A federal affairs staffer at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey during the unfolding of the "Bridgegate" scandal has returned to Congress.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's former allies are accused of closing traffic lanes in Fort Lee, New Jersey, as an act of political revenge in September 2013. Krista Harvey has worked two stints at the agency, from March to June 2013, and again at her old job as assistant director of federal affairs beginning in November 2013.
The gap in 2013 came after Christie appointed New Jersey Attorney General Jeff Chiesa senator after the death of Democrat Frank Lautenberg and Harvey left to serve as his legislative assistant until his October departure.
Harvey was a primary point of contact at Port Authority on federal legislative activities and with congressional staff, according to her LinkedIn page, as probes into "Bridgegate" by federal prosecutors and in New Jersey continued. She left the agency this month for a position as Republican staff director with the House Homeland Security Committee's Transportation Security Subcommittee.
Harvey married her husband, Jeff Harvey, just before returning to Port Authority in 2013. He serves as Rep. Dave Reichert's (R-Wash.) chief of staff and was Christie's coalitions director in his 2009 campaign.
The Port Authority has registered to lobby this year on issues including Department of Transportation appropriations, airport employee screening and trade policy. Krista Harvey, who has a bachelor's in political science and government from Georgetown University, has never filed lobbying papers herself.
The returned staffer got her start on the Hill in 2011 with the House Homeland Security Committee.
