George Washington Bridge

FILE - Traffic crosses the George Washington Bridge, in Fort Lee, N.J., in this file photo. (Richard Drew | AP)

(Richard Drew)

NEWARK -- The federal judge presiding over the George Washington Bridge scandal case ruled Friday that the trial will stay in New Jersey.

U.S. District Judge Susan Wigenton Friday denied a defense request to move the trial outside the state, saying defense lawyer Michael Baldassare's arguments didn't convince her that his client, Bill Baroni, couldn't find 12 impartial jurors from the region.

Photo courtesy of U.S. District Judge Susan Wigenton

In a letter filed in federal court hours after a hearing on pre-trial motions in the case, Wigenton said that out of a court region covering 1,700 square miles with millions of residents, "this court is not convinced that twelve impartial individuals cannot be found from such a sizable pool of potential jurors."

Baldassare, who is representing former Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Deputy Executive Director Bill Baroni in the case, declined to comment.

In his motion to move the trial out of New Jersey, Baldassare said Baroni could not get a fair trial because of extensive publicity.

"The media coverage of Mr. Baroni and the bridge scandal is not only widespread, but also sensationalistic and so 'grossly unfair' that viewers cannot be reasonably expected to put it out of their minds," he wrote. "Considering the extensive and prejudicial nature of the pre-trial publicity in this case as well as the characteristics of the jury pool, Mr. Baroni would not receive a fair trial in the District of New Jersey."

But in response, Wigenton said Baldassare failed to prove his case.

"The events at issue also occurred approximately two years ago, allowing passions to cool and outrage to lessen," Wigenton wrote. "Although the media continues to report on the closures and the legal proceedings surrounding them, this court is not convinced that ongoing coverage makes it impossible to empanel a fair and impartial jury."

Wigenton said she had no reason to believe that news coverage would "disrupt or undermine" the proceedings.

Wigenton did hand a victory to defense lawyers earlier Friday, when she said they could seek to subpoena documents and other records from Gibson Dunn and Crutcher, the law firm hired by Gov. Chris Christie to investigate the lane closures at the George Washington Bridge in September, 2013.

Baroni, along with Bridget Anne Kelly, former deputy chief of staff to Christie, face charges that they plotted to cause massive traffic jams in Fort Lee in 2013 as an act of political retribution against Fort Lee's mayor.

Former Port Authority official David Wildstein last year pleaded guilty to ordering lane restrictions at the bridge as part of the plan. He is expected to testify against Baroni and Kelly when their trial, scheduled for mid-May, takes place.

Kelly did not join Baroni's request for a change of venue.

Tim Darragh may be reached at tdarragh@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @timdarragh. Find NJ.com on Facebook.