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Testimony: Keeping Lanes Closed Was 'Important to Trenton'
EDIT: Original AP headline: Bridge Executive: Defendant Wanted Lanes to Stay ClosedSource: Associated Press
Testimony: Keeping Lanes Closed Was 'Important to Trenton'
By DAVID PORTER, ASSOCIATED PRESS NEWARK, N.J. — Sep 21, 2016, 2:16 PM ET
The head of the agency that operates the George Washington Bridge testified Wednesday that one of the defendants charged with causing gridlock for political retribution tried to persuade him to keep the traffic lanes closed, saying it was "important to Trenton."
Patrick Foye, executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, testified at the trial of former Port Authority deputy executive director Bill Baroni and Bridget Kelly, Republican Gov. Chris Christie's former deputy chief of staff.
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.
Foye described ordering the reopening of the lanes on the morning of Sept. 13, 2013, after receiving reports of massive gridlock for days in Fort Lee. Later that day, he testified, he met twice with Baroni, Christie's top appointee to the agency.
Baroni asked him at both meetings to close the lanes again, Foye testified, because it was "important to Trenton." Foye said he took that to mean Christie's office, which was located there. Foye also testified Baroni told him Christie's senior staff had been briefed.
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By DAVID PORTER, ASSOCIATED PRESS NEWARK, N.J. — Sep 21, 2016, 2:16 PM ET
The head of the agency that operates the George Washington Bridge testified Wednesday that one of the defendants charged with causing gridlock for political retribution tried to persuade him to keep the traffic lanes closed, saying it was "important to Trenton."
Patrick Foye, executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, testified at the trial of former Port Authority deputy executive director Bill Baroni and Bridget Kelly, Republican Gov. Chris Christie's former deputy chief of staff.
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.
Foye described ordering the reopening of the lanes on the morning of Sept. 13, 2013, after receiving reports of massive gridlock for days in Fort Lee. Later that day, he testified, he met twice with Baroni, Christie's top appointee to the agency.
Baroni asked him at both meetings to close the lanes again, Foye testified, because it was "important to Trenton." Foye said he took that to mean Christie's office, which was located there. Foye also testified Baroni told him Christie's senior staff had been briefed.
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Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/mayor-center-bridge-scandal-returns-witness-stand-42246558
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