Missing emails and text messages. It’s not just a problem for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Gov. Chris Christie’s personal accounts are back in the spotlight as the Bridgegate trial nears. Just in time for the main stage of campaign season. NJTV News Chief Political Correspondent Michael Aron joins Correspondent Briana Vannozzi to catch us up with the latest.
Vannozzi: Michael, this isn’t the first time Christie’s name has been floated as a potential running mate for a presidential campaign. There’s a lot of talk here. Do we know for sure he’s being vetted for the position by Donald Trump?
Aron: Briana, the New York Times reported on Friday that four or five people are being vetted. They named Newt Gingrich, Chris Christie, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Sen. Bob Corker and Sen. Jeff Sessions. You alluded to Christie being vetted by the Mitt Romney campaign four years ago. That turned up some problems for Christie and Romney. And those were leaked to the press. I know that privately Christie was furious that what he claims was the first time, it was the first time ever in American history that a vetting file on a potential running mate had been leaked.
Vannozzi: The Bridgegate trial is expected to start in September. That’s the middle of campaign season. What’s expected there?
Aron: Well, Bridget Kelly and Bill Baroni will stand trial for their roles in the lane closure. And maybe we will get some answers to the two mysteries that have emerged in recent weeks in court documents. One regarding Chris Christie’s cellphone. He said long ago that he gave it to his lawyers at Gibson Dunn. Court papers last week suggested that Gibson Dunn, they don’t suggest, they indicate Gibson Dunn said it gave the cellphone back to the governor. On that cellphone presumably are 12 texts between the governor and his incoming Chief of Staff Regina Egea. During a legislative hearing on Bridgegate when the cover story of a traffic study was blown to bits, also WNYC reported last week that there’s a private email account that the governor shares with his wife, Mary Pat, and that at least one Bridgegate related email came from their personal server, went to David Samson, the former Port Authority chief at the height of Bridgegate. So that stuff may get resolved right in the middle of the presidential race.
Vannozzi: Donald Trump has repeatedly attacked Hillary Clinton for her use of her personal email server while serving as secretary of state. Could Christie’s missing text and email messages take some of the wind out of Trump’s argument?
Aron: Well it could if he were to name Christie as his running mate. If he keeps Christie around in a lower profile role, maybe, maybe not. Right now Christie is the transition chief and he’s very involved in the Trump inner circle. If he were to be made the running mate, it could seriously undercut the argument that Trump keeps making about “Crooked Hillary”.
Vannozzi: Michael, we have less than a minute. We know the two have known each other for roughly 14 years or so. How involved is Christie in Donald Trump’s campaign?
Aron: Very. Christie is the transition chairman. He’s brought in his former chief of staff, a longtime pillar of the Trenton establishment, Rich Bagger of Selgene Pharmaceutical to be his liaison or his deputy in the transition. His brother, Todd Christie, and a bunch of other Christie loyalists have joined a 15-person fundraising team in New Jersey. And the candidate seems to be taking advice from Gov. Christie on policy, on politics. He could end up being White House chief of staff, some people believe.
Vannozzi: OK, Michael Aron, thank you.
Aron: Thanks Briana.