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N.H. GOP Director Subpoenaed In Chris Christie Bridge Scandal

Gage Skidmore via Flickr CC

Matt Mowers, the executive director of the New Hampshire Republican Party, is one of 17 people being subpoenaed tonight by a panel of the New Jersey state Assembly.

The latest development in the controversy surrounding New Jersey Governor Chris Christie comes a week after revelations that political associates of Christie, a possible presidential contender in 2016, may have ordered the closure of lanes on the George Washington Bridge last September as an act of political retribution.

Mowers has worked as the New Hampshire GOP’s top staffer since November.

He worked on Christie’s reelection campaign last year and, prior to that, served as a regional aide in the Christie administration. In his administration role, Mowers was directly supervised by Bridget Anne Kelly, the senior adviser Christie fired last week amid revelations that she and Christie appointees at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey appeared to have orchestrated a 4-day traffic jam to punish Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich, a Democrat, for failing to endorse Christie’s reelection bid.

The Wall Street Journal earlier this week identified Mowers as the Christie campaign staffer who sought Sokolich’s endorsement on Christie’s behalf.

Mowers has declined comment on the situation all week. But New Hampshire’s Republican Chairman Jennifer Horn issued a statement Thursday night defending him.

"Matt has my full support and confidence,” she said in the statement. “He has not been accused of any doing anything wrong and there is zero indication that he is in any way connected to the decision to close the bridge lanes.”

The subpoena means Mowers will be required to appear before the New Jersey Assembly’s special committee investigating the lane closures.

Josh has worked at NHPR since 2000.
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