‘Bridgegate’ Class Action Lawsuits Consolidated Against NJ State

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Earlier this week, two George Washington Bridge class action lawsuits filed against the State and District of New Jersey were consolidated into one putative “Bridgegate” class action lawsuit. The class action lawsuit, filed last September, alleges the state, Governor Chris Christie, and various state officials collaborated in a conspiracy close access to the George Washington Bridge, which left hundreds of thousands drivers stranded.

The first of the two Bridgegate class action lawsuits was filed by Zachary Galicki, Joy Galicki, Eli Galicki, Robert Arnold, Kim Josecelyn, Elizabeth Psaltos, Madeline Lobue, Hong Lee, Mark Karz, Liberty News, Inc., Dog On It Doggie Daycare, Applie Corrugated Box Ltd. And Seacaucus Limo Car Service, LLP, who are collectively referred to as the Galicki plainitffs. These plaintiffs allege that the actions taken by Governor Christie, state officials, and the State of New Jersey to close the George Washington Bridge was a politically motivated conspiracy that caused distress, delay, and loss of income to those individuals trapped on the Bridge.

The Galicki plaintiffs have consolidated their Bridgegate class action lawsuit with a similar suit filed by GW Car Services, which similarly alleges:

“[F]rom September 9, 2013 to September 13,2013, the State of New Jersey, Chris Christie for Governor Inc., David Wildstein, Bill Baroni, Bridget Anne Kelley, Michael Drewniak and Bill Stepien ‘conspired, orchestrated, planned, and instituted an improper closure of lanes of travel, toll plazas, and toll booths originating from Borough of Fort Lee, New Jersey with the sole intent of inflicting hardship, emotional trauma, traffic, congestion, and other damage to residents of the Borough of Fort Lee, New Jersey and its Mayor.’”

The consolidated Bridgegate class action lawsuit claims that those individuals trapped or delayed on the bridge during the Class Period in which the incident occurred were deprived of basic constitutional rights and are seeking personal injury compensation and punitive damages from the defendants.

The Galicki plaintiffs and GW Car Services seek to represent themselves and a proposed Class that would include:

“All persons who are residents of New Jersey and/or residents of other states of the United States who were forced to suffer extreme traffic delays and to be stuck in their cars, waste gas, and lose time from September 9, 2013 through September 13, 2013 when they traveled in or around the Borough of Fort Lee, New Jersey and neighboring towns and/or when they attempted to cross the George Washington Bridge.”

The approval of this consolidated George Washington Bridge class action lawsuits has come around the same time that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey continues to investigate the nature, cause, and motive of the lane closures leading to the George Washington Bridge incident.

The New Jersey state spokesman and state representatives have declined to comment on the ongoing class action allegation.

The Galicki plaintiffs are represented by Rosemarie Arnold. The GW Car Service plaintiffs are represented by Barry D. Epstein and Michael J. Epstein of The Epstein Law Firm PA.

The ‘Bridgegate’ Class Action Lawsuits are Galicki, et al. v. State of New Jersey, et al., Case No. 14-cv-00169 and GW Car Service LLC, et al. v. State of New Jersey, et al., Case No. 14-cv-01319, both in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.