Summary: The law firm that represented Governor Chris Christie in last year’s George Washington bridge scandal must turn over notes and recorded interviews it used to clear him of wrongdoing.
According to the Star Tribune, the Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher law firm, which drafted a report that cleared Governor Chris Christie last year in the George Washington Bridge lane-closing fiasco has been ordered to turn over its handwritten notes and interview recordings that it conducted with administration officials.
Read about the investigation here.
According to Wikipedia, some have posited that Christie was retaliating against Mark Sokolich, the mayor of Fort Lee, New Jersey, where the closures occurred. Allegedly, Christie retaliated because Sokolich did not endorse him in the 2013 gubernatorial election.
Read about the firm’s report here.
On Friday, a federal judge granted the request, which was presented by two former Christie allies who have now been indicted for their roles in the scandal.
Specifically, the request is for notes for over 70 interviews that were conducted for the report. The law firm was hired by Christie at taxpayer expense. Some now feel that the bridge scandal may damage Christie’s chances in the 2016 presidential campaign, the Wall Street Journal adds.
The law firm asked that the request be denied, but U.S. District Court Judge Susan Wigenton said that the objections were “premature” and that a “proper motion to quash or modify the subpoena is not currently before this court.” Therefore, the judge did not address the merit’s of the firms’ position.
The judge added that the request was valid and that it was not merely a “fishing expedition.” The firm now has 45 days to either hand over the information or file a motion in response.
Christie has denied knowledge of the lane closures.
Bridget Anne Kelly and Bill Baroni have both pleaded not guilty for their roles in the scandal. The state has said that it will not pay for Kelly’s legal bills. Additionally, Kelly’s attorney has argued she was being treated differently from other employees who, like Kelly, thought the lane closings were due to a traffic study.
Source: Star Tribune
Photo credit: USA Today