New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) said Friday that federal charges filed against his former allies prove that he had “no knowledge or involvement” in the BridgeGate scandal.
Christie addressed recent developments in a stream of tweets:
Today’s charges make clear that what I’ve said from day one is true.
— Governor Christie (@GovChristie) May 1, 2015
I had no knowledge or involvement in the planning or execution of this act.
— Governor Christie (@GovChristie) May 1, 2015
The moment I first learned of this unacceptable behavior I took action, firing staff believed to be accountable…(cont.)
— Governor Christie (@GovChristie) May 1, 2015
…calling for an outside investigation and agreeing to fully cooperate with all appropriate investigations, which I have done.
— Governor Christie (@GovChristie) May 1, 2015
Now 15 months later it is time to let the justice system do its job.
— Governor Christie (@GovChristie) May 1, 2015
The governor has long maintained that he had no knowledge of his allies’ plan to close lanes on the George Washington Bridge in September 2013.
One of Christie’s former appointees to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, David Wildstein, pleaded guilty to two conspiracy charges Friday. Wildstein admitted that he directed the lane closures along with Christie’s former deputy chief of staff, Bridget Anne Kelly, and another former appointee of Christie’s at the Port Authority, Bill Baroni. The reason was to punish a mayor who refused to endorse the governor’s re-election bid, he said.
Both Kelly and Baroni were each indicted on seven counts of conspiracy and fraud.