NEWARK, N.J. -- The attorney for a former staffer to Republican Gov. Chris Christie on Monday called the star witness against her in the George Washington Bridge lane-closing case "the Bernie Madoff of New Jersey politics."
Michael Critchley used the term in closing arguments to describe David Wildstein, the former bridge authority official who pleaded guilty in the case. He testified that Bridget Kelly and another defendant, Bill Baroni, schemed to punish a Democratic mayor who didn't endorse Christie.
Critchley said Wildstein concocted the scheme to try to impress Christie.
The jury heard closing arguments from the prosecution and from the lawyer representing Baroni, another former Christie ally, on Friday. The prosecution will get a chance to present a rebuttal summation later Monday before jurors begin deliberations.
In his closing argument, Baroni's attorney also assailed Wildstein, a former political blogger and high school classmate of Christie's. He said Wildstein, who worked for Baroni at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, was Christie's hatchet man at the agency and is a serial fabricator on whom the prosecution based the majority of its case.
Wildstein, who pleaded guilty last year, testified earlier in the trial that both defendants actively participated in the scheme to retaliate against Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich, whose endorsement was sought unsuccessfully by Christie's office in 2013.
Kelly wrote the infamous "Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee" email the month before the September 2013 lane closures. She testified she deleted that email and others because she was scared others in Christie's administration who knew of the lane closures weren't being forthcoming.
Kelly also testified she told Christie about the lane closures a month before they happened, something Christie has denied. Critchley told jurors Monday the government didn't call Christie to say that under oath. Christie has denied any knowledge of the plot before or while it was happening, and he has not been charged with any wrongdoing.
A federal prosecutor told jurors Friday that Kelly and Baroni were so eager to aid Christie's rising political career in 2013 that they concocted a plan to create gridlock at the country's busiest bridge, connecting Fort Lee and New York City, to punish a mayor who didn't go along for the ride. Baroni was a former state senator whom Christie appointed to be deputy executive director of the Port Authority, which operates the bridge.
They face charges including conspiracy, fraud and deprivation of civil rights. The most serious, wire fraud conspiracy, carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence.
Kelly and Baroni both testified they believed Wildstein when he told them the realignment of access lanes to the bridge on four days in September 2013 was part of a traffic study
The scandal unfolded at a time when Christie was on the brink of a runaway re-election victory and was considered a top Republican presidential contender. He wasn't charged, but the story dogged him through a failed presidential bid.
Christie has said he wasn't aware of the lane closures or their possible political motivation until weeks or months later. But testimony during the trial by Wildstein, Kelly and Baroni contradicted his account.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Cortes began his closing argument Friday by showing jurors a video screen with Kelly's email.
Kelly testified she sent the email after finding out Sokolich had decided not to endorse Christie, but she said the email was meant to give Wildstein the go-ahead to proceed with the traffic study.
Cortes said the plan was conceived by Wildstein, but he wouldn't have been able to pull it off without Baroni and Kelly.
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