, WCBS 880's Alex Silverma
Christie and Wildstein have known each other since high school, but once the scandal broke, the governor said he barely knew the man.
Christie reacted to the Bloomberg story Thursday.
"That matter will take its natural course and will be dictated by the folks who are investigating that, and I have nothing to do with that," the governor said. "So I certainly can't allow it to affect me, and I have seen no indication that it affects anything having to do with other state issues."
If Wildstein pleads guilty and cooperates with prosecutors, he could give them an inside view of how the plot unfolded.
"I know what the truth is so I'm not the least bit concerned about it," Christie told reporters, including WCBS 880's Marla Diamond.
