Impeach Gov. Chris Christie, Chief Lawmaker Says

A chief and influential New Jersey lawmaker has called on the state Legislature to impeach Gov. Chris Christie because of his alleged involvement in the Bridgegate scandal.

Loretta Weinberg, the Democratic N.J. state Senate majority leader, requested Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto to consider Christie's impeachment "whether now or after he leaves office as allowed by the Constitution."

"During the now completed Bridgegate trial there was considerable testimony under oath that Governor Chris Christie has knowledge of a conspiracy to misuse government resources to close lanes on the George Washington Bridge," Weinberg, a Democrat from Bergen, said in a press release.

Brian Murray, a spokesman for Christie, called the request "ridiculous" and said it was surprising that Weinberg, who paid close attention to the Bridgegate trial, "could get it so wrong."

Two former aides to Christie were found guilty last week in a trial involving the Bridgegate political payback scheme that severely damaged the governor's political career.

The two aides, Bridget Anne Kelly, the governor’s former deputy chief of staff, and Bill Baroni, the top Christie executive appointee at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, were found guilty of all charges connected to the scandal.

Testimony in the trial suggested that Christie knew about the scheme to create traffic jams by closing lanes at the George Washington Bridge and punish the Fort Lee mayor for not endorsing him in the governor's 2013 re-election.

Read more: Bridgegate Verdict: 2 Ex-Chris Christie Aides Found Guilty in Criminal Trial

Christie currently heads President-elect Donald Trump's presidential transition team and has not ruled out leaving New Jersey to accept a job in the new administration.

Prieto, a Democrat from Hudson/Bergen, replied that the Assembly took the lead and broke open this investigation and said "we are weighing all potential legislative activity."

"But considering how any impeachment would involve the Senate, it’s disappointing that Sen. Weinberg made her request through a press release," he said in a statement.

Weinberg, who served as co-chair of the N.J. Legislative Select Committee on Investigation that investigated the political payback scheme, said Article Seven, Section Three of the New Jersey Constitution provides that a governor may be impeached in office or for two years thereafter "for a misdemeanor committed during office."

"If impeached by the Assembly and convicted by the Senate, a governor can be removed from office and disqualified to hold and enjoy any public office of honor, profit or trust in this state," she said.

Weinberg said the testimony from the trial that convicted Kelly and Baroni should compel the Assembly Speaker to consider impeachment, "the outcome of which could deny Chris Christie the benefits of office and correct the public record to reflect the evidence provided in this federal court trial."

"The allegations of federal prosecutors and statements of witnesses who testified under oath cannot go unanswered and impeaching Chris Christie would bar him from further public service in this state," she said.

Democratic Assembly Majority Leader Louis D. Greenwald said the calls for an impeachment hearing are "irresponsible and a non-starter."

"The fact of the matter is that there was a special legislative committee with subpoena power that investigated the issue thoroughly," he said. "It was through our work in the Assembly that we uncovered the initial evidence of an abuse of power. Our purpose was to find out who abused their power and why, which led to the US Attorney's office filing charges against the conspirators. Obviously, there was no evidence discovered by the US Attorney's office that the Governor was involved – they moved on and we need to move on."

"As we have collectively discussed as a nation since Tuesday night, it's time get started healing our state and coming together as a nation. We have a great deal of important issues to tackle in New Jersey, from affordability to job creation, and I look forward to working together to solve these problems and improve the quality of life for our residents."

Patch file photo