Time for some TRAFFIC!

[Caper]

Shovel's worn out. Here Chris.

More shovels, keep digging.

"All I can do is apologize for my staff's wrongdoings." Paraphrase.

No, you could resign and accept the fact that you are not qualified to be governor, since you are so easily duped by the people you are closest to.

ETA: I think he's going for Ted Cruz' record for filibustering.
Ask if he ever told his staff to be sure he has total deniability.

Really? You think he is the first employer to make a bad hire? Take your ideological blinders off.

 

[Puppycow]

Christie: "We are going to have to find out" about the traffic study, shifts right away back to 'they lied to me, I fired them, I don't need to go further than that.'

Reporter pressing for Christie saying he should have asked 'why', Christie argues straw man "should I have not fired her?" then excuses himself from 'getting involved' in the investigation.

I wish they would ask him what exactly they were studying, what the purpose of the study was, and what the results were.

Former New Jersey official takes the 5th in 'Bridgegate' questioning

Surprise, surprise.

Here’s Proof That Governor Christie Is Still Misleading The Public On Bridge Scandal

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) still insisted on Thursday that New Jersey officials may have closed three lanes on the George Washington Bridge in September to study traffic patterns, directly contradicting statements Port Authority officials made last year.

“What I was told was that it was a traffic study, and there was no evidence to the contrary until yesterday,” Christie said at a press conference apologizing for his administration’s role in shutting down bridge lanes and causing potentially life-threatening traffic jams. “There still may have been a traffic study that now has political overtones to it as well,” he added.

But in early December, three Port Authority officials testified that “there was no traffic study being conducted while access lanes from Fort Lee on the George Washington Bridge were closed in September.”

Port Authority executive director Patrick Foye, a Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) appointee, testified on Dec. 9 that the study did not exist. New Jersey’s top official at the authority, Deputy Executive Director Bill Baroni — a Christie appointee — had claimed the closings were for a traffic study. Baroni has since resigned.

Christie repeatedly floated the possibility of a traffic study on Thursday. “I don’t know if this was a traffic study that morphed into a political vendetta or a political vendetta that morphed into a traffic study,” he claimed.

 

[PhantomWolf]

Really? You think he is the first employer to make a bad hire? Take your ideological blinders off.

The problem is that it's not just "a bad hire", these people are personal friends of the Governor, his lieutenants and right hand persons. If it had been just a single low level flunky you might point, but these people weren't that.

There is no way that these people would have willingly risked their careers and freedom unless they believed that someone higher than them had their backs, and there really is only one person who was higher up the chain.

 

[Tricky]

Some others piling on now.

“Nearly every single meeting we have requested with State Commissioners with regard to proactive Jersey City issues has been unfortunately rejected over the last six months, along with countless requests we made to the Port Authority,” he wrote in his afternoon statement. “Cancellations include an entire day of meetings with State commissioners scheduled to be in Jersey City that was abruptly cancelled, with each of the commissioners individually canceling within an hour of the time I communicated my intention to not endorse.”

Christie is a bully. That's not uncommon in politics, but he's a pretty egregious one.

 

[SezMe]

ETA: Barbara Buono has been around a while, and she has some interesting insights into the way Christie ran his operation. It's hard to pin down precisely which details he's lying about, but he knew something was going on that he could have stopped if he'd wanted to.

Linky?

Between his job as guv, looking at a presidential bid and fund-raising, I can fully believe that Christie did know about this or it was mentioned in an offhanded manner so that it didn't appear on his radar. Some of those involved are gone and he's apologized - what more of substance can he do.

Look, I'm not a Christie fan. But I do his stance to date is entirely plausible on this particular matter.

 

[MattusMaximus]

Christie Point Man At Center Of Bridge Scandal Has A Bizarre Excuse For Why He Shouldn't Have To Testify Tomorrow

Talk about grasping at straws!

Wow. If those clowns are reduced to such idiotic arguments at this point, they're in trouble.

And even if the subpoena is overturned, it'll just throw more fuel on the fire.

Somebody's going to get burned.

 

[thaiboxerken]

This will take legs only if Christie knew.... But it's still not good. I heard an old woman died because of slow reaction time caused by the traffic... at least it could have played a part... the woman was 91. But couldn't that mean criminal charges for the staffers? And a huge lawsuit for the family.

I find it very hard to believe that he didn't order it, much less know about it. He tried to downplay the effects of this. He ignored numerous calls and emails over the days that it happened. Now, after hard evidence is provided that someone in his administration did something, he finally apologizes and claims no responsibility.

He's a liar and a thug.

 

[Regnad Kcin]

Folks, I have to say we need to all pause, step back, and Benghazi.

 

[Caper]

The problem is that it's not just "a bad hire", these people are personal friends of the Governor, his lieutenants and right hand persons. If it had been just a single low level flunky you might point, but these people weren't that.

There is no way that these people would have willingly risked their careers and freedom unless they believed that someone higher than them had their backs, and there really is only one person who was higher up the chain.

So you are sure Christie ok'd the plan?

 

[Olowkow]

Linky?

Between his job as guv, looking at a presidential bid and fund-raising, I can fully believe that Christie did know about this or it was mentioned in an offhanded manner so that it didn't appear on his radar. Some of those involved are gone and he's apologized - what more of substance can he do.

Look, I'm not a Christie fan. But I do his stance to date is entirely plausible on this particular matter.

This is the interview I was referencing. Andrea Mitchell and Sen. Buono. I don't see his story as even remotely plausible. He's really saying he's a victim and hopelessly gullible all at the same time.

