From the Dailykos (and to be fair kos is very liberal)...
QuoteNew Jersey Gov. Chris Christie releases a statement on today's revelation that his deputy chief of staff ordered lane closures from Fort Lee to the George Washington Bridge as retribution against the town's Democratic mayor for not endorsing Christie's re-election:
What I've seen today for the first time is unacceptable. I am outraged and deeply saddened to learn that not only was I misled by a member of my staff, but this completely inappropriate and unsanctioned conduct was made without my knowledge. One thing is clear: this type of behavior is unacceptable and I will not tolerate it because the people of New Jersey deserve better. This behavior is not representative of me or my Administration in any way, and people will be held responsible for their actions.So after months of denying that anything unacceptable happened, now Christie admits that something unacceptable did happen. But he had nothing to do with it—or so he says. It was somebody else's fault, because the buck stops over there. In other words, the one truly unacceptable thing for Chris Christie would be to held accountable for something that could hurt his political ambitions. What he's mad about is that this scandal was made public. Not that it happened.
: Chris Christie, one month ago:
"I have a lot of things to do. ... I know you guys are obsessed with this. I'm not, I'm really not. It's just -- it's not that big a deal just because press runs around and writes about it both here and nationally. I know why that is and so do you," Christie said at a news conference. "Let's not pretend that it's because of the gravity of the issue. It's because I am a national figure and anything like this will be written about a lot now. So, let's not pretend."Far cry from today, eh? By the way, why hasn't he canned the aide who he says lied to him already? Isn't that a foregone conclusion? Why delay, even if only for a short bit?
: And on December 2, he was actually expressing anger that Fort Lee had three lanes:
"The fact that one town has three lanes dedicated to it, that kind of gets me sauced,'' Christie said.Apparently, however, that claim simply wasn't true.
:
Dem running the investigation of Bridgegate says there are several thousand more documents that haven't been released yet.
— @RyanLizza
So a politician from New Jersey has been caught doing something shitty? Color me shocked!
/sarcasm
Christie should go back to whacking people.
Every guy I served with in the Navy from New Jersey claimed a relative who was "connected." I even heard them have arguments about who was the most connected. Seems to go with the territory.
Bragging rituals aside Christie has himself squarely in the cross hairs of not only Democrats, but also rubes who don't like him for actually saying nice things about Obama. He's gonna go on CNN in a minute to 'explain' his version of these shenanigans. :roll:
It'll be interesting to see who all he tosses under his bus...
It'll be interesting to see who all he tosses under his bus...
Pretty much everyone... (on a personal note I'm "shocked" a governor passes the buck.. 8-[ ) (not really)
He could get out of it easily by saying that they had thought they discovered where Hoffa was buried.
It was Obama's fault..Jimmy Hoffa that is..
Quote from: "AllPurposeAtheist"From the Dailykos (and to be fair kos is very liberal)...
QuoteNew Jersey Gov. Chris Christie releases a statement on today's revelation that his deputy chief of staff ordered lane closures from Fort Lee to the George Washington Bridge as retribution against the town's Democratic mayor for not endorsing Christie's re-election:
What I've seen today for the first time is unacceptable. I am outraged and deeply saddened to learn that not only was I misled by a member of my staff, but this completely inappropriate and unsanctioned conduct was made without my knowledge. One thing is clear: this type of behavior is unacceptable and I will not tolerate it because the people of New Jersey deserve better. This behavior is not representative of me or my Administration in any way, and people will be held responsible for their actions.So after months of denying that anything unacceptable happened, now Christie admits that something unacceptable did happen. But he had nothing to do with it—or so he says. It was somebody else's fault, because the buck stops over there. In other words, the one truly unacceptable thing for Chris Christie would be to held accountable for something that could hurt his political ambitions. What he's mad about is that this scandal was made public. Not that it happened.
: Chris Christie, one month ago:
"I have a lot of things to do. ... I know you guys are obsessed with this. I'm not, I'm really not. It's just -- it's not that big a deal just because press runs around and writes about it both here and nationally. I know why that is and so do you," Christie said at a news conference. "Let's not pretend that it's because of the gravity of the issue. It's because I am a national figure and anything like this will be written about a lot now. So, let's not pretend."Far cry from today, eh? By the way, why hasn't he canned the aide who he says lied to him already? Isn't that a foregone conclusion? Why delay, even if only for a short bit?
