The New Jersey committee that is investigating the closure of George Washington Bridge questioned Gov. Chris Christie’s top aide Thursday, July 17.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Regina Egea, who is the governor’s incoming chief of staff, told the investigators that she deleted the bridge-related texts to the governor.
Egea, who used to oversee the relation between the administration and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, said she would infrequently text Christie when he needed to be aware of certain things, and Christie would answer “at times.”
Investigators asked for the bridge-related messages, but Egea said she deleted them because she would do it from time to time. She said she might have deleted the texts before the scandal broke out in January, but she was not sure. Egea also said she started keeping those messages after the scandal.
“We’ve all been refreshed on the requirement to retain documents,” Egea said.
The committee kept asking Egea why she did not do more after receiving an email from the Port Authority. The letter was from Patrick Foye, the authority’s executive director, and it said closing the lanes was illegal.
Egea said she did not know the email was talking about the bridge closure because the two states often fought for resources. She said Christie did not know about the email, and she wanted to stay out of the fights.
The New York Times reported that Gov. Christie seems to always avoid being around for days of questioning. When current Chief of Staff Kevin O’Dowd was being questioned, Christie was at Camden, N.J., all day. On Thursday when Egea was testifying, the governor was in Iowa supporting a Republican governor’s presidential campaign and trying to get support to run for 2016 election as well.
The Huffington Post said the committee has interviewed five out of 13 people since January and was asked by the U.S. Attorney’s Office to delay interviews with key witnesses, so they will not interfere with the criminal investigation.
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