Law firm that conducted 'Bridgegate' review paid $3.1M to represent New Jersey

Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, the law firm that released its report last week on the "Bridgegate" scandal, received $3.1 million in 2013 for representing New Jersey.

The Star-Ledger of Newark said it has obtained records that show Gibson Dunn ranked second on a list of private firms paid by the New Jersey Attorney General last year. The firm represented New Jersey in a battle to legalize sports betting.

Randy Mastro, a New York-based lawyer with the firm, released a report that blamed Gov. Chris Christie's former deputy chief of staff, Bridget Anne Kelly, and David Wildstein, a Christie appointee at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, for the lane closings that snarled traffic in Fort Lee, N.J., for four days in September. The closing of approaches to the George Washington Bridge was allegedly an act of political payback.

Mastro's report, which reportedly cost taxpayers $1 million, exonerated Christie.

Assemblyman John Wisniewski, the Democratic lawmaker heading a committee conducting its own investigation, suggested Gibson Dunn & Crutcher has a conflict of interest.

“They’re certainly going to be very careful about biting the hand that feeds them,” he said.

Wisniewski also said Monday he plans to subpoena the interviews done for the internal review. He said that if Christie has nothing to hide he has no reason to invoke attorney-client privilege.

[NJ.com]