Ex-Christie Allies Plead Not Guilty in Bridge Scandal

Returning to New Jersey to appear as a witness would pull Mr. Christie back into a scandal he would like to put behind him as he plots an uphill path nationally, said Julian Zelizer, a Princeton University political scientist. It also could force him to reveal damaging information about his administration. But some experts said not appearing could make Mr. Christie look evasive—even if he has nothing to hide and knew nothing about the closures. “If you try to avoid testifying, given the political state he’s in, people would draw the worst conclusion,” Mr. Zelizer said. “It’s a lose-lose situation.”