Top Christie Staff Sought Lane Closings as Revenge

[onehandle]

Last edited Wed Jan 8, 2014, 04:21 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: New York Times

[IMG][/IMG]

Newly released emails and text messages show that Gov. Chris Christie’s office was closely involved with lane closings on the New Jersey side of the George Washington Bridge in September, and that officials closed the lanes as retribution against the Democratic mayor whose town was gridlocked as a result.

The growing scandal around the bridge threatens Mr. Christie at the moment he assumes an even larger position on the national stage, as chairman of the Republican Governor’s Association and a leading candidate for his party’s presidential nomination in 2016.

In the documents, obtained by The New York Times and other news outlets on Wednesday, Bridget Anne Kelly, a deputy chief of staff in Mr. Christie’s office, gave a signal to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to close the lanes about two weeks before the closings occurred.

“Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee,” she emailed David Wildstein, Mr. Christie’s close friend from high school, and one of his appointees at the Port Authority, which controls the bridge. Mr. Christie and some officials at Port Authority have said the closings were done as part of a traffic study, but they caused havoc for days, backing up traffic for hours.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/09/nyregion/christie-aide-tied-to-bridge-lane-closings.html

---

Buh-bye to The Bully™ and his Presidential aspirations.

[sakabatou]

1. So how much shit was Christie full of?

[jsr]

3. It's visually obvious.

[AtheistCrusader]

21. All of it.

[tomm2thumbs]

127. Picture of Christie and the aid from controversy speaks volumes

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.... what does that one say, of Bridget Anne Kelly and the Governor?

“Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee,” Bridget Anne Kelly, one of three deputy chiefs of staff for Christie, wrote on Aug. 13. The recipient of the e-mail was David Wildstein, a longtime political operative who went to high school with the governor and was hired to be the governor’s eyes and ears at the Port Authority.

Wildstein, who ordered the closures three weeks after the message and resigned last month amid the escalating scandal, wrote back: “Got it.”

[TwilightGardener]

2. "Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee..."--how damning is THAT?

You can almost hear the evil smirk.

[Blue Owl]

79. Sounds even better in your best James Gandolfi wise-guy voice

n/t

[Demoiselle]

90. Please don't bring James G. into this!

He's a better man than any of those bastards… I'm gonna miss him terribly.

[Blue Owl]

92. OK -- Tony Soprano, then...

n/t

[flying rabbit]

111. Hows about Edward G Robinson

"mmmyeah time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee, mmmyeah see"

[marble falls]

121. Mmmyeah, see, my wife and I saw Little Caesar a coule of months ago, mmmyeah see .....

and we use it all the time now, mmmyeah, see? Totally displaced the aargh pirate talk,mmmyeah.

We need help. Mmmmyeah, see?

[watoos]

4. Well, this is a good test.

If this story gets legs that means that the old established Repugs don't want Christie to get the nomination, if this story is squashed, they want him, IMO.

[Swede Atlanta]

5. The Democrats control the state legislature and will pursue this to the end

Hopefully it will discredit Christie enough that his flame as potential 2016 Repub savior will be extinguished. If so they have no "moderates" left to attract some blue dog deems and independents to take back the white house.

[AtheistCrusader]

22. No way, they love this shit.

Remember how the political right completely discounted or even took offense to the ethics investigations of bungee governor Palin?

His core constituency is the sort of person that approves of and engages in petty retribution whenever possible.
The only way this goes down is if he is somehow held civilly or criminally liable for the death that resulted from an ambulance stuck in the traffic.

[SoapBox]

33. I absolutely agree.

That TeaPuke core is shrill, nasty and hypocritical.

They don't care and will say it's all Obama's/Dems/Libs etc. fault.

[Beacool]

57. Except that the T.P. kooks love Palin and despise Christie.

They think that he's a Rino. They prefer a true mixed bag of nuts like Cruz, Bachmann, Gohmert, Issa, etc.

[Botany]

6. “Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee”

BTW how can you do a traffic study with no traffic?

