NY, NJ Port Authority eliminates David Wildstein position

The New York and New Jersey Port Authority has eliminated the position that was held by former Gov. Chris Christie (R-N.J.) appointee David Wildstein, the Newark Star-Ledger reports.

Wildstein had been the Port Authority’s director of interstate capital projects until he resigned after being involved in discussions with the Christie administration about closing lanes on the George Washington Bridge in an act of political retribution against the mayor of Fort Lee, N.J.

{mosads}The George Washington Bridge, which connects New Jersey and New York City, is the busiest bridge in the United States, carrying 102 million vehicles per year.

Christie was accused of ordering the closing of multiple lanes on the New Jersey side of the bridge in retaliation for the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee declining to endorse his 2013 bid for reelection.

Christie has declined having personal knowledge of the decision to close the lanes, blaming Wildstein and his former Deputy Chief of Staff Bridget Kelly for acting on their own.

Wildstein has subsequently disputed Christie’s version of the events, saying that evidence exists proving Christie was aware of the lane closures as they were happening.

The Port Authority did not offer an official reason for eliminating the director of interstate capital projects, the paper reported.