Ex-NY and NJ Port Exec to Pay Own Legal Bills

The Port Authority told David Wildstein on Friday that covering his legal expenses was "not warranted" under the authority's bylaws

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has decided not to pay the legal bills of the former executive who purposely created days of traffic gridlock in Fort Lee, N.J., by restricting access to the George Washington Bridge.

Port Authority spokesman Steve Coleman says the agency informed David Wildstein on Friday that covering his legal expenses was "not warranted" under the authority's bylaws.

Those bylaws generally call for current and former employees to get their legal bills covered for job-related activities, but not if there is misconduct or fraud.

The authority's law department is still reviewing an indemnification request from another executive, former Deputy Director Bill Baroni.

Both resigned amid an investigation into whether the lane closures were politically motivated.

Wildstein's lawyer didn't immediately return a phone call.

Copyright The Associated Press
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