The attorney for the former Port Authority official at the center of the George Washington Bridge scandal said there is evidence showing that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was aware of the lane closures when they happened.
Alan L. Zegas, who is representing David Wildstein, the official who ordered the lane closures and resigned as a result last year, said in a letter to the legal counsel for the Port Authority that there is evidence “tying Mr. Christie to having knowledge of the lane closures, during the period when the lanes were closed, contrary to what the Governor stated publicly.”
“Mr. Wildstein contests the accuracy of various statements that the Governor made about him and he can prove the inaccuracy of some,” said the attorney, Alan L. Zegas.
The new allegations surfaced as part of an ongoing spat over whether the Port Authority should cover the legal expenses of Mr. Wildstein, and raise new questions about what Mr. Christie knew about the mid-September lane closures on the George Washington Bridge.
Emails seemed to indicate the traffic jams were orchestrated by members of Mr. Christie’s inner circle and his allies at the Port Authority, including Mr. Wildstein, and were done so apparently to get back at a local Democratic mayor who refused to endorse his re-election bid.
Mr. Christie vehemently denied any wrongdoing on his part and said he did not know about his aides’ decision to exact retribution. He apologized, fired a deputy chief of staff and ousted a top adviser.
Mr. Wildstein ordered the local access lanes to the bridge in Fort Lee, clogging the local streets for four days. Mr. Wildstein pleaded the Fifth Amendment earlier this month before a state Assembly committee investigating the scandal.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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