Witness in bridge trial says he was 'bad cop'

David Wildstein arrives at Martin Luther King Jr.

Patrick Foye, executive director of the Port Authority of NY and New Jersey, testified that this Christie association was partial reason why he didn't interview David Wildstein during an internal review of the September 2013 traffic jams.

Baroni, 44, is the former deputy executive director of the Port Authority, which owns and operates the bridge.

A courtroom witness has testified Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's office used the bistate agency that runs the NY area's bridges, tunnels, ports and airports to funnel political favors aimed at gaining endorsements from local Democratic politicians. He pleaded guilty past year to orchestrating traffic jams in 2013 to punish a Democratic mayor who didn't endorse Christie.

Wildstein was a high school classmate of Christie's, but Christie has denied having a close relationship with him. He said his job at the Port Authority was to be "the bad cop", to advance Christie's agenda at all costs, and that Baroni, who hired him at the Port Authority, liked to be the "good cop". Kelly, also 44, is the Governor's former deputy chief of staff.

The Latest on the fifth day of the George Washington Bridge lane-closing trial (all times local): 2:40 p.m. Sokolich eventually declined to endorse Christie in 2013 and was the target of the lane-closing scheme, prosecutors say. Both Baroni and Kelly are now facing nine charges in connection with their involvement in the scandal. He told jurors that he and Baroni, the Port Authority deputy executive director, sought approval for virtually everything they did, in matters both large and small, from the governor's office.

A former Port Authority of NY and New Jersey official who pleaded guilty in the George Washington Bridge lane-closing case has taken the stand as the government's star witness.

The government's star witness in the "Bridgegate" trial took the stand Friday, CBS New York reported. According to Wildstein, the potential for an endorsement for Governor Christie was often a deciding factor on who would receive what from the "goody bag". Christie didn't comment on the allegation this week, but his office pointed to a statement he gave in 2014, denying that he knew about the plot while it was ongoing.

"If it was good for Christie then it was good for us", Wildstein said.

His testimony could last a week.

Former Christie aide Bridget Anne Kelly, seen on the right in this September 12, 2013 photo provided by the Office of the Governor of New Jersey, is one of the aides fighting a subpoena from the state legislature.

Mowers, who now works for Trump, also testified he told Kelly about Sokolich's decision on August 12, 2013, the day before Kelly sent an email to Wildstein saying, "Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee".

Kelly and former Port Authority of NY and New Jersey executive Bill Baroni are charged with causing traffic jams in September 2013 to punish Sokolich.

He said that meant, "The only person he needed to make happy was Gov. Christie".

Matt Mowers, a former campaign staffer for Christie, is expected to testify for the prosecution Friday.