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New Jersey News

He Was Fired After Bridgegate. Now He's Headed to White House.

George Washington Bridge from Fort Lee. (Sarah Gonzalez/WNYC)

Bill Stepien, the former Chris Christie campaign manager who was fired in the wake of the Bridgegate scandal, will be the new political director in Donald Trump's White House. WNYC reported last month on the possibility of this appointment, which is remarkable given Stepien's role in the scandal that overtook the Christie Administration.

Stepien, as deputy chief of staff to Christie, became one of the first officials to find out about the plan to close lanes to the George Washington Bridge. Admitted Bridgegate conspirator David Wildstein told Stepien his plans; Stepien responded by asking what his cover story was going to be.

Stepien was never charged with a crime and he went on to work on Trump's campaign. His new White House job is similar to the one he held in the Trenton Statehouse. In Trenton, he ran a controversial unit that appeared to solicit political endorsements on government time.