[1StrongBlackMan]

14. Silly you ...

they block the bridge, then count the number of cars caught up in the gridlock! It's so much easier to count parked cars than counting the cars as they whiz by!

[NJCher]

7. More detailed story here

at the newspaper for the area:

http://www.northjersey.com/news/christie_kelly_bridge_lane_closures_emails.html

Just posted 5" ago.


Cher

[Swede Atlanta]

9. Wow, just wow

How more blatant could they be in their disdain for anyone who dared not endorse Christie. I hope this blows the whole thing wide open.

[1StrongBlackMan]

13. So I guess ...

PhillyJoe was correct in his assessment of NJ politics being all about carrots and sticks, thereby explaining WHY so many Democrats endorsed Christie in his race.

[JustAnotherGen]

76. Yeppers!

And I think they had a very real fear of him. . . but I'm not holding out hope for the NJ Legislature here.

Uh uh - no way. They can't be trusted.

We need the feds to investigate.

Loretta will just make a deal with Chris and the whole thing will go away. The Feds? It won't just go away.

[1StrongBlackMan]

81. I should have added ...

that the endorsement didn't represent a mass betrayal of the Democratic candidate, so much as "just how things are done in NJ."

[DamnYankeeInHouston]

108. How come more of the Democratic supporters

haven't come out since this broke and said they were bullied, as well? Embarrassment? Fear?

[1StrongBlackMan]

124. I would suspect ...

both; fear that Christie ain't dead yet, fear that Christie has stuff on them; fear that Democrats will say, "Fort Lee stood tough why didn't you."

[Botany]

10. Holy God this might sink Christie

Thanx for the link!

“Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee,” Bridget Anne Kelly, one of three deputies on Christie’s senior staff, wrote to David Wildstein, a top Christie executive at the Port Authority, on Aug. 13, about three weeks before the closures. Wildstein, the official who ordered the closures and who resigned last month amid the escalating scandal, wrote back: “Got it.”

Other top Christie associates mentioned in or copied on the email chain, all after the top New York appointee at the authority ordered the lanes reopened, include David Samson, the chairman of the agency; Bill Stepien, Christie’s re-election campaign manager and the newly appointed state GOP chairman; and Michael Drewniak, Christie’s spokesman.

Christie has previously said that no one in his staff or campaign was involved in the lane closings, and he has dismissed questions about political retribution by joking that he moved the traffic cones himself.

- See more at: http://www.northjersey.com/news/christie_kelly_bridge_lane_closures_emails.html#sthash.8cR5rvQH.dpuf

[starroute]

19. “Is it wrong that I’m smiling”

From that link:

In one exchange of text messages on the second day of the lane closures, Wildstein alludes to messages the Fort Lee mayor had left complaining that school buses were having trouble getting through the traffic.

“Is it wrong that I’m smiling,” the recipient of the text message responded to Wildstein. The person’s identity is not clear because the documents are partially redacted for unknown reasons.

“No,” Wildstein wrote in response.

“I feel badly about the kids,” the person replied to Wildstein. “I guess.”

“They are the children of Buono voters,” Wildstein wrote.

[KatyMan]

26. "The person’s identity is not clear because the documents

are partially redacted for unknown reasons"...I wonder if the recipient's initials are CC???

[hollysmom]

78. Doubt that

CC has no compassion whatsoever.

[louis-t]

95. Other NYT piece indicates it is Kelly.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/09/nyregion/christie-aide-tied-to-bridge-lane-closings.html

Just past half way down the page.

[Laxman]

23. Here's Something Interesting To Consider

The documents were obtained by the New York Times and other news outlets Wednesday. They are heavily redacted by Port Authority officials, who turned them over under a subpoena from Democratic legislators investigating the lane closures, making it hard to determine in some cases who is speaking.

If this is the stuff they released, what exactly is contained in the redacted material that was held back?

[bklyncowgirl]

77. Could it be the name of the person who leaked it to the press?

This could be a pre-emtive strike by the GOP against Christie--a potential candidate which lots and lots of baggage.

