Lawyers Say Chris Christie Destroyed Cell Phone, Text Messages and Emails to Cover Up Involvement in Bridgegate

Lawyers representing the defendants accused of shutting down a bridge as part of an elaborate revenge scheme say Chris Christie—Donald Trump’s unpaid intern and the technical governor of New Jersey—destroyed evidence, including a cell phone, text messages and emails, that connected him to the crime.

Comparing the governor to Nixon—almost a compliment at this point—an attorney for defendant Bill Baroni accused Christie of covering up his involvement.

“President Nixon’s tapes were not immune from a subpoena,” Baroni’s attorney, Michael Baldassare, wrote in the brief. “Neither is Governor Christie’s phone.”

The allegations were made in a pair of briefs filed with the court late Monday night in federal court in New Jersey. Among them: Chris Christie “lost” a cell phone he used during the bridge closure, deleted text messages sent during that time, and failed to turn over emails that defense attorneys eventually found through other methods.

It is, of course, in Baroni’s best interest to implicate Christie. But frankly he’s doing him a favor—jail would be a big step up from where Christie is now.