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Government's star witness set to take stand in bridge trial

Patrick Foye, executive director of the Port Authority of NY and New Jersey, testified that this Christie association was partial reason why he didn't interview David Wildstein during an internal review of the September 2013 traffic jams.

Critchley focused on how Foye admitted he authorized a false press release saying the lane closings were part of a week-long traffic study, as Baroni and Wildstein pushed him to do.

When former Port Authority employee David Wildstein took the stand on Friday to testify on the George Washington Bridge lane closures that occurred between September 9 and September 12, 2013, he claimed thatwhile he was working at the bi-state agency, he believed that he and former Deputy Executive Director Bill Baroni reported to the office of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

They are charged with creating traffic jams by closing access lanes to the bridge in order to punish the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee, the town adjacent to the bridge, for not endorsing Christie in 2013.

A courtroom witness has testified Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's office used the bistate agency that runs the NY area's bridges, tunnels, ports and airports to funnel political favors aimed at gaining endorsements from local Democratic politicians.

The two men attended high school together, and Wildstein was hired by the Port Authority to a position created just for him.

The defense called into question multiple witnesses' credibility this week after the Port Authority's executive director took the stand.

During testimony earlier Friday, former Christie campaign staffer Matt Mowers said Christie wrote a letter to the Port Authority supporting the purchase of commuter shuttle buses Sokolich had requested.

Mayor Mark Sokolich testified Tuesday that Mowers sought his endorsement several months before the election. Wildstein pleaded guilty a year ago to orchestrating traffic jams in 2013 to punish a Democratic mayor who didn't endorse Christie.

Kelly and Baroni claim their actions weren't criminal and the alleged scheme was orchestrated by another former Port Authority official, David Wildstein, who has pleaded guilty.

Defense attorneys in their opening statements implied he was foisted on Baroni, who technically was Wildstein's superior, by Christie because Baroni wasn't deemed tough enough.

Mowers subsequently left the office to work on Christie's gubernatorial campaign and, later, on Christie's presidential campaign.

Foye was asked why he had conducted a quick, internal inquiry into the lane closures, but had not interviewed Wildstein, even though he was told by other Port Authority officials that Wildstein was "the culprit". "I was petrified", the mayor said.

Foye also testified that he couldn't fire Wildstein because it was "practically complicated", though he conceded he had the statutory authority to fire him. This is important to senior people in Trenton, which is shorthand for the New Jersey governor's office.

Wildstein described Baroni as "one of the closest friends I ever had".

stayontheblack.com

Government's star witness set to take stand in bridge trial