Federal officials on Thursday said they have not found information linking New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) to traffic lane closures on the George Washington Bridge.
While the Justice Department’s investigation into the 2013 lane closures is ongoing and no final determination has been made, unnamed federal officials briefed on the criminal investigation told NBC 4 New York they have, so far, uncovered no evidence Christie had knowledge of or directed the road closures.
{mosads}“My experience with federal law enforcement is that, once you reach critical mass, if you don’t have it within nine months or so, you’re not likely to ever get it,” former federal prosecutor Robert W. Ray, who is unaffiliated from the Christie investigation, told NBC 4.
Christie has repeatedly denied claims he knew about or was involved in the closures, which caused problems for drivers and Fort Lee, N.J., Mayor Mark Sokolich, a Democrat who didn’t endorse Christie’s reelection. Since the scandal, the potential 2016 presidential hopeful has looked to repair his political image.
“I’m not surprised,” Christie said of the report during his monthly address on a local radio show Thursday.
“You’re always grateful to hear that, you know, the things that I said appear like they’re going to be confirmed if these reports are accurate and the things that were was said in the master report, which was quite excoriated in certain corners, now appear to be being supported if these reports are true,” Christie said.
A state panel that is still investigating whether Christie’s aides closed the lanes as political retribution has also not found evidence linking the governor to the lane closures.
— This story was updated at 10:47 a.m. on Sept. 19.