...he runs a paramilitary organization....

 

[Caper]

I find it very hard to believe that he didn't order it, much less know about it. He tried to downplay the effects of this. He ignored numerous calls and emails over the days that it happened. Now, after hard evidence is provided that someone in his administration did something, he finally apologizes and claims no responsibility.

He's a liar and a thug.

No. You find it impossible to let go of the wet dream that Christie ordered the bridge closer.

 

[thaiboxerken]

No. You find it impossible to let go of the wet dream that Christie ordered the bridge closer.

You wish it was just a dream. There is a reason Christie doesn't want those people to testify in court about who ordered what. Even if he didn't order it, initially, he's either incompetent or compliant to let it happen for several days.

 

[Mumbles]

Not on this site. In fact no one would even mention it. Even if it was, there would be a line of people justifying it (just a misunderstanding).

No, this was a big one. The perpetrators were brazen about it, to the point of leaving a clear paper trail. The reason was silly - who cares about an endorsement from the mayor of Fort Wherever, when your guy's up by double digits, and why strike back with this cartoonish plan? Add to that the fact that they're doing it in the name of a known bully, rising-star figure.

Of course it would be talked about.

ETA: and what kind of ridiculous cover story is that. "We were doing a study"? That's something you'd get from a teenager that wasn't thinking things through.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

I wish they would ask him what exactly they were studying, what the purpose of the study was, and what the results were.

Former New Jersey official takes the 5th in 'Bridgegate' questioning

Surprise, surprise.
....

Gawd, do they have to call it bridge-gate?

I'm waiting for the investigating legislators to subpoena the next guy under Wildstein who should have no reason to plead the 5th. They can at least ask what data was collected, etc etc.

 

[Unabogie]

Not on this site. In fact no one would even mention it. Even if it was, there would be a line of people justifying it (just a misunderstanding).

We had an exactly analogous situation where Obama was accused of using the IRS to target Tea Party groups. I hope you'll agree that that accusation, even though it was clearly without merit and was subsequently debunked, was talked about LOUDLY by the press?

People with power using that power to punch down on citizens is extremely bad. What Christie is accused of doing is using his power to wreak havoc on ordinary people for the sake of simple pettiness. And his closest advisers were caught dead to rights gloating about it. There's just no way to hand wave this away. It's a big deal.

 

[Olowkow]

CC's outrage was focused on his staff for having lied to him rather than on what they did to the citizens of the state of New Jersey. He may be telling the truth in that he fired them for lying about their assurances to him that they had carefully covered all their tracks that could lead investigations back to him. He's "sad and humiliated" because his flawed and petty operation that he had considered to be a "tight ship" is falling apart, not because of the pain that Fort Lee suffered.

Using his theory of the affair, there is no reasonable motive for all these high level employees to conspire and risk well paid and prestigious careers just to fool around with a silly prank, then lie about it. Then plead the fifth? If that makes sense, I have another bridge in Brooklyn that I'll part with for a reasonable price.

Just my opinion of course.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

Really? You think he is the first employer to make a bad hire? Take your ideological blinders off.

It's not just some employee in the rank and file, it's the deputy aide to Christie. Ie, second in command in his office. And much as Christie downplayed these relationships today, his downplaying is not credible.

Supposedly the guy Christie knew in high school and appointed to a top job was only an acquaintance he never spoke to. Yet the guy was willing to risk his job and reputation, not to mention the legal risks with no more than an email request? And his reply: no questions, just, sure, I know what to do?

It's not ideology blinders here reading the tea leaves, it's ideology blinders needed to believe the tap dance.

 

[MattusMaximus]

Unless it truly was a study that had to be done sooner or later and they picked a time to teach a lesson how could they not know. Plus they said ridiculous things in the emails.

Have any of the emails been made public? I assume so because of some things people here have written, but can someone provide a link?

 

[Montag451]

Gawd, do they have to call it bridge-gate?

I'm waiting for the investigating legislators to subpoena the next guy under Wildstein who should have no reason to plead the 5th. They can at least ask what data was collected, etc etc.

You are so 2008..... #bridgeghazi trending now.

Latest news:

1000 documents being released tomorrow
Class action against Crispy for lost earnings and other distress

Not looking good for him, either incompetent or evil. Personally I think he didn't know the details so he could deny but gave his tacit permission.

Biggest problem is this has gone on for 4 months and he didn't do anything to put this to bed. Suggests he was just hoping it would go away.

 

[MattusMaximus]

I wish they would ask him what exactly they were studying, what the purpose of the study was, and what the results were.

Former New Jersey official takes the 5th in 'Bridgegate' questioning

Surprise, surprise.

From the link:

... David Wildstein took the 5th Amendment and refused to answer questions, prompting lawmakers to vote to find him in contempt of the committee, a charge that will be referred to a county prosecutor. ...

If they think that's going to make the investigations go away, they're deluded.

If Wildstein ends up in jail for this, how much do you want to bet that the governor of NJ pardons him?

ETA: Something else I just noticed in the article; something which takes this whole thing to the next level...

... Wildstein’s lawyer suggested that if the committee wanted more answers to the questions, it should persuade law enforcement in New York and New Jersey to give his client immunity. The U.S. attorney in New Jersey opened an inquiry on the lane closures Thursday. ...

#1 If Wildstein gets immunity, then it seems he's willing to play ball and spill the beans. And that could get really interesting.

#2 It's now more than just the media and legislative committees willing to investigate; now it seems the feds are getting involved with the beginning of an inquiry by the U.S. attorney in NJ.