: And on December 2, he was actually expressing anger that Fort Lee had three lanes:
"The fact that one town has three lanes dedicated to it, that kind of gets me sauced,'' Christie said.Apparently, however, that claim simply wasn't true.
:
Dem running the investigation of Bridgegate says there are several thousand more documents that haven't been released yet.
— @RyanLizza
Watched Christie's news conference this morning...what a crock of shit. He basically said that he wasn't responsible and never ordered the traffic jam, threw an annonous staffer under the bus with blame, then did all he could to tear down the mayor of Jersey City for breaking the news.
He has mastered the art of the contrived politician apologizing in front of the cameras, but how many idiots will buy that?
.
.
.
Lots...
They'll buy it because he's mastered the art of bullshit.
I want to apply the "What Is More Likely Test."
Is it more likely that two of his closest political operatives got together and said "let's do something so fucking stupid that if it ever gets out it will make the boss look like a petty shithead," or,
Is it more likely "that Christie told them to do something to teach that little fuck in Ft. Lee a lesson."
I gotta go with "B."
The shit got a little deeper
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/0 ... 71581.html (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/09/chris-christie-bridge-lawsuit_n_4571581.html)
QuoteTRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Six New Jersey residents have filed a federal lawsuit against Gov. Chris Christie, the state of New Jersey, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and others over traffic jams in September.
The suit filed in federal court Thursday appears to be the first civil claim over traffic that appear to have been caused as political punishment for the Fort Lee mayor.
The plaintiffs want it certified as a class action.
Lawyer Rosemarie Arnold says she filed it after learning this week that lane closures on an approach to the George Washington Bridge were "deliberate actions." She says that her clients were late for work and that one suffered a panic attack.
Christie has denied involvement. His spokesman did not respond to an email seeking comment.
Not to mention the family of the woman that died. A class action could get really big, because the numbers inconvenienced/endangered is huge.
I fail to see why this is worthy of national news. Lots of state governors have gotten caught doing far worse things than create a traffic backup without it becoming a national news item. I suspect that 95% of the people in NJ don't give a fuck whether he's lying or telling the truth so why should anyone else care?
Quote from: "Johan"I fail to see why this is worthy of national news. Lots of state governors have gotten caught doing far worse things than create a traffic backup without it becoming a national news item. I suspect that 95% of the people in NJ don't give a fuck whether he's lying or telling the truth so why should anyone else care?
It's important because this vendictive fuckhead is running for president and he is using extorion to get support. THATS why it is important!
Quote from: "Johan"I fail to see why this is worthy of national news. Lots of state governors have gotten caught doing far worse things than create a traffic backup without it becoming a national news item. I suspect that 95% of the people in NJ don't give a fuck whether he's lying or telling the truth so why should anyone else care?
He is one of the favoured Republicans to both run and stand a chance in the next elections, so it's either talk about it now (while he can still be punished for it) or let it slide under the rug until election year (when no one will care anymore).
You gotta think since Christie made his rep as a prosecutor taking on organized crime he's made more than a few political enemies whose political loyalties lie only with whoever is willing to take a bribe. It's not AS IF either political party is squeaky clean in that respect especially in Jersey. :rollin:
I like the way he's making out that it's someone else's fault. Like anyone is going to believe that he's not responsible for his staff.
Quote from: "Jason78"I like the way he's making out that it's someone else's fault. Like anyone is going to believe that he's not responsible for his staff.
Well of course he wants people to believe him. That's the whole idea behind lying. The notion that he might be telling the truth would just blow holes all through the lie. I'd be rather shocked if he held up two crossed fingers and said, "I had my fingers crossed." :lol:
From the dailykos tweet of the day.. heh..
QuoteChris Christie proves that Ted Cruz should've just called the shutdown a 'government study.'
— @JohnFugelsang
Another opinion from Michael Tomasky:
QuoteThe New Jersey governor says he only discovered the truth about "Bridgegate" on Wednesday. He's not stupid, so it must have been willful ignorance.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2 ... d-eye.html (http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/01/10/did-chris-christie-turn-a-blind-eye.html#url=/articles/2014/01/10/did-chris-christie-turn-a-blind-eye.html)
Well whtayaknow. Old Christie has a timeline problem. He apparently met with people to shut down the GW bridge weeks before it happened. His apology was a complete fabrication. The "I'm sorry that my subordinates acted on their own with out my knowledge" crap. Seems that there is record floating around that makes Christie the one that made the call to shut down the bridge.
http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Ti ... 31091.html (http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Timeline-George-Washington-Bridge-Scandal-Chris-Christie-Fort-Lee-Bridgegate-239431091.html)
Quote from: "mykcob4"Quote from: "Johan"I fail to see why this is worthy of national news. Lots of state governors have gotten caught doing far worse things than create a traffic backup without it becoming a national news item. I suspect that 95% of the people in NJ don't give a fuck whether he's lying or telling the truth so why should anyone else care?
It's important because this vendictive fuckhead is running for president and he is using extorion to get support. THATS why it is important!
Annnddddd that makes him different than every other fuckhead that ever ran for president because?
Quote from: "Johan"Quote from: "mykcob4"Quote from: "Johan"I fail to see why this is worthy of national news. Lots of state governors have gotten caught doing far worse things than create a traffic backup without it becoming a national news item. I suspect that 95% of the people in NJ don't give a fuck whether he's lying or telling the truth so why should anyone else care?
It's important because this vendictive fuckhead is running for president and he is using extorion to get support. THATS why it is important!
Annnddddd that makes him different than every other fuckhead that ever ran for president because?
It is important because he retaliated against a major that didn't endorse him. It is essentiall extortion. Most politicians don't use extortion as a political tool.
Also just because someone else may hay done it doesn't make it excusable.
I didn't say it was excusable, I said it wasn't national news and I still stand by that.
Quote from: "Johan"I didn't say it was excusable, I said it wasn't national news and I still stand by that.
Then you'd be wrong. It is big news. Christie by committing extortion and the way he did so, endangered many many people. He didn't just inconvenience them. He did so as retaliation against a mayor that wouldn't give Christie an endorsement. Essential he tried to rig an election through coercion. So yeah it's big news since hes running for president. It's very big news!
Quote from: "mykcob4"Quote from: "Johan"I didn't say it was excusable, I said it wasn't national news and I still stand by that.
Then you'd be wrong. It is big news. Christie by committing extortion and the way he did so, endangered many many people. He didn't just inconvenience them. He did so as retaliation against a mayor that wouldn't give Christie an endorsement. Essential he tried to rig an election through coercion. So yeah it's big news since hes running for president. It's very big news!
Well in light of the
facts you've stated here I would agree it is indeed national news. For factual evidence to be exposed which proves direct knowledge and involvement in that sort of extortion which endangered so many people by a person who has declared himself to be running for president is indeed national news. But I guess the news much be different where you live because according to the news I've seen, none of that fucking happened. He is not in fact running for president at this time. No direct involvement or knowledge by him has been found at this time. None.
If and when those things change, it will be very newsworthy. But right now its only speculation and nothing more. So the only reason its 'newsworthy' is not because its news but because it sells.
Quote from: "Johan"Well in light of the facts you've stated here I would agree it is indeed national news. For factual evidence to be exposed which proves direct knowledge and involvement in that sort of extortion which endangered so many people by a person who has declared himself to be running for president is indeed national news. But I guess the news much be different where you live because according to the news I've seen, none of that fucking happened. He is not in fact running for president at this time. No direct involvement or knowledge by him has been found at this time. None.
If and when those things change, it will be very newsworthy. But right now its only speculation and nothing more. So the only reason its 'newsworthy' is not because its news but because it sells.
Whether he has stated that he is running or not, he is the GOP lead candidate for 2016.
Poll: Will the GWB bridge scandal hurt Chris Christie's chances in 2016? (//http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/01/poll_will_the_gwb_bridge_scandal_hurt_chris_christies_chances_in_2016.html)
Quote from: "josephpalazzo"[
Whether he has stated that he is running or not, he is the GOP lead candidate for 2016.
