Michael Drewniak appears at Bridgegate Trial to testify

Bill Brennan, of Wayne, who filed a citizen's complaint accusing Gov. Chris Christie.

(Bob Sciarrino/NJ Advance Media)

TRENTON -- A state Superior Court judge on Friday denied a request for a special prosecutor to be appointed in a criminal misconduct complaint against Gov. Chris Christie for his alleged role in the Bridgegate scandal.

The ruling by Judge Bonnie Mizdol, who heard oral arguments in her Hackensack courtroom on Wednesday, means the complaint will be handled by state prosecutors, not an appointed independent one.

In an order released Friday morning, Mizdol cited a "lack of standing."

The complaint by former firefighter and activist Bill Brennan of Wayne alleges that Christie knew of the now-infamous scheme, in which former aides and allies were convicted of conspiring to cause gridlock in the small Bergen County town to retaliate against its mayor for refusing to endorse the governor.

During oral arguments, Brennan likened the state's attorney general's office prosecuting the case against Christie to a "master-servant" relationship. He said that even though state Attorney General Christopher Porrino and the the Bergen County prosecutor recused themselves, they still have conflicts of interests if their subordinates are in charge of the prosecution.

"I don't think there's any more clear example of a conflict," Brennan argued on Wednesday.

"Christopher Porrino is conflicted," he said. "The people he dedicated to prosecute this case serve at his pleasure."

He added: "The conflict is real and palpable."

But Christie's attorney Craig Carpenito argued Brennan is seeking the limelight and has been in pursuit of a frivolous civilian complaint.

"Mr. Brennan is trying to revive this, quite frankly, for his own ... interest," Carpenito said.

The judge sided with opponents of the special prosecutor.

In her ruling, Mizdol, citing state law, said "a private complainant may not act as a prosecuting attorney ... (and that) the prosecuting attorney is defined as the attorney general, the municipal attorney or the county prosecutor."

She continued: "Individual citizens cannot appropriate to themselves the law enforcement function. It is the responsibility of the prosecutor to investigate and prosecute crimes."

Brennan questioned the decision in a statement Friday.

"The only one with standing to raise a conflict of interest is the person compromised by the conflict? This is not justice," he said. "An obvious conflict of interest was argued and established in open court. Judge Mizdol's refusal to address that clear conflict was an act of judicial cowardice. Her reputation will never recover."

"Defendant Christie has nothing to celebrate," Brennan added. "This is not over."

Brennan declined to say Friday if he will appeal. He said will address the decision at a Monday morning news conference in Wayne.

Christie, who was never criminally charged in the federal Bridgegate case, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and, through a spokesman, has called the citizen complaint "dishonorable."

Last month, Christie's former deputy chief of staff, Bridget Anne Kelly, and his top appointee to the Port Authority, Bill Baroni, were both found guilty on nine charges for their roles in the Bridgegate scandal.

The admitted mastermind of the scheme, David Wildstein, pleaded guilty to federal crimes and testified against Baroni and Kelly.

NJ Advance Media staff writer Brent Johnson contributed to this report.

Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or on Facebook.