BridgeGhazi Latest: Another Christie Aide Clams Up
It looks like another figure neck deep in the BridgeGhazi scandal is refusing to honor a subpoena from a New Jersey bicameral legislative committee investigating the scandal. It’s no surprise that they’ll do anything to stall the investigation’s progress, so stock up on popcorn. It’s going to be a long year in Trenton:
The attorney for Bill Stepien, the two-time campaign manager to Gov. Chris Christie at the center of the George Washington Bridge scandal, today [Tuesday] rejected the state legislative panel’s request to turn over records and suggested the matter go to court.
The attorney, Kevin Marino, reiterated in a letter dated today and sent to the attorney for the committee, Reid Schar, that Stepien would not turn over any documents subpoenaed last month or engage in any type of negotiation to reach such an end.
“I can think of no lawful way the committee can obtain documents responsive to its subpoena from Mr. Stepien,” Marino wrote. “Stated simply, his principled objections to the subpoena raise significant legal issues that are no less valid because they here arise in the context of a politically-charged investigation.”
He went on, “Hence, I respectfully suggest that if the committee persists in its refusal to withdraw the subpoena, we confer on an orderly process and schedule for seeking a judicial determination as to the validity of those objections.”
“BridgeGhazi Bridget” Kelly pulled pretty much the same stunt a couple weeks ago. So it should come as no surprise that the committee is making its move:
The legislative committee investigating the George Washington Bridge lane closings will take Gov. Chris Christie’s two-time campaign manager, Bill Stepien, and his former deputy chief of staff, Bridget Anne Kelly, to court to enforce its subpoenas, a source told The Star-Ledger today.
The joint committee will seek an order from a judge forcing Stepien and Kelly to comply with the subpoenas, which were issued last month and requested records related to the September closings, according to the source, who was not authorized to discuss the action and requested anonymity.
Attorneys for Stepien and Kelly reiterated today — the final deadline set by the committee for the pair to respond — that they would not turn over any records for a host of reasons, most notably that it would violate their clients’ Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination.
