https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Stepien
He took the 5th too........
Chris Christie scandal
Further information: Fort Lee lane closure scandal
Stepien served as campaign manager in Chris Christie's successful campaign for Governor of New Jersey in 2009.[5] Christie's first major announcement after winning the election was the naming of four top staffers, including Stepien as a Deputy Chief of Staff for Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs.[6] In April 2013, Stepien resigned from that position to become the manager of Christie's re-election campaign.[7] His replacement as Deputy Chief of Staff for Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs was Bridget Anne Kelly.[8]
After he was re-elected Governor, Christie announced that he wanted Stepien to take over the chairmanship of the New Jersey Republican Party from Sam Raia. On January 7, 2014, Christie said, "I’ve asked Bill Stepien to be our new State Party Chairman because no one better understands how to grow our party, communicate our message and, most importantly, win elections... Bill Stepien is the best Republican operative in the country, and New Jersey Republicans will be fortunate to have him leading our Party."[9] However, just two days later, on January 9, Christie announced that he had "lost my confidence in Bill's judgment," and he asked Stepien to withdraw his name from consideration for the state Republican chairman.[10]
The turnaround was a result of Stepien's work on Christie's re-election campaign, where he became embroiled in the criminal closure of access lanes to the George Washington Bridge. Investigators eventually discovered that Stepien was in a romantic relationship with Bridget Kelly, his replacement as Christie's deputy chief of staff. Their relationship lasted until August 2013, just as the plan to close the lanes was being implemented.[11] Though their personal relationship was over, Stepien was kept abreast of the lane closures and the intended fallout. It was the emails between Stepien and those involved in the lane closures that sealed his fate. Christie said, "I was disturbed by the tone and behavior and attitude of callous indifference that was displayed in the emails by my former campaign manager, Bill Stepien."[12]
Two months after losing Christie's confidence, Stepien made a "soft landing" at the data and phone bank giant FLS Connect, which hired him to work on sales and strategy.[13][14] Stepien then received a subpoena to submit documents to the New Jersey Legislature panel investigating in the lane closures. In a 19-page letter sent to Reid Schar, special counsel to the joint Senate and Assembly committee, Stepien's lawyer cited Stepien’s Fifth Amendment privilege against compelled self-incrimination, noting that in addition to the legislative probe, a federal criminal inquiry into the lane closures was also underway.[15][16]
Judge Jacobson of the New Jersey Superior Court ruled that Stepien was not required to comply with the legislative subpoenas to produce documents since they were written too broadly, and he was also protected under the Fifth Amendment.[17] In May his lawyer also contended that a report produced on behalf of the Governor's Office misrepresented his client.[18][19]
In the trial in September 2016 about the lanes closures, federal prosecution witness David Wildstein said that Stepien was aware of the lane closures as they were happening.[20][21]
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