Amid a chorus of boos, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie took a Times Square stage Saturday for the ceremonial Super Bowl “handoff” — then ran for daylight from “Bridgegate” questions.
The usually loquacious governor spoke for just 30 seconds at the event, during which one detractor jeered, “We hate traffic! We hate traffic!”
The ceremony, during which Christie and Gov. Cuomo passed on Super Bowl responsibilities to next year’s host, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, came a day after a disgraced Christie crony claimed “evidence exists” to show Christie knew about the George Washington Bridge traffic snarl as it unfolded.
“We look forward to handing it over to Arizona,” Christie told the crowd. “I was proud to be in New Orleans last year to accept the handoff on behalf of the region.”
As he scrambled to leave, Christie ignored a Post reporter’s questions on the new “evidence” mentioned in a letter released Friday by former Port Authority official David Wildstein.
Wildstein and his attorney, Alan Zegas, were similarly mum Saturday.
Zegas’ letter claimed Christie knew of the lane closures as they happened — not just after the fact from news reports, as Christie has repeatedly maintained.
On Friday night, Christie’s office responded, “Mr. Wildstein’s lawyer confirms what the governor has said all along: He had absolutely no prior knowledge of the lane closures before they happened and whatever Mr. Wildstein’s motivations were for closing them to begin with. As the governor said in a December 13th press conference, he only first learned lanes were closed when it was reported by the press and, as he said in his January 9th press conference, had no indication that this was anything other than a traffic study until he read otherwise the morning of January 8th.
“The governor denies Mr. Wildstein’s lawyer’s other assertions.”
Wildstein became infamous for his e-mail exchange with Christie aide Bridget Anne Kelly, in which she wrote, “Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee.” He replied: “Got it.”
Investigators are probing whether the traffic-paralyzing “traffic study” in September was political payback for Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich’s refusal to back Christie’s campaign.
Wildstein is among 20 people and organizations close to Christie who must comply with a new round of subpoenas by Monday, though Wisniewski said almost all the recipients have requested more time.
When Wildstein appeared before the legislative panel last month, he asserted his right against self-incrimination and refused to answer any questions. His lawyer has said Wildstein would testify if granted immunity from prosecution.
He resigned in December from a $150,000-per-year PA job that he got with Christie’s blessing.