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Topic: Christie-"It wasn't me"
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

The Rachel Maddow Show / Republicans

‘Cognitive dissonance and rhetorical flubs’

01/09/14 04:14 PM

By Steve Benen




Former New Jersey Gov. Tom Kean (R), who seemed quite alarmed by Gov. Chris Christie’s (R) bridge scandal as recently as yesterday, now appears satisfied. Referring to Republicans in the Garden State, Kean said, “The general feeling was a sigh of relief” after Christie’s press conference this morning.


Listening to Beltway pundits, I get the sense that much of the political establishment feels the same way. Christie spoke at length, fired an aide, and said he was sorry, so everything’s fine now.



That’s an exceedingly generous approach to this still-unfolding controversy. Indeed, though a variety of pundits were impressed with Christie’s Q&A earlier, Dylan Scott explained that the governor “routinely slipped into moments of cognitive dissonance and rhetorical flubs” this morning.


From the top of the press conference, Christie pledged to interview his staff to discern what had led to the closures in September. His objective was “to determine if there’s any other information that I do not know and need to know in order to take appropriate action.”



But when pressed later if he had talked to Bridget Anne Kelly, his former deputy chief of staff who he had just fired, Christie said he had not and had no plans to. That was despite the fact that the scandal blew up on the governor earlier on Wednesday when Kelly’s email saying it was “time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee” became public.



“I have not had any conversation with Bridget Kelly,” he said. “She has not given the explanation why she lied. I’m quite frankly not interested in the explanation at the moment.”

It was odd. Christie said he wants to know exactly what happened, but he’s decided not to talk to the one person we know for certain could shed light on every relevant detail.



But there were several moments like these. Christie clung to the fiction that a “traffic study” might still exist, which seemed bizarre given yesterday’s revelations. Christie said another administration official, David Samson, wasn’t involved in the scandal because Samson assured him he wasn’t – as if that should settle matters.



Christie said his chief of staff, Kevin O’Dowd, didn’t know about the misconduct – despite having been Kelly’s boss during the incident – and the debacle shouldn’t stop O’Dowd from being confirmed as New Jersey’s next state attorney general.



The governor even said he must visit Fort Lee today to apologize, even if the local mayor prefers he postpone to a later date. Why? Christie just wants to go.



He also insisted the Fort Lee fiasco was some kind of wild aberration because political retaliation is inconsistent with “the environment I’ve worked so hard to achieve,” despite all the evidence to the contrary.



Republicans and pundits may have been impressed by the way in which the governor spoke and showed contrition, but the substance of what he said did little to downplay the significance of the scandal.
Post Fri Jan 10, 2014 6:57 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

I was watching portions of the Chris Christi interview last night when I found myself humming from the 2006 Shaggy song with RikRok "It wasn't me".

The belief that Republicans hold that Christie is a moral person capable of becoming a Presidential candidate doesn't fly in the face of the growing scandal that will not go away quickly.

Yet Christie spent an hour and forty five minutes of press time repeating the "It wasn't me " over and over again. The fact he scheduled a 2 hour press conference and came out with conflicting information is in itself an enigma. Obviously his back is against the wall. A whole lot of protest.
Post Fri Jan 10, 2014 7:12 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Rachel Maddow Presents New Chris Christie Bridge Scandal Theory



The Huffington Post | By Ashley Alman
Posted: 01/09/2014 11:46 pm EST

Follow:
Rachel Maddow, Bridge Scandal, Chris Christie Bridge, Chris Christie Bridge Scandal, Maddow, Maddow Chris Christie, Maddow Christie, Politics News .


MSNBC's Rachel Maddow on Thursday presented a new theory why New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) may have wanted to close George Washington Bridge lanes -- a festering feud between the governor and Democrats over state Supreme Court nominees.

As the story stands, Christie's deputy chief of staff called for George Washington Bridge access lane closures that created a massive traffic jam in Fort Lee for four days in September -- a move that many have written off as political retribution for Democratic Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich's refusal to endorse the Republican governor's reelection.

Maddow on Thursday presented an alternate theory, saying Sokolich's endorsement "wasn't that important." Instead, she suggested the political payback was motivated by a tiff between New Jersey state Senate Democrats and the governor.

Maddow took viewers back to 2010, when Christie declined to reappoint a New Jersey Supreme Court justice, John E. Wallace Jr., for another term. The move left state Senate Democrats "absolutely outraged," Maddow explained, and they refused to confirm any Christie's nominees for Wallace's seat.

"It's been a big political crisis in New Jersey," Maddow said.

By last August, Supreme Court Justice Helen Hoens, a Republican, was up for renomination. When state Senate Democrats signaled they would challenge Christie's nomination, the governor said he wouldn't renominate Hoens.

"I simply could not be party to the destruction of Helen Hoens’s professional reputation," Christie said during an August press conference. "I was not going to let her loose to the animals."

"That was an angry Chris Christie," Maddow said. "So angry that he was doing something almost unprecedented in New Jersey: Yanking the tenure of a state Supreme Court justice, who he liked! That was an angry Chris Christie, furious with Senate Dems at a hastily called press conference that took place late in the day on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2013."

As Maddow pointed out, the press conference was the evening before Christie's deputy chief of staff, Bridget Anne Kelly, sent an email requesting "traffic problems in Fort Lee" to David Wildstein, one of Christie's top aides at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which runs the bridge.

What's more, Fort Lee is represented by Sen. Loretta Weinberg, the state Senate Democratic leader.

"Roughly 12 hours after Gov. Christie blows up at the Senate Democrats and torpedoes the career of a Supreme Court justice who he likes ... the leader of those 'animals' in the Senate sees her district get the order of destruction from Gov. Christie's deputy chief of staff," Maddow concluded.

"Or maybe it was about that endorsement. Until someone who knows the actual truth about this speaks, it remains a wide-open question.”

Christie on Thursday denied any involvement in the bridge closing, blaming his staff.
Post Fri Jan 10, 2014 7:21 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

I also watched Maddow's interview with Senator Weinberg. I wonder how the reputation of Christie as a bully plays into these scenarios. After all, how can we believe that in the four months that this scandal has been growing, that Christie never asked any questions.

If I were Christie, I would be scared of the female I fired as a "scape goat". Why was a fired employee allowed in the press conference. Every shot of Christie showed her angry face in the background. She is being required to testify at an investigative hearing in New Jersey. Will she too plead the 5th? Will she retaliate against Christie or will she be paid off to go away and lick her wounds? The truth for once would be refreshing, but I don't see it happening.
Post Fri Jan 10, 2014 7:31 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

HUFFINGTON POST

January 10, 2014

Amanda Terkel
aterkel@huffingtonpost.com

David Wildstein Held In Contempt After Refusing To Testify About Bridge Scandal



Posted: 01/09/2014 2:39 pm EST | Updated: 01/09/2014 2:44 pm EST

WASHINGTON -- David Wildstein, the former Port Authority official at the center of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's (R) bridge scandal, has been held in contempt by state lawmakers after refusing to testify about the controversy before a state Assembly panel on Thursday. Wildstein invoked his Fifth Amendment right to avoid incriminating himself.

"On the advice of my counsel, I respectfully assert my right to remain silent under the United States and New Jersey constitutions," said Wildstein, to audible reactions from the audience.

Wildstein appeared before the New Jersey Assembly's Transportation, Public Works and Independent Authorities Committee, which has been probing the four-day closure in September of Fort Lee's access lanes to the George Washington Bridge.

His lawyer had tried to get him out of testifying, but a judge refused to quash the subpoena Thursday morning.

Wildstein stated and spelled his name for the committee, said where he resided and that he wasn't currently employed. But after that, he clammed up, refusing to even say where he was most recently employed.

State lawmakers plan to file the contempt charges with law enforcement.

Until Dec. 6, Wildstein was one of Christie's top officials at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. He resigned when questions began emerging about why he ordered Fort Lee's access lanes to be shut down from Sept. 9 to 13.

Members of the Christie administration, as well as the governor himself, had maintained that the lanes were closed due to a traffic study. But on Wednesday, emails emerged showing that the closures were actually ordered as retribution against Fort Lee's Democratic mayor, who the governor's allies believed wasn't going to endorse Christie's bid for reelection in November. The emails were obtained by state lawmakers in response to a subpoena.

At one point, Wildstein received a text message from an unknown sender -- the emails are partially redacted -- saying, "Is it wrong that I'm smiling."

"No," replied Wildstein. When the other person added, "I feel badly about the kids. I guess," Wildstein reminded him or her that their parents are probably Democrats anyway.

