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Emails Show Gov. Christie Aide Signaled George Washington Bridge Lane Closures

"Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee," wrote a Christie deputy


Wednesday, Jan 8, 2014 | Updated 10:52 AM EST

Emails obtained by NBC 4 New York show an aide to Gov. Chris Christie apparently gave the go-ahead for lanes to be closed on the George Washington Bridge, despite his administration's denial of any involvement in the matter.

About three weeks before the lanes were shut down in September, Bridget Anne Kelly, a Christie deputy chief of staff, emailed David Wildstein, then a Christie appointee at the Port Authority, which controls the bridge.

"Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee," Kelly wrote.

A few weeks later, on the weekend before the lane closures, Wildstein wrote to her: "I will call you Monday AM to let you know how Fort Lee goes."

Democrats have suggested the two local access lanes were closed to punish Fort Lee's mayor for refusing to endorse Christie. Christie has denied it.

There was no immediate comment from Christie's office Wednesday, and the governor canceled a public event on the Jersey Shore.

The unannounced closings caused traffic backups that lasted hours on streets in Fort Lee, where the mouth of the bridge is located.


Text messages obtained by NBC 4 New York also show an unidentified person texting Wildstein about the Fort Lee mayor asking for help on the second day of the closures: "Is it wrong that I am smiling?"

He texted back: "No."


The other person texted about feeling bad for children not being able to get to school because of the traffic.



Wildstein wrote back: "They are the children of Buono voters," referring to Christie's 2013 opponent for governor, Democrat Barbara Buono.



The lanes were ordered reopened after four days by the executive director of the authority, an appointee of Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.



The state legislature, the Port Authority and a federal agency are all investigating the matter.



Christie's top two appointees at the bistate agency have said the lanes were closed for a traffic study, and Christie has said repeatedly he doesn't doubt their explanation. The deputies, one of whom was Wildstein, have resigned.

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/George-Washington-Bridge-Lane-Closures-Chris-Christie-Emails-239258261.html