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onehandle

(51,122 posts)
Wed Jan 8, 2014, 10:49 AM Jan 2014

Top Christie Staff Sought Lane Closings as Revenge [View all]

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

Source: New York Times

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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.

132 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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So how much shit was Christie full of? sakabatou Jan 2014 #1
It's visually obvious. jsr Jan 2014 #3
All of it. AtheistCrusader Jan 2014 #21
Picture of Christie and the aid from controversy speaks volumes tomm2thumbs Jan 2014 #127
"Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee..."--how damning is THAT? TwilightGardener Jan 2014 #2
Sounds even better in your best James Gandolfi wise-guy voice Blue Owl Jan 2014 #79
Please don't bring James G. into this! Demoiselle Jan 2014 #90
OK -- Tony Soprano, then... Blue Owl Jan 2014 #92
Hows about Edward G Robinson flying rabbit Jan 2014 #111
Mmmyeah, see, my wife and I saw Little Caesar a coule of months ago, mmmyeah see ..... marble falls Jan 2014 #121
Well, this is a good test. watoos Jan 2014 #4
The Democrats control the state legislature and will pursue this to the end Swede Atlanta Jan 2014 #5
No way, they love this shit. AtheistCrusader Jan 2014 #22
I absolutely agree. SoapBox Jan 2014 #33
Except that the T.P. kooks love Palin and despise Christie. Beacool Jan 2014 #57
“Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee” Botany Jan 2014 #6
Silly you ... 1StrongBlackMan Jan 2014 #14
More detailed story here NJCher Jan 2014 #7
Wow, just wow Swede Atlanta Jan 2014 #9
So I guess ... 1StrongBlackMan Jan 2014 #13
Yeppers! JustAnotherGen Jan 2014 #76
I should have added ... 1StrongBlackMan Jan 2014 #81
How come more of the Democratic supporters DamnYankeeInHouston Jan 2014 #108
I would suspect ... 1StrongBlackMan Jan 2014 #124
Holy God this might sink Christie Botany Jan 2014 #10
“Is it wrong that I’m smiling” starroute Jan 2014 #19
"The person’s identity is not clear because the documents KatyMan Jan 2014 #26
Doubt that hollysmom Jan 2014 #78
Other NYT piece indicates it is Kelly. louis-t Jan 2014 #95
Here's Something Interesting To Consider Laxman Jan 2014 #23
Could it be the name of the person who leaked it to the press? bklyncowgirl Jan 2014 #77
That's Interesting... Laxman Jan 2014 #91
News reports say that Wildstein himself released the emails as a result of the subpoena. yardwork Jan 2014 #105
Thanks for that link! PearliePoo2 Jan 2014 #34
Sounds Like Christie Just Threw Brigitte Anne Kelly Under The Bus DallasNE Jan 2014 #85
I think her name is spelled Bridge-et Skittles Jan 2014 #120
This is where Christie is completely WRONG.. Cha Jan 2014 #103
As Mr. Burns would say, "excellent." pam4water Jan 2014 #8
MSNBC reporting on it right NOW! PearliePoo2 Jan 2014 #11
I can see the press conference now ... 1StrongBlackMan Jan 2014 #12
This doesn't surprise me one bit! PearliePoo2 Jan 2014 #15
Well this kind of changes the whole fake bi-partisan "I'm just working for the people of NJ" BS dorkzilla Jan 2014 #16
It would be greatly appreciated if people stop their references to his weight..... George II Jan 2014 #45
I understand. I'm a curvy girl, but in his case I think his weight has a LOT to do with his head dorkzilla Jan 2014 #64
I think you should call him something more respectful than Governor Sandwiches rocktivity Jan 2014 #99
Christie might as well send himself a fish, his political career sleeps with the fishes now DainBramaged Jan 2014 #17
Sums it up pretty well! PearliePoo2 Jan 2014 #30
Didn't he fly his kids to a football game in the state helicopter? George II Jan 2014 #53
I'm not sure if his kids were with him or not. PearliePoo2 Jan 2014 #66
I just checked it out - it was a baseball game.... George II Jan 2014 #68
Good sleuthing! PearliePoo2 Jan 2014 #71
Both of the people who resigned in December have retained criminal defense attorneys. George II Jan 2014 #73
You know JustAnotherGen Jan 2014 #32
If any of those 60 Dems can PROVE that Christie threatened to screw them over rocktivity Jan 2014 #100
well, we could do this for him NJCher Jan 2014 #37
Dude should get a prize for making himself the easiest to pick off! delrem Jan 2014 #18
the stars were all aligned for him NJCher Jan 2014 #36
One word: arrogance. nt dorkzilla Jan 2014 #65
Because he, at his core, is an instinctive bully. IOW, a very bad Nay Jan 2014 #128
What Kind Of People Are They? Laxman Jan 2014 #20
Sadists and psychopaths jsr Jan 2014 #46
Same mentality as the Enron assholes deutsey Jan 2014 #60
garden variety republican operatives. Nothing unusual about them. olddad56 Jan 2014 #107
On the first day of school SCVDem Jan 2014 #24
Poor little kids! PearliePoo2 Jan 2014 #35
Christie: "Yo..ayyy...I didn't know nutin'" SHRED Jan 2014 #25
