N.J. Gov. Christie staff ordered to produce 'Bridgegate' documents

TRENTON, N.J., Jan. 18 (UPI) -- New Jersey legislators have ordered top members of Gov. Chris Christie's staff to produce documents on the George Washington Bridge scandal.

Eighteen subpoenas were delivered Thursday and Friday to a group that includes the Republican governor's outgoing chief of staff and his replacement, as well as Bridget Anne Kelly, the deputy chief of staff who resigned after an e-mail she sent -- "Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee" -- was published, the (Newark) Star-Ledger reported.

Assemblyman John Wisniewski, a Democrat who heads the new Assembly Select Committee on Investigation, said the staffers have two weeks to produce documents and subpoenas to testify will be the next step.

Wisniewski said the committee wants documents on "all aspects of the finances, operations and management of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, including but not limited to, the reassignment of access lanes in Fort Lee ... to the George Washington Bridge, and any other matter raising concerns about abuse of power."

Traffic in Fort Lee was stalled when access roads to the bridge were closed for four days in September, delaying ambulances, schoolbuses and commuters trying to get to work.

There has been speculation, thus far unfounded, that Christie loyalists were trying to punish the mayor of Fort Lee for not endorsing the governor in his 2013 re-election campaign.

Subpoenas have also gone to three Christie appointees on the Port Authority, David Wildstein, former director of interstate capital projects, Chairman David Samson and Bill Baroni, the former deputy executive director. Baroni and Wildstein resigned in the wake of the scandal.

Christie was scheduled to spend the weekend in Florida, attending fundraisers in his capacity as head of the Republican Governors Association.