Judge: Bridgegate records remain sealed, for now
WOODLAND PARK, N.J. — The federal judge overseeing both the criminal and civil cases related to the 2013 George Washington Bridge lane closure scandal has decided, for now, to keep sealed records closed as she continues to review arguments for both sides on which documents should remain barred from public view and which can be disclosed.
U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton issued her decision Thursday night, saying that the materials under dispute would “reveal information that the parties in the criminal matter and this court previously have deemed worthy of confidential trust.”
She went on to say in the two-page ruling that she sees no alternative to keeping the records sealed “at this time” and she will continue to review requests from attorneys for media organizations, which includes The (Bergen County, N.J.) Record and its parent company Gannett Co. Inc., which also owns USA TODAY.
Judge doesn't dismiss misconduct complaint against Christie
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s former chief of staff, Bridget Anne Kelly, and the former deputy executive director of the Port Authority, Bill Baroni, were convicted in November on charges of conspiracy, wire fraud and civil rights violations after a six-week jury trial.
Their conviction stemmed from a political payback scheme against the mayor of Fort Lee, N.J., for not endorsing Christie. The lane reductions, which began Sept. 9 2013, caused gridlock over five mornings, severely delaying motorists, school buses and emergency vehicles.
The Record and other media outlets, including The New York Times and Bloomberg News, sought to make public sealed records and proceedings that took place leading up to the criminal trial last year and continued to request materials that were sealed during the trial.
Those materials included text messages, emails, search warrants and letters discussed or referred to in either court proceedings or court documents.
In December, federal prosecutors filed their response to attorneys’ request to unseal these items with a list of documents they believe could now be unsealed and others that should remain sealed.
On Thursday, Wigenton decided that all materials would remain sealed for the time being as she reviewed the arguments from both the plaintiff media companies and the federal government.
Poll: Christie should have been Bridgegate defendant
In December, prosecutors argued that the following items should remain sealed:
• Personal information, including email addresses that are listed in some of the court documents.
• Text messages between Christina Renna, former director of the governor's Intergovernmental Affairs Office, and Peter Sheridan, the former deputy executive director of the New Jersey Republican Party.
• Emails between defendant David Wildstein and Bill Stepien, the governor's former campaign manager.
• A page from Christie's calendar, which has information of a "personal nature."
• Information regarding an unindicted co-conspirator.
• Information presented to the grand jury.
Bridgegate brought dark inner workings of Christie team to light
Prosecutors wrote that the following items could be unsealed entirely or in part:
• Previously redacted excerpts of search warrants used in the investigation.
• A July 22, 2015, letter from the government to defendants that showed information that could be favorable to the defendants.
• All documents related to requests by defense attorneys for a mistrial after incidents during jury deliberations Nov. 2.
Contributing: Dustin Racioppi, The (Bergen County, N.J.) Record. Follow Todd South on Twitter: @tsouthjourno
Related: