The mystery of who closed two lanes onto the George Washington Bridge — turning the borough of Fort Lee, N.J., into a parking lot for four days in September — exploded into a full-bore political scandal for Gov. Chris Christie on Wednesday. Emails and texts revealed that a top aide had ordered the closings to punish the town’s mayor after he did not endorse the governor for re-election.Up until now, the governor had managed the allegations by using his well known bluster, verbally intimidating anybody who would dare ask any questions. And, ultimately, when questions persisted, a staff mistake.
Today, however, a paper trail has surfaced.
“Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee,” Bridget Anne Kelly, a deputy chief of staff to Mr. Christie, emailed David Wildstein, a high school friend of the governor who worked at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which runs the bridge.Where is the governor's friend, Barack Obama, when he needs him?
Later text messages mocked concerns that school buses filled with students were stuck in gridlock: “They are the children of Buono voters,” Mr. Wildstein wrote, referring to Mr. Christie’s opponent Barbara Buono.
57 comments:
Just think what Christie could do with the IRS if he were president.
This Bridget chickie sounds like Valerie Jarrett from Jersey.
I told you so!
Chris Christie is like every Rhino loser.
Or like every dirty Jersey politician.
He is like Harrison Williams without the Arabs.
He is like John Corzine but without the stolen money.
He is like Bob Menendez without the whores.
He is the worst.
Chris Christie makes Eliot Spitzer look like George Washington.
Just imagine what Chris Christie would do to Garage Mahal if he posted about him like he does about Scott Walker.
Talk about your road kill. Yeesh!
You forgot jimflorio.
(anybody who says his name that fast you know is trying to pull a fast one)
Christie's been hiding his Lefty instincts, but Lefty politicians can't keep them hidden forever.
PS I know jimflorio was a Demo, but you know where I'm going with it...
Someone was saving this story for use in the upcoming election. It was fed to the press now in order to push news about Gates's book off the top of the news cycle.
Anyone heard about ObamaCare lately, by the way?
Lem said
Where is the governor's friend, Barack Obama, when he needs him?
How is this Obama's fault or responsibility? This is the comment of petulant child not an adult.
Let the skeletons come out now. It's time to vet DonutMcCain (Thanks Bags - I got that from you I think) and then kick him to the curb.
Lem isn't blaming Obama. He's just wondering when Obama is going to return the favor? Where's the love/hug when the chips are down?
Where's the love/hug when the chips are down?
Exactly.
It couldn't have happened to nicer guy.
I'm all broken up about it.
Revenge traffic snarls or Illegal political IRS bullying - it's the same thuggish mentality that both Christie and Obama have in common.
*hugs*
I don't believe it for a second.
When you are a republican governor of north east blue state you cant afford to have a confrontational relationship with the press.
It's payback time now. the image of the governor comforting Sandy victims is gone, replaced with Christy going off on reporters, teachers and boardwalk pedestrians.
REMINDER: In 2009, Barack Obama “Joked” About Having The IRS Audit His Enemies.
I don't hate the guy. He's a vast improvement over Bernie Madoff/Jon Corzine(D). My problem with Christie is that he's two-faced. And if this is how he really operates, we don't need anymore fascist bullying. We've had enough of that with this administration.
I was going to say they are both cut from the same cloth, but with Christy we may need a little help from Trooper covering that ;)
I bet the same people who claim Benghazi is a "fake" scandal are OUTRAGED by this terrible abuse of gov't power and its subsequent cover-up.
April Apple said...
Lem isn't blaming Obama.
But why is it necessary to drag Obama into every discussion? It reflects a childish mentality rather than one open to the actual complexity of the situation. Big daddy is the cause/cure of everything.
It is not uncommon in political commenting but it doesn't advance any debate.
I thought Christie did the right thing by his constituents in working with Obama after Sandy, but I also saw the mess Sandy caused first hand, so it was real to me rather than another silly political game.
Oh noes!! Now the media will have to find another RINO loser to foist onto us as candidate.
Where will they find their next Great White Whale. Lindsey Graham? Huckabuck? He wants to get back into the water.
Do they have the time to build 'em up....Buttercup?
Calypso Facto said...
I bet the same people who claim Benghazi is a "fake" scandal are OUTRAGED by this terrible abuse of gov't power and its subsequent cover-up.
I do think the press obsession with Benghazi has been ridiculous and no I am not OUTRAGED. It seems in keeping with Jersey politics and Christie's mentality.
I think we've laid out why pretty well.
*IRS* cough.
