Federal prosecutors are continuing to probe the politically motivated September 2013 lane closures of the George Washington Bridge,
The Wall Street Journal reported.
On Friday,
WNBC, the NBC-affiliate in New York, reported that no evidence has been turned up to incriminate New Jersey Republican Governor Chris Christie in wrongdoing.
"Federal officials caution that the investigation that began nine months ago is ongoing and that no final determination has been made, but say that authorities haven't uncovered anything that indicates that Christie knew in advance or ordered the closure of traffic lanes," WNBC reported.
The nine-month investigation conducted by U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman is "very much ongoing," according to a spokeswoman, the Journal reported.
In May 2014, an investigation carried out by a top Manhattan law firm at the behest of Christie's office cleared him of culpability in the scandal.
Former Port Authority of New York and New Jersey official David Wildstein, who is negotiating for immunity with federal prosecutors, said he told Christie about the lane closures at the time. The law firm inquiry found no evidence of any "substantive discussion," the Journal reported.
After the scandal broke, Christie— who is considered a possible contender for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination— fired staff members who were implicated in the affair including Bridget Kelly, his deputy chief of staff.
The federal investigation has moved beyond the lane closures and is also looking into whether the governor's office used its official powers to leverage political favors. Hoboken, N.J. Mayor Dawn Zimmer said that aid to her municipality, which was buffeted in 2012 by Hurricane Sandy, was made contingent on approval of a real estate development project.
Christie's office said any political maneuvering by gubernatorial staffers, in what was the Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs, were conducted on their own time, according to the Journal.
Christie said Friday's WNBC report was no surprise to him. "The day after these events were uncovered, I came out and told people that I had no knowledge of this going on and no involvement or any role in its planning," the Journal reported.
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