[Laxman]

91. That's Interesting...

I was just having a discussion about this with my brother-in-law and his take was that there was always going to be someone who is pissed off. A Port Authority professional, a politico who didn't get a position they wanted or maybe someone who was just disgusted with what was going on.

[yardwork]

105. News reports say that Wildstein himself released the emails as a result of the subpoena.

I am wondering what is in that redacted material. Maybe other kinds of criminal activity not directly related to the bridge scandal?

[PearliePoo2]

34. Thanks for that link!

Man, the comments posted to that story are BRUTAL!
Many are using the "I" word!
Bye..Bye...asshole.

[DallasNE]

85. Sounds Like Christie Just Threw Brigitte Anne Kelly Under The Bus

Will criminal charges follow? Still doesn't answer why this was conducted by private email rather than government email.

[Skittles]

120. I think her name is spelled Bridge-et

[Cha]

103. This is where Christie is completely WRONG..

"..This behavior is not representative of me or my Administration in any way.."

That behavior is Completely Representative of his Admin.. it's there in black and white with yellow highlights for all the world to see.

Thanks NJCher

[pam4water]

8. As Mr. Burns would say, "excellent."

[PearliePoo2]

11. MSNBC reporting on it right NOW!

Good...may it get the legs it deserves!

[1StrongBlackMan]

12. I can see the press conference now ...

"Yes ... I did write that. But please understand ... we had previously discussed the fact that the traffic study would result in some unfortunate, but unavoidable, inconvenience for Fort Lee citizens. My comment was merely a poorly timed joke. For that I sincerely apologize. {wait ... what's that?} And, Governor Christie was completely unaware of this. Thank you."

[PearliePoo2]

15. This doesn't surprise me one bit!

The guy is a lying, bloviating THUG.
True colors...man, what a fucking asshole!

[dorkzilla]

16. Well this kind of changes the whole fake bi-partisan "I'm just working for the people of NJ" BS

How much do you want to bet that what really went on after Sandy last year was not Governor Sandwiches wanting to provide succor to his people, but payback for Romney's rejection of Sanwiches as his Veep. Its been said the Romney camp rejected him after doing some digging around into his background. So they probably told him "sorry fat boy, you're toast" and lo and behold, within days he's on the tevee hugging Obama The Great Satan.

[George II]

45. It would be greatly appreciated if people stop their references to his weight.....

.....that has NOTHING to do with this issue or Christie himself.

[dorkzilla]

64. I understand. I'm a curvy girl, but in his case I think his weight has a LOT to do with his head

He's got a giant chip on his shoulder. Part of it is likely his rotundity, and I think thats why he opted for gastric surgery last year, because he recognizes its an issue for him. I wouldn't utter a peep about someone with a weight issue if they had any semblance of humanity. Governor Sandwiches doesn't. I think it says a lot about his innate greed and insatiable appetite for power…and twinkles.

[rocktivity]

99. I think you should call him something more respectful than Governor Sandwiches

I prefer Governor Soprano myself.


rocktivity

[DainBramaged]

17. Christie might as well send himself a fish, his political career sleeps with the fishes now

Last edited Wed Jan 8, 2014, 02:13 PM - Edit history (1)

poof

[PearliePoo2]

30. Sums it up pretty well!

What if it was this thug's little kids stuck in their school bus in gridlock for hours?
Want to bet he'd make sure the person responsible was "sleeping with the fishes"? Oh yeah...no doubt.

[George II]

53. Didn't he fly his kids to a football game in the state helicopter?

[PearliePoo2]

66. I'm not sure if his kids were with him or not.

I seem to recall he himself flew in the State chopper to watch his kid play in a game.
Took some heat for it too.
Course, in his usual fashion, he attacked the people who questioned him about it.
Hope the chickens are now on their way to roost on his ass!

[George II]

68. I just checked it out - it was a baseball game....

...that his son was playing in - he and his wife used the helicopter to get to the game.

He initially obnoxiously refused to reimburse the state,but there was such a brouhaha from both sides that he eventually relented and paid for the trip.

