Bergen County prosecutor refuses to prosecute Christie over Bridgegate

HACKENSACK — The Bergen County prosecutor will not pursue a criminal misconduct case against Republican Gov. Chris Christie in the George Washington Bridge lane-closing scandal.

Bergen County assistant prosecutor John Higgins said in a letter Friday that the state does not believe it can prove official misconduct beyond a reasonable doubt.

The misconduct case stems from a complaint filed by former Teaneck firefighter William Brennan. Brennan's complaint says that Christie violated the state's misconduct law when he failed to reopen the lanes that were closed in an alleged political revenge plot to punish a mayor who didn't back Christie in 2013.

A Superior Court judge this month sent the complaint back to municipal court for a new hearing, which is set for next month.

“The governor is gratified that the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office has ended this baseless fiasco began by Mr. Brennan and perpetuated by Judge McGeady," a Christie spokesman said Friday. "
After a thorough review, the Prosecutor's Office was crystal clear: there is no basis for this charge against the governor and there was no basis for Judge McGeady to ever have found otherwise. It is right and appropriate that this injustice against the governor is finally over.”

Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.