Governor Andrew Cuomo's name has come up once again at the Bridgegate trial in New Jersey. Two witnesses have now testified that Cuomo and New York Governor Chris Christie discussed the politically motivated 2013 lane closures much earlier than previously revealed. NY1's Zack Fink filed the following report.
In 2013, access lanes to the George Washington Bridge were shut down as part of a revenge scheme to help get governor Chris Christie re-elected. But since the bridge is a Port Authority asset, Governor Andrew Cuomo is also responsible for what happens there.
Cuomo was first asked about it by reporters in December 2013.
"To the extent there was misbehavior by officials at the Port Authority, I think that has been addressed by the recent resignations," he said at the time.
The resignations were by David Wildstein, who has pleaded guilty in the case, and Bill Baroni, who is currently on trial.
Wildstein testified that Cuomo and Christie discussed the lane closures in the fall of 2013, and on Thursday, Cuomo's appointee at the Port Authority Scott Rechler also said the two governors spoke.
Cuomo was asked about that conversation earlier this month.
"This came up last year. I don't know who raised it last year. But it was the same gossip was that was spread last year, and it's factually impossible," he said.
Asked to clarify what the governor meant, a spokesman for Cuomo says, "there was no conversation between the Governors concerning a 'plan' to have Pat Foye stand down or to have the issue 'whitewashed' through a report. Pat Foye was in fact a whistle-blower – he never stood down and no report was ever prepared or issued."
Pat Foye is Cuomo's hand-picked executive director at the Port Authority who first identified the lane closures as a crime in an email, and ordered them reopened.
When we first asked him about this in 2014, he said, "Look, my email, I stated my belief, which was my belief then. I testified under oath in Trenton to that effect. I believe I took the right action when I learned about the lane closures, promptly opened them. I stand by my email and that decision."
The Bridgegate trial is expected to wrap up next week. The defense for one of the defendants is predicated on the notion that Cuomo and Christie colluded with a cover-up.