"They are the children of Buono voters," Wildstein said, referring to Democrat Barbara Buono, who unsuccessfully challenged Christie in the Nov. 5 gubernatorial election. (The majority of Fort Lee voters, incidentally, voted for Christie, not Buono.)

Not only were Christie's Port Authority officials involved, but so were his deputy chief of staff and his campaign manager. Christie announced Thursday he has cut ties with both of them.

Christie brought Wildstein into his administration in 2010. But the two go back much further. Wildstein, who founded the political website PolitickerNJ, and Christie were just a year apart in high school. A 2012 profile of Wildstein in The Record newspaper said he'd figured "prominently" in Christie's effort to change the Port Authority.

"Longtime employees ... privately describe a man intent on carrying out a political agenda rather than one built on reform or improving the region's transportation system," wrote the paper.
Post Fri Jan 10, 2014 7:54 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Once again it strains credibility that Christie did not question his staff or allies about this incident?

What about staff meetings? I can't believe this never came up. And yet some Republicans see this incident as no impediment to his running for President. Just what America needs-an egotistical bully who punishes his supposed enemies. Christie is loudly proclaiming he is not a bully and he doesn't plan retribution. Protesting a little too much perhaps?
Post Fri Jan 10, 2014 8:00 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Chris Christie Apologizes For Bridge Scandal ... - Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/09/chris-christie-bridge_n_4568969.html - 213k - Cached - Similar pages 6 hours ago ... WASHINGTON --

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) apologized to the residents Chris Christie Holding Press Conference To ... - Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/09/chris-christie-press-conference_n_4567233.html - - Cached - Similar pages 22 hours ago ...

Chris Christie has scheduled a news conference after emails and text messages Fox News Downplayed Chris Christie Scandal All ... - Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/09/fox-news-chris-christie_n_4567231.html - - Cached - Similar pages 22 hours ago ...

New Jersey Residents File Lawsuit Against Chris ... - Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/09/chris-christie-bridge-lawsuit_n_4571581.html - 180k - Cached - Similar pages 6 hours ago ...

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Six New Jersey residents have filed a federal lawsuit Federal Inquiry Into Chris Christie Bridge Scandal ... - Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/09/chris-christie-criminal-charges_n_4568207.html?1389286147 - - Cached - Similar pages 20 hours ago ...

WASHINGTON -- Were he still U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey, there's Chris Christie's Top Aide Linked To Traffic Jam ... - Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/08/chris-christie-traffic_n_4561448.html - 199k - Cached - Similar pages 1 day ago ...
Post Fri Jan 10, 2014 8:23 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Fox News Downplayed Chris Christie Scandal All Day



The Huffington Post | By Jack Mirkinson
Posted: 01/09/2014 7:56 am EST | Updated: 01/09/2014 6:10 pm EST



Follow:
Chris Christie, Fox News, Chris Christie Scandal, Fox News Chris Chistie Scandal, Fox News Chris Christie, Media News

When the New York Times posted emails on Wednesday morning showing that top aides to New Jersey governor Chris Christie had intentionally caused traffic problems in the city of Fort Lee to get revenge on a political rival, most of the media treated it as a pretty big deal. By the afternoon, it was a rolling nightmare for Christie, the top story on CNN and MSNBC, all over the newspapers, everywhere.

Except, that is, for Fox News, where a lot of people started noticing that Christie's name was barely being uttered:

The network's relative blackout of the story continued into the evening. A review of TVEyes, the website that lets users search through transcripts and video of past television broadcasts, shows that Christie didn't come up on the "O'Reilly Factor" or on "Hannity." Greta Van Susteren and Megyn Kelly both covered the story, though both led their shows off with other things—in Kelly's case, the criticisms of the Obama administration by former defense secretary Bob Gates. Bret Baier also briefly mentioned the scandal on his show. The story did get prominent play on the network's website.

By Thursday morning, the channel seemed to have resigned itself to covering the story more, as it led the Fox News website and was mentioned repeatedly on "Fox and Friends."

Intriguingly, the network's idiosyncratic handling of the Christie scandal came just as details leaked about a big new biography of Fox News chief Roger Ailes. The book, according to CNN's Brian Stelter, "expands on previous reports, including one by Bob Woodward of The Washington Post, that Ailes tried to enlist New Jersey governor Chris Christie and then-general David H. Petraeus to run against President Barack Obama in 2012."

