Former Chris Christie associates convicted in ‘Bridgegate’ scandal

Two former officials associated with New Jersey governor Chris Christie, a top adviser to Donald Trump, were convicted on all charges linked to the "Bridgegate" scandal.

Bridget Anne Kelly, Mr Christie's former deputy chief of state, and Bill Baroni, a US-Irish citizen, were found guilty of conspiracy and wire fraud for the 2013 closure of traffic lanes to the George Washington Bridge between New York and New Jersey.

Prosecutors said it was an act of political revenge against a New Jersey Democratic mayor who refused to back the re-election of Mr Christie, a Republican.

Baroni, the governor's most senior appointment at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which manages the bridge, has strong ties to Ireland. He was abandoned as a child by an Irish mother and raised by a New Jersey couple. He hosted Taoiseach Enda Kenny at the Freedom Tower in lower Manhattan on a St Patrick's Day visit to New York in 2013.

The Christie appointee received approval from a US judge to travel to Ireland to campaign for the same-sex marriage referendum while he was awaiting trial over the Bridgegate scandal.

Presidential bid

The controversy hurt Mr Christie’s presidential bid, despite his efforts to distance himself from the lane closures that caused traffic chaos and public safety issues over five days.

After Friday's convictions, he repeated that he had no prior knowledge or role in authorising them. Even so, Ms Kelly and key prosecution witness David Wildstein, another Christie associate, testified during the six-week trial that the governor and one-time presidential candidate was aware of the lane closings beforehand and as they happened.

“No believable evidence was presented to contradict that fact,” Mr Christie said in a statement released after the convictions were handed down. “Anything said to the contrary over the past six weeks in court is simply untrue.”

The crimes that Kelly and Baroni have been convicted of carry a maximum sentence of 20 years, but the New Jersey federal prosecutor has signalled that his office will not seek terms that long, more likely one-three years. Sentencing is scheduled for February 21st.

Demanded loyalty

The trial exposed a culture of intimidation within Mr Christie’s administration. Wildstein, a Port Authority official who pleaded guilty in a deal with prosecutors, outlined details of how the governor demanded loyalty and punished those who did not support him or his agenda.

"Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee," Kelly emailed when Mark Sokolich, the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee across the bridge from New York, refused to endorse Mr Christie.

The Republican is leading Mr Trump's transition team that will put in place his administration should he win Tuesday's presidential election. He is due to campaign on behalf of Mr Trump in the battleground states of New Hampshire and Pennsylvania on Saturday.