It’s been more than 24 hours since the bombshells dropped about Christie’s aides ordering political retribution against Fort Lee by closing lanes on the busiest bridge in the world. Today as Christie faces the press, he needs to explain a lot more than just how the lanes were shut, who specifically ordered them, and who knew what when (although he certainly has a lot of explaining to do on that front).
He also needs to explain why his statements on the bridge closure for the last four months have been completely inaccurate and how it’s even conceivable that he just found out yesterday that his top aides where, in fact, involved. Christie prides himself on being an aggressive former prosecutor – does he really expect anyone to believe that he never asked the most basic questions about this scandal?
Some of his most trusted appointees resigned on 12/6/13 and 12/13/13. Did he really not ask they why they resigned?
Did he not ask those allies what they were turning over in the subpoenas? Did he really hear nothing from his most trusted advisers before he stood in front of the press and told absolute falsehoods about the scandal?
Did he speak with David Wildstein during the campaign? When was the last time he had any contact with him before his resignation? Has he talked to him since he resigned? Did they ever talk to one another about the lane closures?
If the truth is that he never asked and didn’t know, then it’s likely because he didn’t want to know the answers. But the reality is the bridge closure is only a symptom of the culture Chris Christie instilled in his administration and among those he surrounds himself with.
Here are a few questions for Governor Christie today:
It’s been reported that the Christie administration also sought punitive action against the mayor of Jersey City for not endorsing Christie for reelection. Did you, your office or your campaign order retribution against Mayor Fulop?
In previous press conferences, Christie mocked reporters for asking questions about the lane closures, asserted it wasn’t a big deal and denied that his office had any involvement. How can we be sure you are telling the full truth now?
When running for reelection you were asked in two debates about your reputation for bullying and said “I am who I am.” Do you regret creating an environment where this kind of political retribution and bullying could be considered acceptable?
Many of the emails and texts that have been released have information that’s been redacted, including the identity of someone who used some of the most offensive language about the lane closures. Was that you? Who was it?
“Chris Christie’s statement tonight neither takes responsibility nor answers many of the central questions that were raised with this morning’s revelations. The Governor, his administration and his allies broke the public trust, and New Jerseyans deserve more than his customary bluster and deflection. It’s time that the so-called ‘straight talking’ governor takes some of his own advice – and he can do that by cooperating with all investigations surrounding the politically-motivated lane closures and ensuring his staff and associates do the same.” - Michael Czin, DNC Press Secretary
As the Christie bombshells dropped today, some of the most gleeful or critical were those from his own party.
His mentor, former New Jersey Republican Gov. Tom Kean weighed in with dismay. According to the Wall Street Journal, Kean “called the emails ‘disturbing.’ ‘This is the connection that no one believed,’ Mr. Kean said Wednesday. ‘What could they have been thinking?’”
Rush Limbaugh…“The point of the story is that Christie will do payback. If you don’t give him what he wants, he’ll pay you back.” [Rush Limbaugh, Rush Limbaugh Show, 1/8/14]
Amy Oto, Editor of Pocket Liberty…“We all suspect he’s more trouble than he’s worth. Sometimes gut instincts matter. #CHRISTIE” [@CAAmyO, Twitter, 1/8/14]
Ann Coulter…“WINNING! Chris Christie aide: “Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee.” http://nyti.ms/1gDNu0K” [@AnnCoulter, Twitter, 1/8/14]
Twitchy…“‘More trouble than he’s worth’? Chris Christie postpones appearance in the wake of 'Bridgegate’ scandal http://bit.ly/KyecfZ” [@TwitchyTeam, Twitter, 1/8/14]
Daily Caller Headline…“Chris Christie’s Bridge To Nowhere.” [Daily Caller, 1/8/14]
David Freddoso, Editor of Conservative Intelligence Briefing…“Even if it wasn’t punitive, it’s just not a sign you’re a committed public servant when you say stuff like that.” [@freddoso, Twitter, 1/8/14]
Former Ted Cruz staffer Nick Dyer…“Christie’s scandal is a real one. Unlike any of the contrived ones from the liberal media against another 2016 hopeful.” [@MrNickDyer, Twitter, 1/8/14]
“In which it is clear that Christie’s people did it for political reasons: http://t.co/eN4Y19f5ri” [@MrNickDyer, Twitter, 1/8/14]
Ben Shapiro…“Christie’s actions here may be impeachable, not just indicative of inappropriateness of a 2016 run.” [@BenShapiro, Twitter, 1/8/14]
The Blaze Headline: “Scandal Accusations Involving Chris Christie And Abuse Of Power Just Got A Lot More Serious.” [The Blaze, 1/8/14]
Chris Christie has denied that his administration ordered the lane closures. That is untrue. A top Christie aide ordered the Port Authority, specifically the now-resigned David Wildstein, to cause “traffic problems in Fort Lee” which resulted in the lane closures on the George Washington Bridge.