A Media Matters study on Thursday showed that Fox News spent just under 15 minutes covering the Christie story on Wednesday. CNN, by contrast, spent nearly two-and-a-half hours on it.

Clarification: Language has been added to reflect that the scandal was also covered on the Fox News website prior to Thursday morning.
Post Fri Jan 10, 2014 8:32 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

The Associated Press was first in announcing Lawyer Rosemary Arnold has filed a civil lawsuit, the first, on behalf of six New Jersey residents over the lane closings. However, the residents want to make the lawsuit a class action. The defendants n the lawsuit are Governor Christie, The State of New Jersey, and the Port Authority of NY and NJ.

This issue will not simply fade away quickly.
Post Fri Jan 10, 2014 8:39 am 
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twotap
F L I N T O I D

Christie -1--- Obama--- fast and furious, IRs scandal, Benghazi, Didn't know the website would not work, didn't know you cant keep your plan or doctor "period".The Justice Department's seizure of Associated Press phone records, NSA spying,. Just a short list of some of the things the big 0 was unaware of taking place in his regime. Nice try webs LOL. Laughing

_________________
"If you like your current healthcare you can keep it, Period"!!
Barack Hussein Obama--- multiple times.
Post Fri Jan 10, 2014 9:32 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

POLITICAL MOJO
FROM DAVID CORN, KEVIN DRUM, AND THE NEWS TEAM



MOTHER JONES

January 10, 2014



TOP STORY

Christie Says, "I Am Not a Bully." Here Are 8 Videos of Him Yelling,
Name-Calling, and Belittling People.

http://convio.motherjones.com/site/R?i=GnIRk9pNejtnKZibLlJd5g

By Dana Liebelson

New Jersey Republican Gov. Chris Christie asserts, "I am who
I am. But I am not a bully." He once told an Occupy Wall Street
protester: "Something may be going down tonight, but it ain't
going to be jobs, sweetheart." [READ MORE]

http://convio.motherjones.com/site/R?i=sDmthtNGVUH9XBNHcItYEg
Post Fri Jan 10, 2014 5:01 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Sounds like TwoTap to me!


The Rachel Maddow Show

Gov. Chris Christie's (R) admirers have taken a long look at bridge scandal and have decided to ask the question they believe matters most to them:

"Isn't President Obama awful?"

http://on.msnbc.com/KaWej7

How not to respond to scandal

msnbc.com

Chris Christie's admirers have taken a long look at bridge scandal and are asking the question that matters most to them: "Isn't President Obama awful?"
Post Fri Jan 10, 2014 6:39 pm 
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twotap
F L I N T O I D

And as usual Obama water carriers like Maddow ignore all Obama scandals gee sounds like Webs to me. By the way Christie apologized for his staff and actually fired those involved Obama never apologizes or holds anyone accountable. If its proven Christie knew or authorized the bridge fiasco he's toast.

_________________
"If you like your current healthcare you can keep it, Period"!!
Barack Hussein Obama--- multiple times.
Post Fri Jan 10, 2014 9:19 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Jason Cherkis


Jason Cherkis Become a fan .

jason.cherkis@huffingtonpost.com
Port Authority Head Seethed Over Fort Lee Lane Closures: 'I Pray That No Life Has Been Lost'



Posted: 01/10/2014 5:10 pm EST | Updated: 01/11/2014 9:47 am EST

WASHINGTON -- Emails released Friday by the New Jersey Assembly underscore the dangerous situation New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's (R) aides created by closing access lanes to the George Washington Bridge in September, with the head of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey worrying that people may have died.

In an email to subordinates the morning of Sept. 13 -- several days into the lane closures -- Patrick Foye, Port Authority executive director, said he believed traffic congestion may have hindered first responders. "This hasty and ill-advised decision has resulted in delays to emergency vehicles," he wrote. "I pray that no life has been lost or trip of a hospital-or hospice-bound patient delayed."

The lane closings did delay emergency personnel from responding to four incidents, including a 91-year-old suffering cardiac arrest, who later died.

The closures were ordered by then-Port Authority official David Wildstein, an appointee of Christie's. The Port Authority, which operates the bridge, is run by both New York and New Jersey. Foye is an appointee of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D). Neither Wildstein nor his boss, Bill Baroni, who has also since resigned, ever notified Foye that they would be closing two of the three bridge access lanes in Fort Lee on Sept. 9.

