NEW YORK CITY — Gov. Andrew Cuomo denied that he spoke with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie about covering up the Bridgegate scandal by issuing a false report explaining the closure of road lanes leading to the George Washington Bridge.
David Wildstein, a Christie appointee to the Port Authority, testified in federal court Tuesday that Christie and Cuomo agreed to issue a false report about the lane closures in 2013.
The lanes were closed to punish the mayor of Fort Lee, New Jersey, who did not support Christie's reelection, prosecutors say.
But New Jersey officials falsely said the lanes were closed as part of a traffic study.
Wildstein testified this week that it was his "understanding" that Cuomo and Christie spoke and agreed that New Jersey would take responsibility for the lane closures in an effort to smother the then-widening scandal.
Port Authority Executive Director Patrick Foye, a Cuomo appointee to the bi-state agency, would then approve the report. No such report was produced.
"His point is, ‘I heard a story.’ Now, this is a person who has admitted that he committed a crime and he’s pled to a felony," Cuomo told reporters.
Wildstein has pleaded guilty to helping close the lanes and 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. Both are charged with shutting down the lanes.
Wildstein also testified that Cuomo ordered Foye to "stand down" and "lay off" blaming New Jersey for the closures until after Christie's 2013 reelection.
"I heard a story that the governor said to the governor, 'Pat Foye should stand down and that they were going to do a report.’ That was not accurate. That’s gossip that he’s passing on," Cuomo said.
Cuomo's team took to social media to point out that Wildstein also testified that he had not heard the alleged conversation between Cuomo and Christie himself, but was told of it second hand.
Both Christie and Cuomo have denied knowledge of the lane closures.
Asked how he found out about the lane closures, Cuomo said, "You know, that was two years ago. I'd have to go back and look. But I found out basically when it became public."
