TRENTON, N.J., May 17 (UPI) — The names of those allegedly involved in the George Washington Bridge scandal won’t be released until one person on the list — known only as “John Doe” — is tried in court, an appeals judge ruled Tuesday.
Judge Thomas L. Ambro of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit granted an appeal by Doe, referred to as an unindicted co-conspirator, which included an order preventing the court from entering his name and the names of the other co-conspirators in the court docket so that all three appeals court judges can decide the case on its merits on June 6.
The case will be heard in Philadelphia.
A consortium of news media organizations sued for release of the names of those allegedly involved in the cover-up of a scandal involving the shut-down of the George Washington Bridge connecting Bergen County, N.J., to Manhattan for political reasons in 2013.
U.S. Judge Susan Wigenton ordered the federal government last week to reveal the names, saying these public figures shouldn’t expect privacy and that the people’s right to know takes priority.
The names were scheduled to be revealed last Friday, but were delayed on a motion by Doe. Wigenton ruled against him and he appealed.
The names were given to defense attorneys for former Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Deputy Executive Director Bill Baroni and Bridget Anne Kelly, former deputy chief of staff to Gov. Chris Christie, the two individuals facing charges in the Bridgegate scandal.
Baroni and Kelly are charged with scheming to cause massive traffic jams in Fort Lee in 2013 as political retribution for Mayor Mark Sokolich’s decision not to endorse Christie’s re-election. Former Port Authority official David Wildstein pleaded guilty in the case.
No evidence has surfaced that links Christie to the closing of access lanes to the bridge that caused four days of major traffic jams in Fort Lee, N.J., in September 2013.
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