In the months leading up to the lane closures at the George Washington Bridge, it has been reported two of the top aides to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie were involved in a “personal relationship” a report by lawyer Randy Mastro revealed! Since the former love birds have been busted here are the top ten facts we thought you should know!
#1 They worked for Gov. Chris Christie
They were two of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s closest advisers.
#2 Stand out at the job
Bill is Christie’s ex-campaign manager and top aide and Bridget Anne Kelly, who sent the now-infamous email that said “Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee,”
#3 They were both married to their respective partners but later divorced
Stepien married an aide to Mr. Baroni; the two divorced a year ago.
Ms. Kelly, who lives in Ramsey, and her former husband, Joseph Kelly, split up within the last year or two, according to a former co-worker. Neither was married during the time of the relationship.
#4 Anne Kelly replaced Bill Stepien
Kelly, 41, replaced Stepien, 36, as Christie’s deputy chief of staff last April when Stepien stepped down.
#5 What Sparked the relationship
Kelly who took his job, and “Because Stepien was her ‘benefactor,’ she relied heavily on him during this transition”
# 6 Their credentials
Kelly a Mount Saint Mary’s College graduate; has been Deputy Chief of Staff for Legislative & Intergovernmental Affairs at Office of Governor Chris Christie since last April, before she joined Chris Christie’s team she was legislative aide to Assemblyman David C. Russo and named chief of Staff in 2002.
Stepien began his political career working on Anthony Bucco’s 1997 State Senate campaign, and on Bob Franks’ 2000 U.S. The 36-year-old was a Regional Campaign Manager for Senator John S. McCain’s presidential campaign in 2008.
#7 Summer Fling
“At some point after Stepien’s departure to run the campaign, Kelly and Stepien became personally involved, although, by early August 2013, their personal relationship had cooled, apparently at Stepien’s choice, and they largely stopped speaking,” the report said.
#8 Partners in crime
The report also concluded that Stepien was aware of the plan to stall traffic.
#9 Bridgegate” scandal
Kelly was fired after news of the “Bridgegate” scandal erupted in January.
“Kelly’s invocation of the Fifth Amendment rights in refusing to provide documents in response to a lawfully issued subpoena leads to a reasonable inference that her motives and actions here were, in whole or in part, improper. Such an inference corroborates the significant evidence described above.”
Stepien who was in line to become chair of the New Jersey Republican Party was told by Christie not to enter consideration for the role and received a subpoena to submit documents.
#10 Who is guilty?
The report was based on an investigation predictably cleared Christie of any wrongdoing and placed blame for the closures on Kelly and David Wildstein, a longtime Christie ally and appointee to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
You can read the full report here.
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