This woman is as dumb as dirt NastyRiffraff Jan 2014 #27
E-mails are forever. Ditto Tweets, Texts and other social media bklyncowgirl Jan 2014 #47
What a bully SummerSnow Jan 2014 #28
good heaven05 Jan 2014 #29
When it rains it pours SummerSnow Jan 2014 #31
The Bergen Record has about a month or more of emails here..... George II Jan 2014 #38
Amazing that a NJ public official refers to the lower level of the GW Bridge as.... George II Jan 2014 #39
That's a pretty common term on the local traffic reports bklyncowgirl Jan 2014 #41
That's what everyone calls it alcibiades_mystery Jan 2014 #62
I posted this question before Zoonart Jan 2014 #40
I don't know if she does, but that's an excellent point. n/t dorkzilla Jan 2014 #69
She has reported on this, and no doubt with these emails will do a follow up. George II Jan 2014 #70
Christie the Coward Cancels on Sandy Victims NJCher Jan 2014 #42
unfit to lead stg81 Jan 2014 #43
TalkingPointsMemo has several good articles too OKNancy Jan 2014 #44
David Wildstein = Bob Haldeman + Idi Amin jsr Jan 2014 #49
...and another from MotherJones OKNancy Jan 2014 #48
Interesting tidbit from the MJ article - Baroni and Wildstein have retained CRIMINAL attorneys! George II Jan 2014 #58
This is republican nastiness d_r Jan 2014 #50
this could be me NJCher Jan 2014 #51
I keep mentioning this about how Christie seems to operate.... George II Jan 2014 #52
I'm so glad that these revelations are coming forth. Beacool Jan 2014 #54
I remember when he got into a wrangle with my governor, Dan Malloy... CTyankee Jan 2014 #88
What happened between Christie and Malloy? n/t Beacool Jan 2014 #89
back when Malloy won as governor, he and Christie were at odds with each other... CTyankee Jan 2014 #93
CNN has the story too.... George II Jan 2014 #55
It took 2 years for Bob McDonell to fall from his position of "grace". Dawson Leery Jan 2014 #56
Special Prosecutor needed on this one. Kingofalldems Jan 2014 #59
One might extrapolate this to be considered interfering with interstate commerce.... George II Jan 2014 #61
No extrapolation necessary. elleng Jan 2014 #119
Boom goes the dynomite. Spitfire of ATJ Jan 2014 #63
Which may have happened SCVDem Jan 2014 #67
Ah yes,....the "terrorists".... Spitfire of ATJ Jan 2014 #72
This is after the fact SCVDem Jan 2014 #74
It's just ASSUMED by Republicans that they can pin everything on the "Other". Spitfire of ATJ Jan 2014 #75
Power corrupts One_Life_To_Give Jan 2014 #80
The NY Times has changed the headline for that story - no longer speculating: George II Jan 2014 #82
Thanks. Updated. nt onehandle Jan 2014 #83
This Is Even Worse Than It Appears On The Surface DallasNE Jan 2014 #84
Is that a current photo? Stomach stapling isn't an automatic cure-all -- you have to do YOUR part. rocktivity Jan 2014 #86
Perhaps he lied about his surgery also? glinda Jan 2014 #87
I wouldn't put it past him, but it would be a pretty big lie...and besides, he was prolly CTyankee Jan 2014 #94
LOL! Old NEW Jersey Fats Stellar Jan 2014 #97
I think that initially he lost about 40 lbs. which showed pretty well....altho not CTyankee Jan 2014 #102
I thought he was loosing some weight but now he looks the same to me. glinda Jan 2014 #130
You could be right but... Stellar Jan 2014 #131
You'd probably be able to see it if there were a before and after set of pics next to each other... CTyankee Jan 2014 #132
This seems like criminal activity to me tabasco Jan 2014 #96
A big K&R Grateful for Hope Jan 2014 #98
Juanita Jean has a great letter to Christie Gothmog Jan 2014 #101
P.S. There will hopefully be a sacrificial RESIGNATION, and YOU will be it. rocktivity Jan 2014 #104
Only two sacrifices so far Gothmog Jan 2014 #129
Look for a Bob Menendez diversion tomorrow Kingofalldems Jan 2014 #106
If you want to know who the Republican candidate is going to be, follow Karl "the fixer" Rove. rhett o rick Jan 2014 #109
Rove can't run for president rocktivity Jan 2014 #112
Ah yes, but he can screw up the candidacy of Christie if he is still working rhett o rick Jan 2014 #115
But in the past 24 hours I have learned the reason WHY rocktivity Jan 2014 #116
I agree with the, "they know he wouldn't listen to them" part. rhett o rick Jan 2014 #117
Oh, but Christie didn't know anything about it. His staff "lied to him". Kablooie Jan 2014 #110
If they lied to him, why hasn't he fired them rocktivity Jan 2014 #114
You can find the complete timeline (with more details) at this link for the Bergen Record: George II Jan 2014 #113
1) There's legal liability here, I'm not sure what. 2) We'll know he's done when his own party grahamhgreen Jan 2014 #118
I knew he was a mean, retaliatory asshole, but this is beyond even that. . . BigDemVoter Jan 2014 #122
We don't need another Nixon Presidency. another_liberal Jan 2014 #123
Gotta love it workinclasszero Jan 2014 #125
No problem, Governor. Just practice these lines. bucolic_frolic Jan 2014 #126
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