US Supreme Court Tosses Bridgegate Convictions

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday threw out convictions against Bridget Anne Kelly and Bill Baroni, two former Christie administration officials charged in what has become known as Bridgegate.

The court unanimously overturned the 2016 convictions of Gov. Chris Christie’s former deputy chief of staff, Bridget Anne Kelly, and William Baroni, the former governor’s top political appointment at the Port Authority, while acknowleding they "used deception to reduce Fort Lee’s access lanes to the George Washington Bridge – and thereby jeopardized the safety of the town’s residents."

But Justice Elena Kagan, who wrote the opinion, said prosecutors wrongfully applied federal statutes in the case.

"Not every corrupt act by state or local officials is a federal crime. Because the scheme here did not aim to obtain money or property, Baroni and Kelly could not have violated the federal-program fraud or wire fraud laws," she wrote.

In response to the ruling, Mark E. Coyne of the U.S. Attorney's Office, sent this statement: “The Supreme Court’s decision speaks for itself, and we are bound by that decision. Beyond that, we have no comment.”

Baroni, in a written statement, said he felt vindicated.

"I have always said I was an innocent and today, the Supreme Court unanimously agreed," he said.

Kelly and Baroni were found guilty in November 2016 of all charges — conspiracy, wire fraud and civil rights violations — connected to the scandal, which involved shutting down several local access lanes to the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee as retribution against Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich, a Democrat, for not endorsing Christie for reelection in 2013. A federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment against them in May 2015.

In 2017, David Wildstein, a Christie-appointed Port Authority official, was sentenced to three years of probation for his role in the scheme after pleading guilty to two counts of conspiracy. In his 2016 testimony, Wildstein alleged Christie and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo agreed to falsely explain the scheme as a traffic study, hoping to tamp down the scandal.

Wildstein also accused Cuomo of helping Christie cover-up the scandal as it was happening. According to a report in the New York Times, on a request from Christie, Cuomo told the executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to "stand down" in trying to blame the lane closing on New Jersey officials until after Christie had won re-election in November 2013.

Both denied any conversations of the sort took place.

It was thought that Christie confidant David Samson also had a role in the scheme as well, but he was never charged. In July 2016 he pleaded guilty to demanding a bribe while he was the chairman of the Port Authority.

RELATED:

• Chris Christie Knew All About Bridgegate While It Was Happening, Prosecutors Say
• Christie, Cuomo Conspired In Bridgegate Cover-Up, Ex-Christie Ally Testifies

This is a developing story. Patch will have more information as it becomes available.