Two of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s former aides have been found guilty of all charges in relation to the Bridgegate scandal of 2013. Bridgegate was the closing and obstruction of lanes on the George Washington highway as an act of political revenge meant to punish the mayor of Fort Lee, New Jersey, for not supporting Governor Christie in the 2013 gubernatorial election. The two aides face seven counts of various different crimes, including civil rights deprivation, conspiracy, and fraud. Both aides face a maximum of 86 years in prison.
Bridget Anne Kelly, one of Christie’s aides, was seen crying and hugging her family when the verdict was read. Bill Baroni, the other of Christie’s aides, was seen staring at the jury before also hugging his family. The defense attorneys for both aides have filed motions for a mistrial and are appealing the verdict.