Baroni, Kelly plead not guilty to Bridgegate charges

TRENTON – Gov. Chris Christie could be on the list of those asked to testify at the trial of his two former appointees in the political-revenge conspiracy to snarl traffic at the George Washington Bridge, a defense lawyer indicated Monday.

“I am going to subpoena anybody who I feel necessary to establish my client’s innocence,” said Michael Critchley, the defense attorney for Bridget Anne Kelly, outside federal court. While not commenting directly on whether he would call Christie to testify, Critchley did say that he would call many employees of the Governor’s Office to the stand.

Kelly and Bill Baroni, Christie’s former appointees, made their first appearances in U.S. District Court, three days after David Wildstein pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges and implicated them both in the bridge closure plot. They each pleaded not guilty, and were released on $150,000 unsecured personal bonds. U.S. District Judge Susan Wigenton scheduled a July 7 trial date.

Neither Baroni, a former Port Authority of New York and New Jersey deputy director, nor Kelly, a former deputy chief to Gov. Chris Christie, spoke in court, with their attorneys instead addressing the court on their behalf. The two shook hands briefly, with Baroni putting his left hand atop their clasped hands after first touching it to his chest near his heart.

Kelly’s attorney, Michael Critchley, later told reporters that was about the longest exchange the alleged co-conspirators have ever had in their lives.

“She has been maligned for the past 16 months; my total belief and everything I hold dear is that she’s been maligned unfairly,” Critchley said. “I want to know after we’re found not guilty, who gives her the apology?”

“I have the highest respect for the people at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, but unfortunately they’re relying on one narrator, David Wildstein. And he’s a flawed narrator,” Critchley said.

Baroni, in a 95-second statement to reporters, made reference to some party-defying votes he cast as a Republican state senator representing Middlesex and Mercer counties in support of paid family leave, medical marijuana and same-sex marriage, saying he was told each time he was risking his political career.

“Those are the things you do risk your career over. I would never risk my career, my job, my reputation, for something like this. I am an innocent man,” Baroni said.

“That is why I will testify on my own behalf as soon as the trial begins. I will spend every day working to clear my name and get my reputation back,” Baroni said.

Critchley indicated that Kelly would testify as well.

Baroni and Kelly were charged with conspiracy and wire fraud in a nine-count indictment made public last Friday. The top charges carry maximum prison terms of 20 years, though U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman estimated the longest sentence each would face if convicted of all charges would be around four years.

The September 2013 lane closures were intentionally and secretly devised to create hours-long traffic jams in Fort Lee each morning to punish Mayor Mark Sokolich for not endorsing Christie’s re-election, according to prosecutors and Wildstein’s admissions as part of his guilty plea. He says he coordinated the closures with Baroni’s help and put them in motion after Kelly gave the go-ahead.

Baroni, according to the charges, suggested closing the lanes in September rather than August because there would be more traffic. He also allegedly told Port Authority executive director Patrick Foye to reinstate the lane closures, saying they were important to Trenton, on the Friday that Foye ordered them lifted hours after learning of them.

Wildstein pleaded guilty to charges that would typically merit 21 to 27 months in prison, but he’ll likely be sentenced to less due to his cooperation with the government.

Baroni and Wildstein were pushed from their Port Authority jobs in December 2013, and Kelly was fired in January 2014. Baroni has left his job at the Princeton-based Hill Wallack law firm to focus on preparing for the trial.

Michael Symons: (609) 984-4336; msymons@gannettnj.com