A bridge too far? Trial reinforces New Jersey's poor image

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — If the state that brought you Abscam (fake sheikhs bribing politicians), Bid Rig (rabbis laundering money, more bribes to politicians) and other instances of political corruption was looking for an image makeover, this was not it.

Testimony in the George Washington Bridge lane-closing trial began in September with descriptions of profane tirades and moved swiftly through accounts of physical threats, petty infighting and an often stunning disregard for ethical boundaries.

Bridget Kelly — Christie's former deputy chief of staff, who is on trial on charges she conspired to cause traffic jams to punish a Democratic mayor who didn't support Christie's 2013 re-election bid — testified the governor threw a water bottle at her after she suggested he make opening comments at a briefing after a boardwalk fire in 2013.

David Wildstein, the government's star witness who pleaded guilty last year, was a political blogger and former high school classmate of Christie's who was given a job created for him at the Port Authority.

The agency has enacted internal reforms to try to lessen political influence in its decision-making and has taken steps to become more transparent about how it spends its money.

Testimony that has contradicted Christie's account of when he found out about the lane closures, and the descriptions of the Port Authority being used as a campaign tool, spurred talk of New Jersey's Democrat-controlled Legislature possibly seeking impeachment proceedings against the governor.