http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/23/nyregion/chris-christie-george-washington-bridge-trial.html 2016-09-22 18:43:48 Chris Christie ‘Protected’ Culprit in Bridge Lane Closings, Agency Head Testifies The executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Patrick J. Foye, said at trial Thursday that he was prevented from questioning an ally of the governor about the closings. === NEWARK — The admitted culprit behind the closings of the lanes leading to the George Washington Bridge was “protected by That culprit, David Wildstein, is now the prosecution’s star witness against two former top officials in the administration of Mr. Christie, the governor of New Jersey, who are accused of closing access lanes at the bridge in September 2013 to punish the mayor of Fort Lee, N.J., for refusing to endorse the governor’s re-election, and then covering it up. While Mr. Christie is not charged, prosecutors have said that Testimony on Thursday morning by Patrick J. Foye, the executive director of the Port Authority, which operates the bridge, described a frenzied effort to cover up the punitive purpose of the closings for three months after they happened. Mr. Christie won broad re-election that fall, becoming a front-runner for the Republican nomination for the presidency, prompting more interest — and more questions about the lane closings — from reporters. Mr. Foye testified that he conducted an internal review of the closings, talking to just three people at the Port Authority. But he could not ask Mr. Wildstein, a top official at the agency and a close ally of Mr. Christie, even a single question, he testified. “Because you couldn’t?” asked Michael Critchley, a lawyer for one of the defendants, Bridget Anne Kelly, who was a deputy chief of staff to Mr. Christie. “He was protected by Chris Christie, correct?” “Yes,” Mr. Foye said. A Port Authority board member appointed by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York had wanted to fire Mr. Wildstein for a year, Mr. Foye testified. Mr. Wildstein was “abusive and untrustworthy,” Mr. Foye testified, and “hated by hundreds, thousands of people at the Port Authority.” But Mr. Wildstein could not be terminated, Mr. Foye said, because it was “complicated.” Mr. Wildstein ultimately resigned in December 2013 amid increasing scrutiny on the lane closings and the Christie administration’s involvement. Mr. Christie personally edited the public statement about his resignation, adding praise for his service. Mr. Wildstein then refused to give up his Port Authority cellphone and iPad, Mr. Foye testified. Mr. Foye sent an email asking David Samson, a confidant of Mr. Christie’s who was chairman of the Port Authority board, for help getting them back. “Because you are closest to him,” Mr. Foye wrote. Mr. Wildstein pleaded guilty in 2015 to masterminding the lane closings, and is now cooperating with prosecutors against Ms. Kelly and Bill Baroni, Mr. Christie’s top staff appointee at the Port Authority.