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Media: Government Has No Reason to Shield Bridge Case List
Source: Associated Press
Media: Government Has No Reason to Shield Bridge Case List
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEWARK, N.J. — Feb 26, 2016, 6:35 PM ET
Federal prosecutors are disregarding law in favor of the suggestion the "government knows best" in their request to keep private a list of unindicted co-conspirators in the George Washington Bridge lane-closing scandal, a group of media organizations including The Associated Press argued on Friday.
The media organizations went to court last month seeking the list of people prosecutors believe were involved but weren't charged in a conspiracy by aides to Republican Gov. Chris Christie to close traffic lanes for political retribution against a Democratic mayor.
Federal prosecutors asked a judge to deny the request to release the list, which had been submitted by prosecutors to defense lawyers and the judge. Prosecutors said that people are sometimes designated unindicted co-conspirators even if there isn't enough evidence to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt and the fact they're not charged denies them an opportunity to challenge that.
The George Washington Bridge, one of the busiest bridges in the world, connects Fort Lee and New York City. Christie aides were accused of engineering the traffic jams in September 2013 by ordering lane closings in Fort Lee to punish its mayor, who didn't support Christie for re-election. The lane closures caused four days of massive traffic jams.
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By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEWARK, N.J. — Feb 26, 2016, 6:35 PM ET
Federal prosecutors are disregarding law in favor of the suggestion the "government knows best" in their request to keep private a list of unindicted co-conspirators in the George Washington Bridge lane-closing scandal, a group of media organizations including The Associated Press argued on Friday.
The media organizations went to court last month seeking the list of people prosecutors believe were involved but weren't charged in a conspiracy by aides to Republican Gov. Chris Christie to close traffic lanes for political retribution against a Democratic mayor.
Federal prosecutors asked a judge to deny the request to release the list, which had been submitted by prosecutors to defense lawyers and the judge. Prosecutors said that people are sometimes designated unindicted co-conspirators even if there isn't enough evidence to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt and the fact they're not charged denies them an opportunity to challenge that.
The George Washington Bridge, one of the busiest bridges in the world, connects Fort Lee and New York City. Christie aides were accused of engineering the traffic jams in September 2013 by ordering lane closings in Fort Lee to punish its mayor, who didn't support Christie for re-election. The lane closures caused four days of massive traffic jams.
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Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/media-government-reason-shield-bridge-case-list-37234402
