Bridge scandal trial may prevent a Trump-Christie ticket

Already postponed twice, the trial has now been pushed to September, putting it in prime time during the final months of the presidential campaign.

The Republican governor himself is not on trial, but in some ways his administration is; two of his former top lieutenants face nine counts, including conspiracy to commit fraud, in what federal prosecutors have called a “callous and audacious” scheme to exact political revenge by creating a traffic jam that punished a mayor who declined to endorse Mr. Christie’s 2013 bid for re-election, and then cover it up. A third has pleaded guilty and is expected to testify against them…

Professor Harrison said: “When you combine his personality, the negatives against him, his geography and the Bridgegate trial, most rational candidates would not touch Christie with a 10-foot pole. But the reality is, who can project what Donald Trump’s actions will be?”

There are advantages to putting Mr. Christie on the ticket. He balances Mr. Trump’s lack of government experience. He campaigns tirelessly. He has shown himself to be an effective attack dog, the traditional role for a vice-presidential nominee.