The Bridgegate jurors got an earful. The government’s star witness described as a liar, a cheat and a thief. And it went downhill from there. Cameras are not allowed in federal courtrooms. NJTV News Correspondent David Cruz was in the gallery.
Mary Alice Williams: David, what happened?
Cruz: It was the confrontation observers were waiting for.
Michael Critchley, the sardonic defense lawyer representing Bridget Kelly, questioning David Wildstein, the state’s star witness.
Compared to Michael Baldassare, whose plodding cross examination of Wildstein had some jurors nodding out, Critchley came out swinging.
Critchley: You know right from wrong, don’t you?
Wildstein: Generally speaking, yes.
Critchley: What do you mean by that?
Wildstein: Sometimes I know right from wrong … There are times I’ve done some things that are very wrong.
Critchley: Over the course of your life … there are times you’ve engaged in lies and deception.
Wildstein: Yes, that’s fair to say.
Critchley spent the bulk of the afternoon detailing Wildstein’s career of deceptions and lies, from stealing Frank Lautenberg’s coat during a debate when Wildstein was in his 20s to booking a bus to Atlantic City for Democrats and African-Americans in order to keep them from the polls on Election Day.
“That’s voter suppression,” exclaimed Critchley to an objection from the prosecution.
Critchley: Let me ask you this. What’s more despicable, voter suppression of minorities or bragging about it?
Wildstein: I think they’re equally despicable.
He revisited the theme of Wildstein the bully.
Critchley: The image you’re creating here today is “yes sir,” “no sir”. Very respectful. But the demeanor you exhibited at the Port Authority was a lot different.
Wildstein: In some circumstances, I came across as someone who was very tough.
Critchley: How about abusive?
Wildstein: I think some people might consider it abusive. I didn’t think so.
Critchley outlined numerous meetings between Wildstein and Christie administration officials — Bill Stepien, Mike DuHaime and Michelle Brown — even several with Christie himself.
He recounted numerous occasions where Wildstein sent emails to Bill Stepien giving him advice on the campaign.
He was trying to show that Wildstein was an insider who, even after the bridge scandal broke, was hoping for a job on Christie’s presidential campaign.
Critchley has said all along that his client — Bridget Kelly — could not have given the order to close the lanes at the GWB back in 2013.
The most damning questioning came when Critchley asked Wildstein about an email he sent to Bridget Kelly on the day before she sent the infamous “Time for some traffic problems” email.
Email: I have an issue to discuss with you. Extraordinarily weird even by my standards.
Critchley asked him what he meant by extraordinarily weird but Wildstein said he didn’t remember.
Critchley: You don’t remember an email on the day before [Bridget Kelly’s email] yet you remember a conversation with Chris Christie from 1977, 39 years ago.
Wildstein: I remember it well.
Critchley: You remember all these other conversations, but you don’t remember an email about something extraordinarily weird.
The prosecution objected and Wildstein didn’t answer.
In fact the prosecution objected a lot today, but the judge was giving Critchley a lot of freedom.
No court on Monday for Rosh Hashanah, extended hours next week to make up for the lost day.
Cruz: And that’s about it for today, Mary Alice.
Williams: Thank you, David.