The state inspector general also investigated the allegations.
In a statement issued Monday, Inspector General Letizia Tagliafierro said investigators reviewed thousands of documents and listened to “audio of conversations between individuals who were involved in trying to conceal the replacement of bolts.”
The inspector general shared its findings with the attorney general’s office but said it was legally prohibited from disclosing details of its probe.
Times Union editor Casey Seiler defended the news outlet's reporting and said the Thruway Authority and others were given an opportunity to respond before the story was published.
“The Times Union stands by its reporting, which the Thruway Authority is mischaracterizing: At no point does our story suggest the Thruway Authority was involved in the alleged cover-up by employees of Tappan Zee Constructors," Seiler said.