Article

2017-01-28 -Lurid Crime Tales-

Prosecutors will not pursue Bridgegate charges against New Jersey governor

[Reuters] New Jersey prosecutors on Friday said they would not pursue criminal misconduct charges against Governor Chris Christie in connection with the "Bridgegate" scandal.

The Office of the Bergen County Prosecutor said in a letter to a local judge it did not have sufficient evidence to prove allegations that Christie knew about a plot to close lanes at the George Washington Bridge in 2013 in order to punish a local mayor for failing to endorse Christie's re-election bid.

"The reason is simple, but compelling - that charge cannot be proven beyond a reasonable doubt," the letter said.

Bill Brennan, a retired firefighter and activist who announced he would run for governor this year, filed the citizen complaint against Christie last September.

Two former Christie allies were convicted last year of orchestrating the lane closure plot, and U.S. prosecutors introduced evidence at trial suggesting the governor was at least aware of the scheme. Christie has steadfastly denied that he knew about the closures at the time.

Roy McGeady, a municipal judge in Fort Lee, had found probable cause to allow the case against Christie to proceed after a hearing at which Brennan testified. Christie's lawyer was not permitted to argue or cross-examine, McGeady said, because the governor was not a defendant until probable cause was established.

Posted by Besoeker 2017-01-28 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11132 views ] Top

#1 Because he seems to be in Trump's doghouse, and 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend?'

Posted by Glenmore 2017-01-28 00:49|| 2017-01-28 00:49|| Front Page Top

#2 Christie's lawyer was not permitted to argue or cross-examine, McGeady said, because the governor was not a defendant until probable cause was established.

I'm not a Christie fan at all, but do we all feel good about the above?

Posted by Crusader 2017-01-28 00:51|| 2017-01-28 00:51|| Front Page Top

#3 Because no substance?

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2017-01-28 02:43|| 2017-01-28 02:43|| Front Page Top

#4 The charges have served their purpose.

Now they'll pick their next target, freeze it and attack again. The only time I've seen this tactic successfully fought was Scott Walker.

Posted by AlanC 2017-01-28 08:45|| 2017-01-28 08:45|| Front Page Top

#5 Precedent for the 'closing national monuments'? A lot of Obeans minions could be before some grand juries on that one too.

Posted by Procopius2k 2017-01-28 08:55|| 2017-01-28 08:55|| Front Page Top

#6 The whole freaking Bridgegate thing made a Mount Everest out of a molehill. If Christie was a Democrat, nothing would have happened.

Posted by Raj 2017-01-28 16:31|| 2017-01-28 16:31|| Front Page Top

#7 AH, yes, but if Christie - obviously a big threat to Hillary at the time - had not been frozen and attacked - we might not have President Trump today.

Ain't karma a witch?

Posted by Bobby 2017-01-28 16:50|| 2017-01-28 16:50|| Front Page Top

#8 That's a good point, but I think the thing that nuked Christie for sure was the bro-hug of Obama when Christie was looking for Federal $ after Hurricane Sandy.

Posted by Raj 2017-01-28 18:17|| 2017-01-28 18:17|| Front Page Top

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