[PearliePoo2]

71. Good sleuthing!

Now there's THIS!

Lesniak, Buono call for federal investigation into GWB lane closures

Two Democratic state senators are calling for a federal investigation into the Christie administration's closing of lanes leading to the George Washington Bridge. State Sen. Ray Lesniak, D-Union, said there is “reasonable suspicion that there were serious violations of criminal law here, using governmental authority to injure the public for political purposes.”

MORE:
http://www.northjersey.com/news/Lesniak_Buono_call_for_federal_investigation_into_GWB_lane_closures.html

[George II]

73. Both of the people who resigned in December have retained criminal defense attorneys.

Where does the buck stop?

[JustAnotherGen]

32. You know

People here 'knew' without knowing - but they didn't care.

And Democrats/Liberals/Progressives right here at DU were so convinced the guy was unbeatable and I recalll reading things like - He'll retaliate if those Democrats don't endorse him.

First - they were right. Yep - even the DU'ers over the bridge in NYC were right. He would retaliate.

He did retaliate.

But imagine if those 60 who did endorse him stuck together and told him to go f*ck himself - they're going to go against him?

So please - let this be the end.

And anyone who endorsed him needs to be gone too. Dems in NJ we've GOT to stick together.

[rocktivity]

100. If any of those 60 Dems can PROVE that Christie threatened to screw them over

if they didn't endorse him, this could end up being more fun than a barrel of Bon Jovi concerts!


rocktivity

[NJCher]

37. well, we could do this for him

I think I'll write my state representative and ask him if we could pretty please call those three dedicated lanes going into Ft. Lee the "Honorary Chris Christie Gastric Bypass" lanes.


Cher

[delrem]

18. Dude should get a prize for making himself the easiest to pick off!

[NJCher]

36. the stars were all aligned for him

and he blew it. How could anyone be so incompetent?

Mr. Christie, a Republican, was leaning on local Democratic officials to endorse his re-election bid so that he could then seek his party’s presidential nomination in 2016 by arguing that he was the candidate who could attract bipartisan support in a blue state.

Major fail.




Cher

[dorkzilla]

65. One word: arrogance. nt

[Nay]

128. Because he, at his core, is an instinctive bully. IOW, a very bad

person.

[Laxman]

20. What Kind Of People Are They?

“I feel badly about the kids,” he texted.

“They are the children of Buono voters,” she said, referring to Mr. Christie’s Democratic opponent, Barbara Buono, who was trailing consistently in the polls and lost by a wide margin.

This is evil.

[jsr]

46. Sadists and psychopaths

[deutsey]

60. Same mentality as the Enron assholes

In the now infamous Grandma Millie exchange, recorded on Nov. 30, 2000, two traders, identified as Kevin and Bob, discuss demands by California officials that electricity-generating companies and traders pay refunds for price-gouging. They also refer to the disputed presidential election, which was as yet undecided.

Kevin: So the rumor's true? They're (expletive) takin' all the money back from you guys? All those money you guys stole from those poor grandmothers in California?

Bob: Yeah, Grandma Millie, man. But she's the one who couldn't figure out how to (expletive) vote on the butterfly ballot.

Kevin: Yeah, now she wants her (expletive) money back for all the power you've charged for (expletive) $250 a megawatt hour.

Bob: You know -- you know -- you know, Grandma Millie, she's the one that Al Gore's fightin' for, you know?

Later in the same conversation, Kevin and Bob express little sympathy for Californians.

Kevin: Oh, best thing that could happen is [expletive] an earthquake, let that thing float out to the Pacific and put 'em (expletive) candles.

Bob: I know. Those guys -- just cut 'em off.

Kevin: They're so (expletive) and they're so like totally -- --

Bob: They are so (expletive).

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/13/weekinreview/word-for-word-energy-hogs-enron-traders-grandma-millie-making-like-bandits.html

[olddad56]

107. garden variety republican operatives. Nothing unusual about them.

