Summary: The law firm conducted the investigation into the Christie lane closure scandal but is not willing to release their private data even though the credibility of testimonies is being questioned.
Governor Christie is still facing legal headaches over the George Washington Bridge lane closure scandal. Now the law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher is being subpoenaed to produce their data on a $7.5 million report done for the investigation into the scandal.
The subpoena comes from two of Christie’s former allies that are facing federal charges. They want to see the transcripts and recordings of interviews held regarding the investigation. They believe the records into who typed the computer data and when edits were done will help them in their case against the allegations that they were part of the conspiracy to retaliate again the Fort Lee mayor not endorsing Christie.
Gibson Dunn claims there are no recordings or transcripts of the interviews. They want the judge to deny the request for their computer data of who edited data and when the data was edited regarding the testimonies of over 70 witnesses.
The firm claims that one of their attorneys typed the notes that were later turned into summaries released to the public. The older versions were not saved. The problem comes from the fact that witnesses say their released testimonies are not accurate.
The report released by the firm clears Gov. Christie of any knowledge of the scandal but the credibility of the report is now under fire. The method by which they acquired testimonies allows for testimonies to be changed. They were hired by the state to conduct a factual inquiry but without documentation, there is no way of knowing if the information found is true.
Gibson Dunn claims the computer data is protected under attorney-client privilege and holds no information that would be relevant to the criminal case the two former allies are facing. Former Port Authority Deputy Executive Director Bill Baroni and the ex-deputy chief of staff for Christie, Bridget Anne Kelly, are charged with conspiring to commit wire fraud, civil right violations, and more charges. Another former Port Authority executive, David Wildstein already pleaded guilty and will be a government witness.
Photo: nbcnewyork.com