PHILADELPHIA (AP) – The Latest on the appeals of two former allies of former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie who were convicted in the George Washington Bridge lane-closing case (all times local):
Noon
Two former allies of former Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie convicted in the George Washington Bridge lane-closing case say their actions didn’t violate federal law.
Attorneys for Bill Baroni and Bridget Kelly argued in federal appeals court on Tuesday that their 2016 convictions should be thrown out because the government misapplied the law when it charged them.
They were convicted in 2016 on fraud, conspiracy and civil rights counts for causing traffic jams to punish a New Jersey mayor who wouldn’t endorse Christie for re-election.
Baroni faces 24 months in prison, and Kelly faces 18 months.
Their attorneys argued Tuesday that the indictment against them was flawed because there is no recognized right to intrastate travel and because the lane realignment didn’t benefit them personally.
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12:05 a.m.
Two former allies of former Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will try and convince a federal appeals court their convictions in the George Washington Bridge lane-closing case should be reversed.
Attorneys for Bill Baroni and Bridget Kelly are scheduled to argue in court on Tuesday in Philadelphia.
They were convicted in 2016 of carrying out a plot to cause massive traffic jams at the bridge connecting New Jersey and New York to punish a mayor who wouldn’t endorse Christie for re-election in 2013.
The plot’s architect was former Port Authority of New York and New Jersey official David Wildstein, a high school acquaintance of Christie’s. He pleaded guilty and testified against Baroni and Kelly.
Christie wasn’t charged, but the scandal torpedoed his presidential aspirations in the 2016 Republican primary.
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Source:Washington Times