[SCVDem]

24. On the first day of school

We are going to piss off already stressed and haggard parents who probably were already running late?

No Honey, you can go potty when you get to school, X 20,000.

Can you imagine the scene in all these cars stuck in this jam?

[PearliePoo2]

35. Poor little kids!

No doubt they all had to pee their pants or poop in the bus aisle.
Is there anyone that doesn't have to pee in the morning after a couple of cups of coffee? Then you're stuck in gridlock for four hours?
What a mess! I'd be pissed beyond words!
Impeach and prosecute this bastard.

[SHRED]

25. Christie: "Yo..ayyy...I didn't know nutin'"

LOL

[NastyRiffraff]

27. This woman is as dumb as dirt

Sending an E-MAIL like that? What is she crazy?

[bklyncowgirl]

47. E-mails are forever. Ditto Tweets, Texts and other social media

Somehow these political types either never learn or never more likely think they'll never get caught.

Note to self. If you are ever in a position to take part in a political conspiracy, do not use social media to do your plotting.

If Jersey Fats himself ends up being one of the redacted recipients on some of these e-mails he is seriously screwed. If he isn't, his image as a take charge, straight talker has just taken a serious hit.

[SummerSnow]

28. What a bully

[heaven05]

29. good

his chances of getting elected POTUS by those who vote against their best interests has just grown exponentially.

[SummerSnow]

31. When it rains it pours

[George II]

38. The Bergen Record has about a month or more of emails here.....

http://www.northjersey.com/news/Documents_GWB_emails_between_Port_Authority_and_Christie_administration.html

If you want to read them all, put your cursor within one of the emails, right click and then "select all", "copy", and paste in a word document or blank email.

The train of emails is unbelievable and revealing.

This is the way Christie and his klan operate.

[George II]

39. Amazing that a NJ public official refers to the lower level of the GW Bridge as....

"Martha Washington" in one of the emails - that's a sleazy sexist reference to the fact that "George Washington" is on top! Disgusting from one of Christie's staff.

[bklyncowgirl]

41. That's a pretty common term on the local traffic reports

I never really thought about that, seriously.

[alcibiades_mystery]

62. That's what everyone calls it

Since I was a kid.

[Zoonart]

40. I posted this question before

Can anyone answer this question? Does Rachel surf DU... anyone?

Isn't Homeland Security involved with everything that goes on at the George Washington bridge since 9/11?
No one is discussing this aspect of the story.

Was HS apprised of the closing and how was it explained to and documented by them? Who contacted them to let them know? If they didn't know... why not? Am I wrong in thinking that this is an angle of this story that should be explored?

[dorkzilla]

69. I don't know if she does, but that's an excellent point. n/t

[George II]

70. She has reported on this, and no doubt with these emails will do a follow up.

[NJCher]

42. Christie the Coward Cancels on Sandy Victims

Wow, what a scumbag. Can't face the music.

From story in The Record entitled "Christie cancels Sandy victims event, leaving attendees frustrated:"

“It’s not surprising we’re used to being like kicked in the ass, we’re used to being punched in the stomach, that’s how I feel,” she said.

This is what one Sandy victim said about how he failed to show up this morning at a meeting where he was supposed to speak on reaching a Sandy milestone. In fact the people at the meeting are there to complain about how his gov't has left them in the lurch and how he has failed to deliver on that massive amount of funds he got through schmoozing with Obama.

See story at:

http://www.northjersey.com/news/Christie_cancels_Sandy_victims_event_leaving_attendees_frustrated.html?c=y&page=2

Well, good, jerk-off. Not only did you mess up your tailor-made situation for getting the repub nomination, you have now alienated victims of the Sandy cleanup.

Keep up it up!


Cher

[stg81]

43. unfit to lead

[OKNancy]

44. TalkingPointsMemo has several good articles too

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/chris-christie-bridge-fort-lee--2

snip from above:
"It will be a tough November for this little Serbian," wrote David Wildstein, one of Christie's appointees to the Port Authority, apparently referring to Mayor Mark Sokolich. Wildstein is at the center of the scandal and has been called to testify at a state legislative hearing on the matter Thursday.

