Top members of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's (R) team discussed using flags from the World Trade Center to help Christie's 2016 presidential campaign, The New York Times reported Friday.



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Aides discussed loaning flags that flew over the World Trade Center to communities in states that vote early in presidential primaries, according to a testimony of a former Port Authority staffer, David Wildstein."Just to be clear, at some point hundreds of flags flown over the WTC will find their way to VFW's all through Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina," Wildstein wrote to Christie's deputy chief of staff Bill Stepien in 2012.

Wildstein elaborated on the plan as he testified during a "Bridgegate" trial investigating two Christie staffers who allegedly shut down traffic lanes on the George Washington Bridge to hurt a Democratic mayor.



In court, Wildstein clarified that the flags were supposed to help Christie's presidential campaign, which was expected to be run by Stepien.



"I was conveying to Mr. Stepien that the flags that could be used to the governor's political advantage in New Jersey could be used in those three states," said Wildstein.

The New York Times also reported in 2014 that Port Authority presented 20 mayors from whom Christie was seeking endorsements with pieces of steel from the 9/11 wreckage.