One of the figures at the center of the Bridgegate scandal wants out of federal prison now that the Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal in the case.
Attorneys for former Port Authority deputy executive director Bill Baroni — who was convicted of fraud and conspiracy in November 2016 along with Bridget Kelly, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s deputy chief of staff — filed a motion early Monday seeking his “immediate release on bail” following Friday’s ruling.
“In light of the Supreme Court’s action, Baroni respectfully requests that this Court immediately release him from bail, pursuance to the same bail condition that were in place prior to his surrender to begin his sentence,” attorneys Stephen Orlofsky and Michael Levy wrote in a six-page motion.
Federal prosecutors, according to the filing, do not oppose Baroni’s release on bail.
Baroni, 47, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for his role in causing havoc on the George Washington Bridge by closing entrance lanes as part of what prosecutors believe was retribution against Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich for not endorsing Christie at the time.
An appeals court then upheld the fraud convictions against Kelly and Baroni, but tossed out their civil rights convictions last fall. Baroni, who started serving his sentence in February, remained in custody early Monday at a federal correctional facility in Pennsylvania, records show.
Baroni’s attorneys claim he’s not a flight risk or a danger to the community and Friday’s decision by the Supreme Court “raises a substantial question of law that could result in reversal or an order for a new trial,” according to the filing.
Baroni’s request to be sprung from prison — roughly one year ahead of his July 29, 2020, release date — will be heard by New Jersey federal Judge Susan Wigenton, who oversaw the trial in the traffic-snarling scandal.
Kelly, 46, had been expected to begin her 13-month prison term July 10. An attorney for the single mother of four will also likely ask a judge to delay the start of that sentence until after the Supreme Court decides her case, NJ.com reported.
“She’s unbelievably happy,” Kelly’s attorney, Michael Critchley, told the website. “To say we’re excited would be an understatement.”
Kelly’s attorneys plan to argue that prosecutors cited laws typically used in bribery cases and misapplied them to the case, NJ.com reported.
Christie, who was not charged in the case, told ABC News on Friday he still thinks no crime was ever committed.
“I’ve always said that that prosecution was a politically motivated, politically vindictive prosecution, that there was no federal crime there,” Christie said.
With Post wires