Chris Christie has specifically denied that his campaign manager, Bill Stepien, was in any way involved in the closure. That was a lie. Only days after the lanes were closed, Stepien exchanged messages with Wildstein about the Fort Lee Mayor, disparaging the mayor as an “idiot.”
Chris Christie has denied that the Mayor of Fort Lee was in any way related to the bridge closure. But that also seems to be a lie. As soon as the lanes were closed, Christie’s deputy chief of staff and Port Authority officials were corresponding specifically about the mayor’s reaction to the resulting traffic.
In text message conversations with David Wildstein, a mysteriously redacted individual expresses callous indifference when informed that school buses were delayed because of the traffic. Was this unnamed, redacted recipientGovernor Christie? We know he loves to text.
Oh, and in messages between Stepien, Wildstein and Bill Baroni, the Christie advisers derisively referred to the Mayor of Fort Lee Mark Sokolich in racist terms – even calling him “Serbia” at one point. Sokolich is, in fact, Croatian.
WHAT WE STILL DON’T KNOW:
Why did Christie lie and say none of his senior staff were involved when they were?
If the Mayor’s refusal to endorse Christie had nothing to do with the lane closures, then why did Christie’s staff order “traffic problems” for Fort Lee? And why were they immediately obsessed with the Mayor’s reaction?
Was Bill Stepien rewarded with posts as New Jersey GOP Chairman and a top position at the RGA by Chris Christie because of his involvement in this scandal?
Following news that indicates top aides in Governor Chris Christie’s Administration ordered lane closures for political retribution, DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz released the following statement:
“The latest news in Chris Christie’s bridge scandal indicates political retribution and raises a host of new questions. What is crystal clear is that the Governor’s office ordered lane closures that were intended to make first responders experience delays, kids sit gridlocked on the first day of school, and commuters hit log jams, to punish the Democratic mayor who didn’t endorse Chris Christie’s reelection bid.
“These revelations are troubling for any public official, but they also indicate what we’ve come to expect from Governor Christie – when people oppose him, he exacts retribution. When people question him, he belittles and snidely jokes. And when anyone dares to look into his Administration, he bullies and attacks.
“For 121 days, Chris Christie disparaged the questioners and later lied saying no one in his office was involved. That was clearly untrue given the discovery of emails that came directly from his own top staff. Time’s up, Governor.”
Chris Christie first belittled those asking questions about the lane closures and later lied and said that no one in the Governor’s office or on his campaign knew about the closure.
Today, despite the opposition of the majority of Republicans, the Senate took the first step to extend unemployment insurance benefits for millions of Americans while they look for work. Across the country, American families need and rely on this vital lifeline, and experts agree that this extension is in the best interest of the economy - but still, the majority of Republican in the Senate voted no.
For these Republicans, including those considering presidential runs in 2016, today’s vote was yet another example of their failure to support policies that grow the middle class. They oppose increasing the minimum wage, they want to repeal the Affordable Care Act which expands Medicaid, and they went so far as shutting down the government costing our economy $24 billion.
Extending unemployment insurance benefits is the right thing to do for millions of Americans who are trying to support their families, and it’s the right thing to do for our economy. But Republican leaders like Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, and Marco Rubio continue to put ideological obstructionism ahead of the needs of their constituents and the good of the economy. The American people are looking for compromise and progress not the rigid partisanship of today’s GOP that puts politics over people.