Bridget Anne Kelly sentenced to 18 months in Bridgegate scandal

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's former deputy chief of staff was sentenced on Wednesday to 18 months in prison for her role in the George Washington Bridge lane closures.

Bridget Anne Kelly, a single mother of four who spent most of her career as a low-level political operative before reaching the governor’s office, was convicted in November following a dramatic, six-week trial in federal court.


Bill Baroni, who served as Christie’s top appointee at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and is a former state senator, was sentenced earlier in the day to two years.

The two were found guilty of closing several local access lanes to the bridge — the world’s busiest — and creating days of gridlock in Fort Lee, N.J., where the span is located. Prosecutors argued the reason for the closures was to punish the Democratic mayor of the town for not endorsing Christie in his 2013 reelection bid.