NEW YORK CITY — Gov. Andrew Cuomo worked with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to cover up the Bridgegate scandal, a former Christie ally testified Tuesday in federal court.
The scandal revolves around the 2013 decision to close lanes leading to the New Jersey side of the George Washington Bridge as political retribution to the mayor of Fort Lee, New Jersey, who did not support Christie's reelection bid.
New Jersey officials falsely claimed that the lanes were closed to conduct a traffic study.
David Wildstein, a Christie appointee to the Port Authority, testified that Christie and Cuomo agreed to issue a false report about the lane closures. New Jersey would take responsibility for the lane closures in order to put an end to the growing scandal. Cuomo's appointee to the Port Authority, Executive Director Patrick Foye, would approve the report.
Cuomo also ordered Foye to "stand down" and "lay off" blaming New Jersey for the closures until after Christie's 2013 reelection ended, Wildstein testified.
Wildstein, who has pleaded guilty to orchestrating the lane closures and is cooperating with federal authorities, testified it was his "understanding" that Cuomo and Christie had spoken, NJ.com reported.
"My understanding, at the time, was that that would put an end to this issue," Wildstein said of the false report.
Christie has denied knowing anything about the scheme during the time it was taking place. Cuomo has also said he only knew what was being reported in the media. Christie has denied speaking to Cuomo about the lane closures.
Wildstein's testimony directly challenges all those assertions.
A spokesman for Cuomo said no such conversation ever took place and that Wildstein's testimony was "false" and "delusional."
“The only role New York played in this episode was a positive one: it was our executive director who blew the whistle and ordered the bridge reopened," said Cuomo spokesman John Kelly.
"To be clear, no such conversation between the governors happened, in fact no report of any kind was ever done, and whatever the admitted Bridgegate architect thought or dreamt about New York’s involvement has no basis in fact. Anyone can say anything, especially a convicted felon spinning a tale, but it’s just false and delusional," Kelly continued.
Wildstein is the star witness in the conspiracy and fraud trial of former Christie aide Bridget Anne Kelly and Bill Baroni, Christie's highest ranking Port Authority appointee.
