The Latest: Former Christie campaign manager denies report

NEWARK, N.J. – The Latest on Chris Christie and the George Washington Bridge scandal (all times local):

10:40 a.m.

A lawyer for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s former campaign manager says that suggesting he was involved in the George Washington Bridge lane-closing scandal based on a text message exchange is “categorically false and irresponsible.”

According to a new court filing, a former Christie aide texted to a colleague that the governor “flat out lied” at a 2013 news conference about Bill Stepien and other staffers’ involvement.

Christie denies that he lied during the news conference.

A transcript of the text from Christina Renna is contained in court filings by attorneys representing Bill Baroni, who faces trial next month for allegedly helping orchestrate the lane closures for political revenge.

Stepien’s attorney, Kevin Marino, said Wednesday that Renna testified before a legislative committee and did not implicate Stepien.

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10:15 a.m.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie denies that he lied during a news conference about the George Washington Bridge lane-closing scandal.

The Republican said Wednesday that a former aide’s text message to a colleague that the governor “flat out lied” about the involvement of his staffers in the scandal was not true.

A transcript of the text is contained in court filings by attorneys representing Bill Baroni, who faces trial next month for allegedly helping orchestrate the lane closures for political revenge.

Christie spoke outside a radio station in New York.

The text exchange is between Christina Renna, Christie’s director of intergovernmental affairs, and Peter Sheridan, a staffer on his re-election campaign. Renna texted Sheridan that Christie “flat out lied” in saying his senior staff and campaign manager weren’t involved.

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9:20 a.m.

According to a new court filing, a former Chris Christie aide texted to a colleague that the New Jersey governor “flat out lied” at a news conference about the George Washington Bridge lane-closing scandal.

A transcript of the text is contained in court filings by attorneys representing Bill Baroni, who faces trial next month for allegedly helping orchestrate the lane closures for political revenge.

Christie’s office didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

The text exchange is between Christina Renna, Christie’s director of intergovernmental affairs, and Peter Sheridan, a staffer on his re-election campaign. It came while the Republican governor was telling reporters at a news conference that no one in his office was involved.

Renna texted Sheridan that Christie “flat out lied” in saying his senior staff and campaign manager weren’t involved.