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'Bridgegate' Christie aide Bridget Kelly: Mayor Adams’ pick for top attorney is 'sexist' and 'ruthless'
By
David Brand
and
Matt Katz
Published Aug 27, 2024
Modified Aug 28, 2024
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The New York City Council
By
David Brand
and
Matt Katz
Published Aug 27, 2024
Modified Aug 28, 2024
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It may be time for some confirmation problems at City Hall.
Bridget Anne Kelly, a former aide to Gov. Chris Christie implicated for her role in the Bridgegate scandal, excoriated Randy Mastro during a City Council hearing on his nomination to be the city’s top attorney on Tuesday — a decade after Mastro issued a report derided for exonerating Christie and scapegoating an “emotional” Kelly for the scheme.
“Randy Mastro is a conniving and ruthless politician and operative who happens to be an attorney,” a tearful Kelly told councilmembers, nine hours into an already bruising confirmation hearing.
Mastro, a partner at the law firm King & Spalding, was nominated by Mayor Eric Adams to serve as the city’s corporation counsel and run the city law department amid a litany of legal and political challenges — including ongoing state and federal investigations into his 2021 campaign, as well as a sexual assault lawsuit against the mayor himself.
Mastro is "sexist," Kelly said, because he "lied about me, slut-shamed me, scapegoated me," she told members shortly after 8 p.m. Tuesday.
“You hire [Mastro] when you need to threaten or scare someone or when you need to take someone down for your own political security,” she added.
Kelly’s surprise testimony highlighted the aftermath of the lane closure scandal that damaged Christie’s political career and resulted in Kelly’s conviction — later overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court — on federal corruption charges for conspiring to close lanes leading to the George Washington Bridge. The scheme was intended to cause traffic jams in the town of Fort Lee, at the foot of the bridge, in retaliation for the town’s mayor not endorsing Christie’s 2013 reelection.
Mastro and a team of attorneys authored a lengthy report on behalf of Christie’s administration that absolved the governor and pinned the conspiracy on Kelly — who sent the infamous “time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee” email — and other aides. The internal investigation ultimately cost taxpayers more than $10 million.
The “Mastro Report” also delved into details of Kelly’s personal life, suggesting she participated in the scandal because she was upset about a romantic relationship gone bad with Christie’s chief of staff, Bill Stepien.
“Like the others involved in the lane realignment, events in Kelly’s personal life may have had some bearing on her subjective motivations and state of mind,” Mastro wrote. Elsewhere in the report, he characterized Kelly as “emotional.” Kelly was not interviewed by Mastro’s team in advance of its publication.
Kelly told city lawmakers the report predated the MeToo movement, but said Mastro was part of a pattern of sexism by powerful men.
“The trauma from this has almost killed me and he kicked it off and he supported it,” Kelly said.
Kelly was convicted for her role in the lane closure conspiracy and sentenced to 13 months in federal prison before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned her conviction in 2020.
Mastro did not respond to a text message and phone call requesting his response to Kelly’s remarks, but earlier in the day offered a general defense of his work.
"In private practice, I've successfully represented firm clients, sometimes in controversial cases. But that's what litigators do, zealously and ethically advocate for firm clients,” he said.
Christopher Porrino, the former New Jersey Attorney General — also appointed by Christie — defended Mastro before the Council
“There’s no question that her story is a tragic one,” he said in an interview with Gothamist after the hearing. “But as I said tonight, she was prosecuted by the United States Department of Justice, not by Randy Mastro.”
This story has been updated to include comment from former New Jersey Attorney General Christopher Porrino.
Tagged
bridgegate
Chris Christie
randy mastro
City Council
eric adams
David Brand
David is a reporter covering housing for Gothamist and WNYC. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or Signal 908-310-3960.
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Matt Katz
Matt Katz is a former WNYC & Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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