A nasty, brutish, xenophobic little comment. But one with the comic twist worthy of Chase or Simon: Sokolich is actually Croatian.

[jsr]

49. David Wildstein = Bob Haldeman + Idi Amin

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/david-wildstein-they-play-rough

[OKNancy]

48. ...and another from MotherJones

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/01/chris-christie-bridge-traffic-jam-emails

[George II]

58. Interesting tidbit from the MJ article - Baroni and Wildstein have retained CRIMINAL attorneys!

[d_r]

50. This is republican nastiness

In the emails and texts, Mr. Christie’s staff and appointees appeared gleeful when the abrupt lane closings gridlocked the town for four days, beginning with the first day of school and including the anniversary of Sept. 11. Mr. Sokolich, who had not been informed of the closings, texted Bill Baroni, the governor’s top appointee at the Port Authority, asking for “help” because the lane closings were making children on buses late to school.

“Is it wrong that I am smiling?” Mr. Wildstein texted Ms. Kelly.

“No,” she texted back.

“I feel badly about the kids,” he texted.

“They are the children of Buono voters,” she said, referring to Mr. Christie’s Democratic opponent, Barbara Buono, who was trailing consistently in the polls and lost by a wide margin.

[NJCher]

51. this could be me

I'm still in my jammies reading. It's 12:35 p.m.

It is killing my work productivity for the day.

Fortunately I am a teacher on winter break.

Hm, maybe I should send out for pizza so I can read more.


Cher

[George II]

52. I keep mentioning this about how Christie seems to operate....

...and he obviously uses his power over roadway access to get what he wants:

A few years ago, just before the opening of the (state-owned) Monmouth Park racing season, his DOT closed down and then tore up the main road leading to the track (State Route 36) Then, shortly after that he announced that he wanted to close down the track because attendance and revenues didn't warrant keeping it open!

Unfortunately horse racing isn't as big a subject as the George Washington Bridge, so this issue got very little exposure.

[Beacool]

54. I'm so glad that these revelations are coming forth.

Christie is a nasty bully, rude and dismissive of anyone who doesn't support or agree with him. I detest the bastard!!! Unfortunately, he's my governor.

[CTyankee]

88. I remember when he got into a wrangle with my governor, Dan Malloy...

Malloy is a very likeable guy, unless you are a rabid republican...and he puts a nice face on CT's image, just like our senators, Blumenthal and Murphy...

[Beacool]

89. What happened between Christie and Malloy? n/t

[CTyankee]

93. back when Malloy won as governor, he and Christie were at odds with each other...

mostly in their basic governing philosophy (I forget the specifics). Malloy is a fit looking guy, too, and I think that rankled Christie. Malloy was very accessible and did his job well, during the hurricane that hit us in CT (2011?). We were without power for several days (thank god it was early fall, not later when it gets dark sooner). Malloy was on the job (in a sweater!) on TV, explaining everything that was going on to help folks, just like he should have. He answered everybody's questions, didn't duck the issues facing the state. What a difference between the two!

[George II]

55. CNN has the story too....

....

http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/us/2014/01/08/sot-lv-christie-aides-traffic-emails-tapper.cnn.html

He's going to HAVE to address this very soon. I want to see him squirm (I take that back, I do NOT want to see him squirm......)

[Dawson Leery]

56. It took 2 years for Bob McDonell to fall from his position of "grace".

[Kingofalldems]

59. Special Prosecutor needed on this one.

And a Senate investigation.

Guaranteed Issa won't touch it.

[George II]

61. One might extrapolate this to be considered interfering with interstate commerce....

....a Federal concern.

There are just so many ramifications to this situation:

Interstate Commerce
Public Safety
National Security

...etc.....

[elleng]

119. No extrapolation necessary.

this is a Federal Case, from the get-go, no doubt about it.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

63. Boom goes the dynomite.

[SCVDem]

67. Which may have happened

What if terrorists had blocked the bridge to jam up cars?

