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Attorney For Former Port Authority Exec: Christie Knew Of GWB Lane Closures When They Happened

By David Madden

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- An attorney representing one of the people in the ongoing Bridgegate investigation reportedly insists his client has information that contradicts New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's assertion that he knew nothing of plans to close access lanes to the George Washington Bridge last fall before the scandal broke publicly.

In a letter released Friday, attorney Alan Zegas is demanding that the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey reconsider paying the legal costs of his client, former authority manager David Wildstein.

It was Wildstein who carried out the order of then-Christie aide Bridget Kelly. Both have since been fired.

Zegas' letter states Wildstein has evidence "tying Mr. Christie to having knowledge of the lane closures, during the period when the lanes were closed, contrary to what the Governor stated publicly."

Wildstein questions the accuracy of the Governor's statements and says he "can prove the inaccuracy of some."

In an e-mailed statement, the Christie Administration says the letter, in effect, backs up Christie's version of events, but any other allegations are denied:

"Mr. Wildstein's lawyer confirms what the Governor has said all along - he had absolutely no prior knowledge of the lane closures before they happened and whatever Mr. Wildstein's motivations were for closing them to begin with.  As the Governor said in a December 13th press conference, he only first learned lanes were closed when it was reported by the press and as he said in his January 9th press conference, had no indication that this was anything other than a traffic study until he read otherwise the morning of January 8th. The Governor denies Mr. Wildstein's lawyer's other assertions."

An aside, Monday is the deadline for submitting documents subpoenaed by a select legislative committee from Wildstein and several members of the Governor's current and former inner circle.

Visit CBS New York for more on this developing story.

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