Donald Trump has hired Republican operative Bill Stepien as his national field director to guide the campaign regarding voter turnout, according to NBC News.
Stepien was a political aide to New Jersey Republican Gov. Chris Christie, until he was fired when Christie and others were embroiled in the Bridgegate controversy.
Trump CEO Steve Bannon and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner recruited Stepien, who had been running a PAC for New Jersey's Lt. Gov. Kim Gaudagno.
The so-called Bridgegate controversy began Aug. 13, 2014, when traffic lanes were closed on New Jersey's George Washington Bridge and led to gridlock in a small town, according to a USA Today timeline.
An investigation questioned whether the closures were politically motivated after emails were released in which Christie's deputy chief of staff, Bridget Anne Kelly, emailed the director of interstate capital projects, David Wildstein, and said, "Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee." David Wildstein responded, "Got it."
According to NJ.com, after the initial news reports about the traffic jam appeared, Stepien wrote in an email conversation with Wildstein, "It's fine. The mayor is an idiot though."
Christie announced Stepien's firing in January 2014, according to NJ.com, apparently relating to the comments Stepien made about the mayor.
"I was disturbed by the tone and the behavior and attitude," Christie said.
Aides told NBC News that Stepien and Christie have not been in contact since.
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