Bridgegate Trial Begins Sept. 12

The Bridgegate trial will begin Sept. 12, U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton confirmed Monday.

The case about the lane closures at the George Washington Bridge in September 2013 involves two high-ranking officials — Bridget Anne Kelly, the governor’s former deputy chief of staff, and William Baroni, a former executive with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. They are accused of orchestrating the lane closures as political retribution against Fort Lee Democratic Mayor Mark Sokolich for not endorsing Christie for reelection.

The setting of the trial date comes after presumptive Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump said earlier this month he was vetting Christie as a possible vice presidential candidate.

In addition to the trial date, Wigenton scheduled a status conference for Aug. 4. She also ordered both sides to work on proposed jury instructions and other final procedural housekeeping items for the trial.

Christie has repeatedly denied knowing about the lane closures, which caused severe backups on the first day of school in Fort Lee and major delays on the bridge.

Attorney Michael Critchley, Kelly’s lawyer, argued that cutting off the lane and causing three days worth of major traffic delays did not amount to a federal crime, NJ.com reported.

Baroni and Kelly have been indicted on nine charges in the case, including fraud and conspiracy.

Former Port Authority executive David Wildstein has pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy. He admitted the scheme was political retribution, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Baroni and Kelly were trying to access Christie's cell phone, claiming a dozen text messages he reportedly exchanged with one of his aides during a state legislative committee’s hearing are relevant to the case, the Associated Press reported.

Michael Baldassare, Baroni’s attorney, told WNYC that Christie’s lawyers have the phone.

Wigenton denied the defense's motion to subpoena the phone, along with phones and electronic devices of Christie and his former aides, saying its requests for additional information were “so sweeping and so broad” and that they did not inform the court of what specific information they were seeking, The Record reported.

The defense likened the governor’s cell phone and text messages to former President Richard Nixon’s Watergate recordings, WYNC stated.

Federal prosecutors said they never received the text messages, NJ.com reported.

Wigenton has previously ruled in favor of a group of news organizations that had sued the government to gain access to the list of people who allegedly know about the conspiracy but were not charged. One of those individuals, a “John Doe,” appealed the ruling. A panel of Third Circuit judges will hear that appeal soon. The list identifies Doe as an unindicted co-conspirator, according to NJ.com.

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