NJ Senate President Rejects Maddow's Alternate Bridge Scandal Theory

[DonViejo]

Source: TPM

ERIC LACH – JANUARY 10, 2014, 2:04 PM EST

New Jersey Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D) on Friday dismissed an alternate theory that was floated by MSNBC host Rachel Maddow about the George Washington Bridge scandal.

"That's a real conspiracy thing, right?" Sweeney said, after TPM described to him the gist of Maddow's argument.

On her Thursday night program, Maddow suggested that the target of the lane closures, which led to a massive, multi-day traffic jam in the town of Fort Lee, N.J., was not the town's Democratic mayor, Mark Sokolich. In recent months, many Democrats have speculated that Sokolich was retaliated against because he did not endorse Gov. Chris Christie's (R) re-election bid last year.

Instead, Maddow suggested, the lane closures were prompted by Christie's bitter fight with Senate Democrats over re-appointments and nominees to the state Supreme Court. The cable news host pointed out that Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg's (D) district includes Fort Lee. She also noted that a key moment in the Supreme Court fight happened the day before one of Christie's aides sent a now-infamous email that read: "Time for traffic problems in Fort Lee."

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Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/sweeney-rejects-maddow-theory

[athena]

1. "That's a real conspiracy thing, right?"

And the bridge closures aren't?

[SunSeeker]

6. Sweeney sounds like a gutless idiot.

God forbid we should speculate about bad motives of Repukes! They would never do that about us!

[GeorgeGist]

7. Some Joe from Philadephia claims ...

than Democrats in NJ must be cower else the Republicans will win.

[Shampoobra]

16. "Yes, Sweeny, a conspiracy has taken place. Glad you're caught up. Now, ...

... the next step is establishing a motive, because we already know the weapon, the opportunity, the victims, and many of the conspirators."

It's like mocking the notion that speed is taking place at the Indy 500.

[justiceischeap]

2. No more of a conspiracy theory than doing it to get back at some small-town mayor

What's the difference? I don't see it. If anything, Maddow's theory seems more plausible.

[A Simple Game]

18. I think it probably is a combination of both, otherwise who is the little Serbian in the emails? n/t

[DJ13]

3. Rachel's theory actually makes more sense

[SoapBox]

14. I agree.

[rocktivity]

4. The story is written around three quotes

"That's a real conspiracy thing, right?"

"That can't be part of that, that can't be."

"Whoever said that has a very creative imagination."

He belittles and denies Rachel's theory, but he doesn't refute it. He doesn't say WHY he rejects it -- WHY?


rocktivity

[TheBlackAdder]

5. Sweeney - Isn't he the guy working with Christie to Get Rutgers Camden changed to Rowan?

The Democrat power brokers in South Jersey are trying to get a hold of Rutgers Camden, to make it part of a South Jersey Mega College for the Party Boss's family legacy, in order to convert it to Rowan University.

They want to do this even though a majority of alumni/alumnae are threatening to cut contributions to the school, costing tens of millions.

===

The Dems have been kissing Christie's butt to get a hold of that school and it's meeting with fierce South Jersey resistance.

Not only would the tuition skyrocket after making the change... but the degrees wouldn't even be worth squat!

===

Sweeney was helping Christie get a bunch of really RW (and I mean Alabama RW) type bills passed. Ones that would make the average person say "What?"

I don't trust that man, ever since he supposedly was one of those set up with multiple pensions.

[SunSeeker]

8. There appear to be a lot of turncoat Dems in NJ. nt

[TheBlackAdder]

9. I tell you... Christie's run rough shod over this state. If you go against him, expect less funding.

The topic that really hasn't been brought up yet is...

Of all the Dems who've supported him, how many sold out the party because they were trying to save their constituents from getting massive cuts in state funding.

In my town, we now get back only 10% of what we send to Trenton. South Jersey is a forsaken land, forsaken when Codie, Corzine and Christie governed. We would pay taxes and get little back.

But, the first 2 years Christie was in office, Dem towns and counties took massive state funding cuts. On top of that, prison half-way houses were set up in many of those towns. The only way to get funding back was to be a YES MAN.

===

On one hand, the politicians who backed Christie and green lighted some of his Charter School stuff, did it to save their towns... on the other hand, they've sold out their principles and the state.

===

The Rutgers thing is seen as a massive Dem betrayal in South Jersey. A Massive one.

[SunSeeker]

12. Yup. United we stand. Divided we beg. nt

[rocktivity]

15. Which would amount to privatizing Rutgers, right?

rocktivity

[TheBlackAdder]

19. Yep. Especially after Rutgers and the State is finding a major campus revitalization initiative.

Build it on the taxpayer dime, then sell it to a private interest for pennies on the dollar!

[Kelvin Mace]

10. Translation

SHIT! Someone figured it out. Time to heap abuse and scorn on them.

[valerief]

11. What a DINO. nt

[bigdarryl]

13. Steve Sweeney is supposed to be a democrat but is the biggest crook in NJ

He supports Christy 110 percent

[olddad56]

17. Biggest crook in N. J. How big is this guy, bigger than Christie?

I'm pick Christie in a donut eating contest any day.