Poll: Will the GWB bridge scandal hurt Chris Christie's chances in 2016? (//http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/01/poll_will_the_gwb_bridge_scandal_hurt_chris_christies_chances_in_2016.html)
Again, speculation and nothing more.
Quote from: "Johan"Quote from: "josephpalazzo"[
Whether he has stated that he is running or not, he is the GOP lead candidate for 2016.
Poll: Will the GWB bridge scandal hurt Chris Christie's chances in 2016? (//http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/01/poll_will_the_gwb_bridge_scandal_hurt_chris_christies_chances_in_2016.html)
Again, speculation and nothing more.
In the realm of all possibilities, everything is a speculation. Nevertheless, you are missing the point.
Not missing the point. There are events which are news and are presented as such. And then there are events which are not news but are presented as news because it makes good headlines and that makes money. Everything Christie does makes good headlines. Very little of it is news. Convict him of something, prove he did something and you'll have news. Until then you have money making headlines, not news.
Quote from: "Johan"Not missing the point. There are events which are news and are presented as such. And then there are events which are not news but are presented as news because it makes good headlines and that makes money. Everything Christie does makes good headlines. Very little of it is news. Convict him of something, prove he did something and you'll have news. Until then you have money making headlines, not news.
Are you kidding. Of course it is news. Because it is news now the media can dig into the meat and find what actually happened and why. Christie committed retaliation intimidation and political extortion. That is about as newsworthy as it gets.
It still hasn't been proven, but if it's proven Christie was involved it's certainly news and likely a death nail to rubes hopes of getting back in the WH in 16..
Quote from: "AllPurposeAtheist"It still hasn't been proven, but if it's proven Christie was involved it's certainly news and likely a death nail to rubes hopes of getting back in the WH in 16..
A good number of people in his immediate circle knew about it, but he didn't. Either he is willfully ignorant or a master of deception. Somehow the former is at odds with his public persona.
Today they are talking about impeachment on the news so it's news and its a big deal.
Being the GOP is now run almost entirely from Roger Ailes office Christie has to glue his lips to Roger's decrepit rectum. :-&
The GW bridge fiasco might be the least of Christi's problems. The feds are investigating him for much more serious problems. It's becoming a pattern.
QuoteFederal auditors are investigating whether $25 million in Sandy relief funds were improperly used for a marketing campaign, starring Gov. Chris Christie and his family, to promote tourism as he was gearing up for his 2013 re-election bid, according to U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J.
Pallone, a 27-year House veteran and vocal Christie critic, announced Friday that the inspector general of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, at his request, has conducted a preliminary review of the spending.
He said the IG concluded that there is enough evidence to launch a full-scale investigation into the state's use of federal funds, the Asbury Park Pressreported.
The probe will look into how Christie, a Republican, chose to spend the marketing money approved by the department.
CNN, which first reported the story, said the IG did not respond immediately to a query about the probe.
Pallone said the audit by the IG will take several months, and the findings will be issued in an official report.
The congressman said he was concerned about the bidding process for the firm that was awarded the marketing plan, which was aimed at luring tourists back to an area badly battered by Superstorm Sandy in October 2012.
"This was money that could have directly been used for Sandy recovery. And, as you know, many of my constituents still haven't gotten the money that is owed them to rebuild their homes or raise their homes or to help," Pallone said.The winning firm, Pallone told CNN, charged the state $4.7 million, about $2 million more than the next lowest bidder, whose proposal did not feature the Christie family.
To earlier criticism by Democrats that the ads gave Christie an unfair advantage in the leadup to the election, Christie aides said last summer that the winning bid provided more value.
In November, Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky also criticized the ads, asking HUD secretary Shaun Donovan at a committee hearing whether it was appropriate to permit the New Jersey state government to use federal relief dollars to fund the ad campaign.While Donovan declined to take a position, Paul weighed in with his own views, slamming people "running for office (who) put their mug all over these ads while they're in the middle of a political campaign."
