Bill Baroni, the former Deputy Executive Director at the Port Authority of New Jersey was sentenced to 2 years in federal prison and 1 year of supervision by U.S. District Judge Susan Wigenton for his part in the scandal known as “Bridgegate”.
Bridget Anne Kelly who sent the infamous “Time for Some Traffic Problems” text was sentenced to only 18 months for her part in the scandal.
Before imposing the sentence, Wigenton told Baroni, “This is a sad day for the state of New Jersey, and in particular for you.”
She added: “You have lived a life of service…that makes the offense that much more perplexing.”
Federal sentencing guidelines called for Baroni and co-conspirator Bridget Anne Kelly to get between 37 and 46 months in federal prison for their crimes. But, the U.S. Attorney’s office recommended in court Wednesday that Baroni should get 24 to 30 months.
Baroni along with former deputy chief of staff to Christie, Bridget Anne Kelly were found guilty on all counts back in November of 2016 for their roles in the scandal.
“I regret more than anything that I allowed myself to get caught up in this,” Baroni told the judge. “I failed.”
“I was wrong and I am truly sorry, and I’ve waited three years to say that,” he continued.
The Fort Lee lane closure scandal, also known as the George Washington Bridge lane closure scandal or Bridgegate, was a U.S. political scandal in which a staff members and political appointees of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie colluded to create traffic jams in Fort Lee, New Jersey, by closing lanes at the main toll plaza for the upper level of the George Washington Bridge.
Baroni, a Hamilton native then working for the Port Authority would get caught up in that scandal that was ultimately an attempt to punish the Mayor of Fort Lee for not endorsing Governor Chris Christie’s re-election bid in 2013.
Bill Baroni – Hamilton’s Fallen Rising Star
Bill Baroni burst on to the scene of local politics at a young age back when he was involved in the Steinert GALRE class in high school in Hamilton Township.
Baroni became interested in politics as a teenager, working on the campaign of his hometown congressman, Christopher H. Smith (R), who was seeking re-election to his fourth term. He was also a driver for Assembly Speaker Chuck Haytaian in his campaign for U.S. Senator against Frank Lautenberg in 1994 and worked on the advance staff for the 1996 presidential campaign of Steve Forbes.
In 1999 he launched an unsuccessful bid for Hamilton Township Council but gained statewide notoriety for his hard work and extreme charisma.
He served on the Mercer County Community College Board of Trustees from 1998 to 2003. He was a member of the Hamilton Township Planning Board from 1998 to 2000.
In 2003, Baroni mounted an aggressive campaign for the General Assembly, knocking on over 10,000 doors to defeat the Democratic incumbent Gary Guear. He was re-elected to the Assembly in 2005. In 2004 and 2005, he was the Assembly’s Assistant Parliamentarian.
On November 6, 2007, he won election to become State Senator of the 14th Legislative District. Baroni filled the State Senate seat vacated by Republican Senator Peter Inverso. He captured 62.3% of the vote, crushing his Democratic Party opponent Seema Singh, who in a desperate “Hail Mary” type attempt tryed to align and compare Baroni with the unpopular President Bush and went as far as running commercials depicting beer advertisements calling him “Bush Lite”. The attempt was….”watered down” and lacked taste.
There had been speculation that Baroni would seek the Republican nomination for United States Senate in 2008 against Frank Lautenberg, but his run for the New Jersey Senate effectively ended that speculation.
In 2008, Baroni served as State Chairman of John McCain’s presidential campaign in New Jersey. Baroni served in the Senate on the Joint Committee on the Public Schools, the Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee, the Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee and the Judiciary Committee. He was also the only Republican state senator who voted for a 2010 measure to allow same-sex marriage in New Jersey. He supports same-sex marriage in Ireland, of which he is also a citizen
In 2010, he was named by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to serve as the Deputy Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
