November 04, 2016
John Podesta, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's campaign manager, said Friday that Republican nominee Donald Trump should oust New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie as his transition team chairman.
Podesta made his remark after two of Christie's closest associates – Anne Kelly and Bill Baroni – were convicted for their roles in the 2013 George Washington Bridge lane closures.
Kelly and Baroni's action backed up traffic for miles and left drivers stranded in their cars for hours. The George Washington Bridge, which spans the New York City borough of Manhattan and Fort Lee, New Jersey, is the world's busiest for motor vehicles.
"Rather than just crisscrossing the country and hopscotching talking about cleaning up the swamp, he might start by draining his own swamp," Podesta said, according to the Los Angeles Times.
John Podesta says Trump should remove Gov. Christie as transition chair after #Bridgegate verdict
— Mike Memoli (@mikememoli) November 4, 2016
Kelly and Baroni created the traffic jam as a form of retaliation against Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich who refused to endorse Christie during his 2013 Gubernatorial re-election bid.
Christie is slated to head Trump's transition team if he wins Tuesday's general election.
“Governor Christie is an extremely knowledgeable and loyal person with the tools and resources to put together an unparalleled Transition Team, one that will be prepared to take over the White House when we win in November. I am grateful to Governor Christie for his contributions to this movement," Trump said in a statement obtained by Politico after the decision was announced in May.
