new york two former associate new jersey governor chris christie convict friday roles bridgegate lane closure scandal follow six-week trial serve tarnish republican damage reputation bridget kelly governor former deputy chief staff bill baroni former deputy executive director port authority new york new jersey find guilty newark federal court count convict fraud conspiracy deprive residents fort lee new jersey civil right christie charge republican presidential candidate donald trump transition team criminally charge scandal torpedo see promise political career christie friday deny advance knowledge scheme choke traffic head busy george washington bridge link new jersey manhattan knowledge prior lane realignments role authorize christie say statement follow verdict anything say contrary past six weeks court simply untrue scandal dog christie see potential presidential nominee campaign white house fail year democratic presidential nominee hillary clinton campaign chairman john podesta say friday trump ask christie resign head transition team legal experts say unlikely christie would face criminal consequences base trial testimony baroni kelly accuse shut access lanes bridge september 2013 fort lee new jersey create massive days-long traffic jam punish town mayor mark sokolich democrat decline endorse christie reelection campaign port authority run bridge say world busy carry 102 million vehicles year i-95 interstate highway major east coast traffic artery lawyers kelly baroni vow appeal kelly lawyer michael critchley say outside courthouse arm around weep client say judge err jury instructions defense lawyers furious u.s. district judge susan wigenton tell jurors response question could convict kelly baroni conspiracy even act intentionally punitive toward mayor sokolich wigenton say prosecutors prove motive even though case revolve around political retribution answer way answer direct verdict guilty angry critchley tell wigenton tuesday baroni lawyer michael baldassare tell reporters case disgrace say conviction would overturn innocent charge smile baroni say kelly baroni co-conspirator former port authority official confess mastermind david wildstein early plead guilty appear government star witness detail three scheme pay back sokolich wildstein also implicate christie say baroni discuss lane closure governor ongoing christie wildstein testify laugh notion sokolich frustrate traffic time christie believe secure back democratic officials would burnish national reputation accord trial testimony kelly take stand defense testify discuss lane closure christie month beforehand though say think time part legitimate traffic study take pleasure verdict say u.s. attorney new jersey paul fishman successor christie position fishman whose office prosecute case say sadden conduct top government officials kelly baroni lawyers argue wildstein orchestrate plot tell conduct traffic study wildstein say stand three know along study bogus cover story prosecutors show jurors numerous exchange kelly baroni wildstein operate liaison baroni port authority kelly governor office include kelly now-infamous email wildstein prosecutors say launch scheme write time traffic problems fort lee kelly baroni schedule sentence feb. 21. face maximum sentence 20 years prison serious charge fraud though unlikely would receive lengthy term ex-christie associate guilty new jersey 'bridgegate scandal