The casualty count would have been high and responders blocked out.

Where was homeland security?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

72. Ah yes,....the "terrorists"....

The Bush Administration LOVED to terrorize the American People.

[SCVDem]

74. This is after the fact

Not before.

Big difference!

[Spitfire of ATJ]

75. It's just ASSUMED by Republicans that they can pin everything on the "Other".

[One_Life_To_Give]

80. Power corrupts

Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Lord Acton

Suppose someone died due to a delay in ambulance arrival caused by said traffic closure. Wouldn't that mean his administration was guilty of Manslaughter? or Negligent Homicide?

[George II]

82. The NY Times has changed the headline for that story - no longer speculating:

"Top Christie Staff Sought Lane Closings as Revenge"

[onehandle]

83. Thanks. Updated. nt

[DallasNE]

84. This Is Even Worse Than It Appears On The Surface

When you look closely some of the exchanges were on Gmail.com and Yahoo.com accounts meaning these were private account rather than State accounts. The only purpose for doing this is to hide the conduct from scrutiny via freedom of information requests. Hats off to the NYT for uncovering this since it was so well hidden and devious.

[rocktivity]

86. Is that a current photo? Stomach stapling isn't an automatic cure-all -- you have to do YOUR part.

Last edited Thu Jan 9, 2014, 02:33 AM - Edit history (4)

Last I heard, two people have resigned. If Christie didn't have a clue, he would have fired them.


rocktivity

[glinda]

87. Perhaps he lied about his surgery also?

[CTyankee]

94. I wouldn't put it past him, but it would be a pretty big lie...and besides, he was prolly

getting that surgery to get himself a better image in time for 2016...

[Stellar]

97. LOL! Old NEW Jersey Fats

Can you tell if he's lost ANYTHING? I sure can't tell.

[CTyankee]

102. I think that initially he lost about 40 lbs. which showed pretty well....altho not

a whole lot. But it was better than before...

[glinda]

130. I thought he was loosing some weight but now he looks the same to me.

[Stellar]

131. You could be right but...

if you weigh 450lbs initially, he'd have to loose close to 100ibs for me to be able to see the difference.

[CTyankee]

132. You'd probably be able to see it if there were a before and after set of pics next to each other...

[tabasco]

96. This seems like criminal activity to me

Endangerment of public safety.

Intentional disruption of interstate commerce.

Intentional disruption of highway traffic.

[Grateful for Hope]

98. A big K&R

[Gothmog]

101. Juanita Jean has a great letter to Christie

http://www.juanitajean.com/2014/01/08/an-open-letter-to-chris-chistie/

Hey Chris,

How’s it going?

Well, that was probably the wrong way to start. You ain’t having a star spangled day, right?

I just read this at CNN.

E-mails emerged on Wednesday purportedly from top aides to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie bolstering suggestions that George Washington Bridge lane closures last year that tied up traffic stemmed from a political vendetta and not bureaucratic incompetence as his administration claimed.

I know you want to be president one day and people generally don’t mind political vendettas. In fact, most folks kinda enjoy them.

Except, of damn course, when it means they have to pay for it by sitting in damn traffic which you damn caused. That’s when they say, “Well, Damn Chris Christie. He ain’t sitting his bohunkus in this traffic.”

And, you know about that whole The Buck Stops Here thing? Dude, you missed the bus. You’re so out there that you won’t get the Today Show until tomorrow.

Christie said in a statement that “what I’ve seen today is unacceptable,” adding that he was “misled by a member of his staff” and knew nothing about what had transpired.

Now how long did that take you?

Sweetie, I could have told you two months ago before all this started that you cannot trust Republicans. Most of them lie so much that they have to hire someone to call the dogs. Hell, they’ll lie when the truth makes a better story. Sometimes they lie just to stay in practice.

A source close to Christie said “there will probably be some sacrificial firing and that’ll be it.”

Come clean or go home, Darlin’. People won’t mind if you mess around on your wife, if you start a war just for the helluva it, or scream You Lie at the State of the Union Address. You’ll still be reelected. But, traffic. Well, that’s a whole ‘nother ball of wax.