"In New Jersey, $25 million was spent on ads that included somebody running for political office," Paul said. "I'm thinking there might be a conflict of interest there. That's a real problem. And that's why, when people are trying to do good and trying to use the taxpayer's money wisely, they're offended to see our money spent on political ads. That's just offensive."
Paul noted that New York state has aired similar tourism ads, but that state law barred state officials from appearing on-camera, The Washington Post reports. .
I think he can clean this shit up by appearing on the the biggest loser.
To add when ever I hear "class action lawsuit" the movie The Jerk, One dollar and 29 cents.
Christie is a dipshit and when it comes down to it that turd that appeared from no where, what the fuck is that douche bags name again... :-k well, I can't think of it now but he's from Texas and was the one reading some cat in the hat book thinking he was funny on the senate floor will be the nomination. Republicans generally like nut jobs, let's re-cap the last presidential front runners of the Republican party... just kidding but I seen a re-run of SNL not that long ago with all those people appeared on there, wow was that funny. I think I laughed harder now then when it was first ran. Well in end I would say Christie has committed political suicide outside of NJ. I mean to me it is a whatever...
Call me a cynic, but the man is not stupid. He has a lot of people around him to deal with shit, and I for one won't put his face on the target until there is more to do it with. He may have been stupid enough to authorize the Bridgegate thing or he may have been astute enough to distance himself sufficiently from it. I honestly think the campaign ad issue will fizzle entirely. The question to me comes down to his temper getting the best of him or his self preservation instincts doing their job. He isn't gone yet.
Yeah..Christie is a skilled politician, but he has enemies in both parties. I'm not sure dems have much on him, but the shitferbrains right wingers, especially flea baggers will cut their own party's throat just because they can.
More news:
- When the senate passed a bill to make all money received for Hurrican Sand recovery, Christie vetoed it.
- Hoboken was promised $100 million in aid for Hurricane Sandy. When the mayor, a Democrat, refused to endorse the governor, the city only got a pitance of $300,000.
As more and more is revealed about Christie, the more it looks like this guy is a slime.
LOL funny thing is I used to use Christie as proof that there were republicans i could respect, to avoid looking like a partisan hack. At this point I'm at zero.
Democrats have flaws and even outright bad members but the republicans are at this point 100% irredeemable fuckwits and the country would be much better off if the GOP were disbanded, and all its members forever banned from being in public office.
There isn't one single modern republican I know of that I respect in any way.
The fat fucker just vetoed a bill that would have made it easier for transgender people to change their birth certificates.
That rambling "apology" where he denied having seen the port authority dude, same guy from high school? Guess he was full of shit.. The NYT produced a photo with them together on 9-11-2013, 2 days into the bridge closure. Can ya believe a republican governor would LIE? :shock: Yeah, utterly shocking, huh? :Hangman: :rollin:
Quote from: "hillbillyatheist"LOL funny thing is I used to use Christie as proof that there were republicans i could respect, to avoid looking like a partisan hack. At this point I'm at zero.
Democrats have flaws and even outright bad members but the republicans are at this point 100% irredeemable fuckwits and the country would be much better off if the GOP were disbanded, and all its members forever banned from being in public office.
There isn't one single modern republican I know of that I respect in any way.
That's why it's so intellectually dishonest when the so oft repeated argument that the two main parties are the exact same gets tossed around. It's bullshit, pure and simple. While dems certainly have their faults, you'd have to be living in a cave to not see the difference and the real effect of what the Republican "proposals" have been trying to do. Basically everything they've done or attempted to do in recent years has been destructive, anti-individual freedom, and anti-poor people, and if all the dems have been able to accomplish is to stop a Republican reign of terror it's a plus. Then 3rd parties are so utterly incompetent to the point that they can't even pick up any seats at state legislative level (seriously, they have exactly 1 seat nationally out of close to 8000 at state legislature and up, independents have 1 in congress that caucuses Dem). There really is only one option right now that won't be like dropping a figurative bomb on the American people and the world economy.
There was a time when I respected McCain, though that's long since passed. The last Republican I respected was Mike Castle from my home state and he got primaried by the tea party idiots giving the Dem an easy win in the general.