ABQ Times

A group of Political Science students at The University of New Mexico had the opportunity to learn about a historic U.S. Supreme Court case from one of the main individuals involved in the worldwide scandal.

During the 2024 spring semester in UNM’s Constitutional Law class, students participated in a Zoom call with former Deputy Chief of Staff Bridget Kelly to discuss the Bridget Kelly vs. United States Supreme Court case.

Professor Lawrence Jones said he contacted Kelly on LinkedIn, inviting her to speak about the case that stemmed from the 2013 ‘Bridgegate’ scandal, and she agreed.

“I had never spoken to her before but asked her anyway, and Ms. Kelly wrote back agreeing to do it," Jones said. "It was great she was willing to speak, especially since this appearance with the University of New Mexico was the first time she had ever spoken at any university to students. In doing so she addressed not only Bridgegate but other subjects, including her life story, and the students were extremely engaged."

Bridget Kelly vs. United States was a 2020 Supreme Court decision resulting from approximately seven years of ongoing litigation closely watched both politically and legally throughout the country. The central issue in the Bridgegate scandal was whether then-New Jersey Governor Chris Christie was involved in a plan to shut down several lanes at the George Washington Bridge between New York and New Jersey for political revenge. Christie denied knowledge of the situation and blamed his then Deputy Chief of Staff, Bridget Kelly, subsequently firing her. Kelly contended she was not responsible for the bridge closures and cited being bullied, asserting she lacked authority to close traffic lanes. Ultimately, criminal charges were brought against Kelly and she was convicted. However, in a landmark 2020 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously reversed and dismissed her conviction.

“In this particular case, when mapping out the syllabus, I thought students would be interested in it not only because it was precedential but because of all the human elements and drama that were involved on a national level," Jones said. “Students rarely get the opportunity to hear directly from the people they're studying in a university course.”

Jones believed having Kelly as a guest speaker added a unique experience to the semester, an opinion shared by many students.

“I have never had the opportunity to talk to someone who has taken a case up to the Supreme Court level and not only argue but win essentially their freedom back," Quinn Arruti, a UNM student said. “We asked her about anything and she gave us a well-thought-out answer.”

“Talking to a person who was involved and part of this scandal provided an interesting look inside this bizarre scandal that shaped American politics," student Kylie Pucella said. "It brought the Supreme Court case to our doorstep and helped us understand the system better; it made it seem human.”

Student Amelia Beggio noted that as an avid news watcher and reader, she knew much about the case before speaking with Kelly via Zoom.

“I think it has a larger impact on American history and offers lessons on toleration of corruption and honesty we expect from our politicians," she said.

Depending on future cases and courses, Jones expressed interest in bringing more guest speakers.

“Kelly posted on her LinkedIn page after; it seemed like she was very positive about the experience and student response,” Jones said. “It’s one thing to talk on social media; it’s another to talk directly with university students allowing them to ask questions on a very politically charged topic.”

Kelly reflected on her LinkedIn post: "Earlier this year, I received a message on my LinkedIn from Professor Larry Jones due to my experience with the United States Supreme Court... He asked if I would be interested in sharing my real-life experience with Bridgegate... A class that was supposed to be one hour became over two... Thank you Professor Larry Jones and your students."