And, by the way, when are public officials going to learn that emails from the office belong to the public? Seriously, didn’t you learn anything from Jack Abramoff?

Love and Fried Okra,
Juanita Jean Herownself

[rocktivity]

104. P.S. There will hopefully be a sacrificial RESIGNATION, and YOU will be it.

You aren't George Bush, Governor Soprano -- not with your special brand of ambition and ego. If this HAD happened behind your back (whether it was to your benefit or not), you would have already stomped out the people responsible like the roaches that they are. No, this is just the sort of thing you'd kick back, light up a cigar, and brag to your inner circle about because you were its mastermind. If the GOP establishment doesn't care for you, it's not because of your personality, but because they know they couldn't count on controlling you!


rocktivity

[Gothmog]

129. Only two sacrifices so far

Bridget Kelly and the guy who ran his campaign

[Kingofalldems]

106. Look for a Bob Menendez diversion tomorrow

on the internet and the news.

[rhett o rick]

109. If you want to know who the Republican candidate is going to be, follow Karl "the fixer" Rove.

Who is Karl working for now? Obviously not Christie. Maybe Jeb?

[rocktivity]

112. Rove can't run for president

He's served two terms ALREADY...


rocktivity

[rhett o rick]

115. Ah yes, but he can screw up the candidacy of Christie if he is still working

for the Bush Crime Family.

[rocktivity]

116. But in the past 24 hours I have learned the reason WHY

the GOP and Tea Party establishments don't like Christie: they know he wouldn't listen to them.


rocktivity

[rhett o rick]

117. I agree with the, "they know he wouldn't listen to them" part.

But IMO the Tea Party is a tool. They will be discarded when no longer needed like Hitler's Brown Shirts. Those leading the GOP are either the Koch Bros or the Carlyle Group. I would love to know who is paying Karl Rove's salary.

[Kablooie]

110. Oh, but Christie didn't know anything about it. His staff "lied to him".

Many members of his staff, including his top officials decided, on their own, to close the bridge and keep it a secret from the governor. Even when he asked them about it specifically they all lied to their boss.
What a naughty, naughty staff he has.
He will be sure not to hire such a naughty staff in the future.

Poor Governor Christie.
Poor baby.
He's such a victim.

Let's elect him for the President of the United States of America. Yeah!

[rocktivity]

114. If they lied to him, why hasn't he fired them

Last edited Thu Jan 9, 2014, 03:31 PM - Edit history (1)

if only out of jealousy that he didn't come up with the idea himself?


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[George II]

113. You can find the complete timeline (with more details) at this link for the Bergen Record:

http://www.northjersey.com/news/Timeline_of_events_around_GWB_lane-closure_controversy.html

[grahamhgreen]

118. 1) There's legal liability here, I'm not sure what. 2) We'll know he's done when his own party

starts in on him.

[BigDemVoter]

122. I knew he was a mean, retaliatory asshole, but this is beyond even that. . .

I guess he can kiss his presidential aspirations bye-bye!

[another_liberal]

123. We don't need another Nixon Presidency.

The "Enemies List" might be in computerized form this time around but it would still be just as much of an unacceptable abuse of power. Notice as well how Nixon-like Christie's reaction to these revelations was: He pompously denied any knowledge of his closest aids' actions, and then quickly started throwing them under the bus to save his own corrupt ass.

[workinclasszero]

125. Gotta love it

Last edited Thu Jan 9, 2014, 09:44 AM - Edit history (1)

when a repig's true thug self becomes obvious to the general public once again.

Christie was their "great white hope" so to speak...

I guess its Jebby now or...Cruz/Palin 16?!?!

I mean jeez whatever democratic candidate that gets the nod should win that "contest" with the Phil Robertson/tailiban-teabaggers like a cakewalk eh?

Is their anything dumber than a damn republican?

Oh and awaiting charges........

[bucolic_frolic]

126. No problem, Governor. Just practice these lines.