The former federal prosecutor who brought down Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich will investigate the “Bridgegate” traffic fiasco — while New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will get his own help from an ex-fed to deal with the probe,The Post has learned.
Reid Schar, who grilled Blagojevich during cross-examination at the 2011 trial that sent him to prison for corruption, will serve as special counsel to a state Assembly committee looking into last year’s closing of two approach lanes to the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee.
The September closures caused four days of tie-ups, and came after a top Christie aide sent an e-mail reading, “Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee,” to a Christie appointee at the Port Authority, which runs the bridge.
Schar, now a partner at the Jenner & Block law firm in Chicago, is considered a dogged attorney who didn’t let up on Blagojevich after the shamed pol’s first trial ended with a hung jury.
Schar didn’t return requests for comment.
But Democratic Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto said, “It’s vital to have someone of the caliber of Mr. Schar joining us in this effort.”
“A potential misuse of taxpayer resources for political purposes is a serious matter that requires an astute legal eye with experience in this realm to help guide the process.” Prieto added.
Meanwhile, sources told The Post that Christie, a Republican presidential prospect, has hired the high-powered firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher to respond to the Assembly committee, another being formed by the state Senate, and the New Jersey US Attorney’s Office, which is investigating whether any federal laws were broken.
Christie’s lawyers will be led by Randy Mastro, a former federal prosecutor who also served as chief of staff and deputy mayor under then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
Mastro’s team will review “best practices for office operations and information flow” and “bring an outside, third-party perspective to the situation,” according to a statement to be released Thursday.