In his Sept. 13 email, sent at 7:44 a.m., Foye said he was ordering the lanes immediately reopened.

While Christie and his administration originally maintained that the closures were due to a traffic study, emails released this week by the New Jersey state Assembly, obtained through a subpoena, show that it was actually a scheme that involved Christie's deputy chief of staff, Bridget Kelly, and his top political adviser, Bill Stepien. Christie has since cut ties with both.

The emails suggest the closings were political payback, possibly over Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich's (D) refusal to endorse the heavily favored Christie for governor in November.

Days into the traffic bottleneck, Foye seethed. "To be clear," he wrote in his email, "I will get to the bottom of this abusive decision which violates everything this agency stands for; I intend to learn how PA process was wrongfully subverted and the public interest damaged to say nothing of the credibility of this agency."

Foye also wrote: "I believe this hasty and ill-advised decision violates Federal law and the laws of both States."

The office of the U.S. Attorney in New Jersey announced it was launching an investigation into whether the closures were criminal.

Before the lane shutdown, some Port Authority officials questioned its purpose. Gerard Quelch, who headed the authority's planning and operations, wrote colleagues: "A single toll lane operation invites potential disaster...It seems like we are punishing all for the sake of a few. Very confused."

While the toll closures would cause concern within the ranks of the Port Authority and anger Fort Lee officials, Wildstein wanted to watch his handiwork up close. In an email the day before the closures, he wrote to a subordinate: "Will be at bridge early Monday am to view new lane test."

Soon after Foye sent his email, Baroni forwarded the message to David Samson, chairman of the Port Authority -- a Christie appointee. He attached a note: "General, can I call you on this now?"

Samson has denied any prior knowledge or involvement in the lane closures.

In a subsequent email on the morning of Sept. 13, Baroni wrote Foye directly that he was on his way into the office and wanted to discuss the controversy further. Then he offered what appears to be a warning to his superior: "There can be no public discourse."

Foye wasn't having it. He replied: "Bill that's precisely the problem: there has been no public discourse on this."

This article has been updated to include additional emails.


Also on HuffPost:
Post Mon Jan 13, 2014 6:26 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Chris Christie Facing Federal Investigation Over Sandy Funds: Frank Pallone

The Huffington Post | By Luke Johnson
Posted: 01/13/2014 9:22 am EST | Updated: 01/13/2014 11:23 am EST



New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) is facing a federal investigation into whether the governor used Hurricane Sandy relief money to produce tourism ads starring himself and his family, Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) told CNN Sunday. The New Jersey lawmaker said the inspector general for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development conducted a preliminary investigation, and concluded that a full investigation is warranted.

The investigation comes as the New Jersey governor is facing a separate federal probe into revelations that his top aides engineered the temporary shutdown of access lanes to the George Washington Bridge as political retribution.

Pallone wrote a letter to the inspector general of the Department of Housing and Urban Development in August, asking why a firm with a more expensive pitch won the project to make a New Jersey tourism campaign with Hurricane Sandy relief funds. The winning firm's bid was $4.7 million, while a comparable firm cost $2.5 million. The more expensive idea included the Christies, while the cheaper pitch did not.

In a slickly produced ad released in May, Christie appeared towards the end and proclaimed that New Jersey was "stronger than the storm."

The ad came as Christie was running for reelection as a Republican in an overwhelmingly Democratic state. However, due to his personal popularity (thanks in no small part to his handling of the Sandy recovery), Christie trounced Democrat Barbara Buono and led in the polls throughout the campaign.

Pallone's office did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment.

Update: 11:15 a.m. -- Christie's office said Monday in a statement that they would be acquitted by the review. "The 'Stronger Than The Storm' campaign was just one part of the first action plan approved by the Obama administration and developed with the goal of effectively communicating that the Jersey Shore was open for business during the first summer after Sandy," said spokesman Colin Reed. "Federal agency reviews are routine and standard operating procedure with all federally allocated resources to ensure that funds are distributed fairly. We're confident that any review will show that the ads were a key part in helping New Jersey get back on its feet after being struck by the worst storm in state history."


Also on HuffPost:
Post Mon Jan 13, 2014 11:42 am 
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