I do think the press obsession with Benghazi has been ridiculous
Well because I served with some of the Special Forces troops who died in this botched covert operation that was then lied about, disclaimed, and covered up by the administration, it "was real to me rather than another silly political game". To say the least.
Calypso Facto said...
Well because I served with some of the Special Forces troops who died in this botched covert operation
Then I am sure you served with even more people who died during the botched occupation of Iraq.
I am not making light of these deaths. That doesn't change the fact that the removal of Gaddaffi was achieved with remarkably little loss of life.
Here's what I think is noteworthy.
The media are bug-eyed over this. "What? A politician caused the public terrible problems for political payback? UNBELIEVABLE! OUTRAGE! SCANDAL!!!!"
If Christie did it; let him have it.
But funny thing is, when it was Obama's gang doing very similar things with the shutdown, the response was...
"Oh, that's just politics. And anyway, the national monuments need barriers around them, right?"
The "removal of Ghaddafi" is not the issue.
The dereliction of duty to the men and women in Bengahzi (trying to clean up the mess?) which cost four lives (the guys on the roof honest to God thought the cavalry was coming and Obama was at home snug as a bug in bed. We think. Who the hell knows where he was?) is the issue.
Abandonment and dereliction of duty by the boss.
Nobody went on TV and claimed deaths in Iraq were due to an LA video. Nobody at DoD claimed that deaths in Iraq were not their responsibility the way Hillary ("What difference ... does it make?") did at State.
Listen, I know covert ops are going to happen, and sometimes go wrong. The galling thing here from a serviceman's perspective is that these people were left to die when help may have been available and then their tragedy was repeatedly downplayed and they were completely disowned by the administration in a strictly political calculation. Absolutely disgusting.
Compare Obama's duck and cover with JFK after the Bay of Pigs: "Further statements, detailed discussions, are not to conceal responsibility because I'm the responsible officer of the Government ... "
Christie fired the "traffic jam" aid immediately. Who was fired from the current administration for Benghazi? Is it less important even than a traffic snarl?
Good point fr Fox.
Obama Chicago style politics.
Fr Fox is right on the money.
When Obama made everyone's life a living Hell who wanted to merely LOOK at the mountains or walk in an open park, it was OMG the Republicans.
When Christie does it....OMG Republican.
Double standard much.
Of course, I'm glad that this was revealed sooner than later. If they (the media) sat on this 'scandal' until Christie was a candidate and then released it, it would be, YET again, a last minute death blow to the Republican candidate that they could just spin and spin and spin.
By releasing it early, thank you whoever, at least we can move on past Christie, who is a dirty politician, a RINO at best and is not suited for the Presidency any more than his bestest buddy Obama is....or Hillary for that matter.
Basically, anyone decent, honest and capable is either too smart to jump into the meat grinder or will be crushed by the captive media.
Wow, ARM, that is the biggest squirrel reveal I ever witnessed. What was the objective of the losses in Benghazi? Was this administration trying to accomplish something with that? Because, the President seemed only focused on Las Vegas fundraising at the time? And then lying and covering up afterward. How does any of that compare to waging a war approved by congress?
But why is it necessary to drag Obama into every discussion?
So when someone drags a hook in front of your mouth with a tasty morsel; do you bite everytime, or just this time?
I'm thinking every single time.
But since you took the bite, might as well reel in the catch. Read Fr Fox's response. The right thing to do is let Christie's Presidential hopes go up in flames with this scandal, and also remind everyone that what Christie did is exactly what Obama did with the shutdown, and not nearly as bad as what Obama did with the IRS. Sure, some people won't like hearing this news, because it will suggest Obama really is a bad person, who will glady hug people just a bad as he. But sometimes people need to hear and learn to handle the truth. Can you handle the truth?
I don't know much about this scandal yet, but if it was going on for four days, how can Christie avoid blame for allowing it at the very least.
" what Christie did is exactly what Obama did with the shutdown, and not nearly as bad as what Obama did with the IRS."
Exactly. This is the kind of ugly, I will never support in a public official, no matter who does it. Now I would smile if a President cut off electricity to all of San Francisco for a couple days, but I'd also call for his removal.
"But why is it necessary to drag Obama into every discussion? "
At least he matters. Bringing Bush in as the defense for every Obama shortcoming is really the lame part.
Leland said...
I'm thinking every single time.
Then thinking may not be a strong point for you. No doubt you have many other fine qualities that compensate.
Fr. Fox just said - Obama's just as bad or even worse. Not exactly a novel concept on these pages.
bagoh20 said...
I don't know much about this scandal yet, but if it was going on for four days, how can Christie avoid blame for allowing it at the very least.
Careful Bags, I think you might be wandering off the reservation with this one.
Two peas in a pod are Obama and Christie. Their arrogance spurs their employees [i.e. Lois Lerner and Bridget Kelly] to go rogue on behalf of their bosses.
I did notice one big fat lie made by Christie this morning. He claimed he first heard about these emails yesterday when he was working out!
So what did Christie do to fix it once it happened?
I think you are off base A Reasonable Man.
This is an anti-Christie joint since most of us want an alternative to big spending Rhino Democrat lite douchebags.
So any beating up of Christie is the norm.
So what did Christie do to fix it once it happened?
He fired the people involved.
Quick, what did Obama do to fix the IRS scandal once he discovered it happened? (Hint Lois Lerner was nominated to a higher post...)
Bonus, how does Christie getting the blame hurt those who argue and desire limited government?
Christie is just exposing who he really is. Nobody does something like that if they didn't think the boss would approve.
Just like nobody would leave American to die at the hands of Muslim extremists if they didn't think the boss would be ok with it.
As Robert Gates had testified...the minions in the Obama administration put political considerations above the lives of our soldiers.
Obama and Christie are more alike then they are different. That is why they had such a bromance.
I tell you one thing. You can say what you want about George W Bush but he wouldn't have hung our guys out to dry if there was a chance to save them because of politics.
He would take the heat.
Obama would voted present.
Here's the thing, it is an important bridge. 2/3 closed for traffic study.
???
That right there should go ))) thud (((
Because traffic studies that close down three lanes to study traffic obviously do not study traffic, they study congestion caused by shutting 2 of 3 lanes. Duh.
Double duh.
Traffic study is where you run something across the lanes and count the vehicles that cross. That's pretty much it unless you break it down further to sizes of vehicles and types. Whatever it is, a study will not close two of three lanes. Triple duh. I'm duh'ing all over the place at a governor not wincing at a traffic study that disruptive on important artery. It is an unacceptable answer. Adios señor Christie, it was almost nice to know ya.
You are the argument for government that cannot do that and get away with it. This is what we do not like. The innocent face did not work on me. Boo.
Not exactly a novel concept on these pages.
I agree, the truth is very ubiquitous around here.
Of course Benghazi is old news. At this point what difference does it make.
Let's talk about all the people who lost their insurance or have to pay twice of much because of Obamacare.
It's amazing how easily manipulated the American voters are.
Christie, one of his assistants, actually, caused a traffic snafu and, hell's bells Louise, it's the total end of his career.
Meanwhile, the Obama administration gives guns to drug dealers, leaves Americans die in Benghazi without any honest explanation including who gave the orders to stand down, uses the IRS to investigate the president's political enemies, and spies one everyone in the whole world; all without repercussion.
The Christie event is simply battlefield preparation for the next presidential election; and a circus diversion for the rubes so they don't look at the really bad stuff behind the curtain.
Do I like Christie? I dislike him this week as much as I did last week.
But I really hate lying politicians and administrators and operatives a whole lot more than I dislike Christie.
Don't be suckers; keep you eyes on the important issues, not bridge lane closures.
ARM:
Just to be clear: I didn't defend Mr. Christie or his people's actions (whoever is responsible). I pointed out a similarity.
Now, if you think the comparison is unreasonable, I'd like to hear why.
It's striking to me that the media is terribly interested in the chain of command on the decision to block this bridge--as they should be--but terribly, terribly UNinterested in the same chain of command on, say, blocking access to private businesses near park land, and blocking access to memorials that stand open to the universe 24/7/365.
But again: do you find the comparison inapt? How so?
On the other hand, if you're coopting me into some broader narrative about GOP ax-grinding, then I take exception. I'm equally willing to ding a Republican as a Dem.
Calypso Facto has said it all for me. Only thing I would add is the very simple fact that Obama, Clinton, Dempsey, et al all knew the danger within 15 minutes of the first attack. CRITICOMM messaging is designed to do that.
Listen to the media. They want to pounce on Christie because he has an R after his name. However, the media are quick to point out HE'S THE 2016 FRONTRUNNER!
Christie is only the "frontrunner" because the media have selected him to be the frontrunner. He's NOT. The media are positioning him to face Hillary because they fear Hillary might lose if the R's actually nominate someone young and fresh for a change.
Obama never fired anyone over Benghazi. And FOUR people died. Colossal screw up and no one was held accountable. Instead we were fed lies about "a video" from the top down.
We didn't need to take out Khadafy. He was neutralized. Now Libya is over-run by Al Qaeda. How is that a success story?
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