This website has taken a dim view of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie – the establishment “Republican” frontrunner in the 2016 presidential race.
As far as we’re concerned Christie is a fatter version of Mitt Romney, a younger version of John McCain and a straighter version of Lindsey Graham – which means he’s no friend of the free market, your liberties or your tax dollars. Of course he’s “electable,” or at least that’s what the GOP establishment would have you believe.
Which is precisely what they had you believe about Romney …
Anyway … it turns out Christie may be a bit vindictive, too, as evidenced by a brewing scandal over the closure of several local access ramps to the George Washington Bridge last year.
Christie has previously stated his administration had nothing to do with the lane closures – which created huge traffic jams in Fort Lee, New Jersey leaving commuters stuck in traffic for hours on end.
According to emails obtained by multiple news outlets, though, one of Christie’s top aides – Bridget Anne Kelly – told an executive at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey last summer that it was “time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee.”
“Got it,” the executive replied.
Three weeks later, that same executive ordered the lane closures – claiming they were part of a study of “traffic safety patterns at the George Washington Bridge to ensure proper placement of toll lanes.”
Hmmmmm …
The real reason the lanes were closed? Political retribution against the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee – who refused to support Christie’s 2013 reelection bid. In fact in addition to shutting down the lanes, Kelly and the Port Authority official exchanged emails regarding their plan to maintain “radio silence” in response to Fort Lee mayor Mark Sokolich’s impassioned pleas to end the gridlock caused by the lane closures.
“His name comes right after mayor Fulop,” the port official emailed Kelly, referring to Jersey City mayor Steven Fulop – another local elected official who has accused Christie of targeting him for political retaliation.
Even more damning, there’s a text exchange between the port authority official and an individual whose name has been redacted in which the lane closings are celebrated.
“Is it wrong that I’m smiling,” the sender of the messages wrote to the port authority official.
“No,” he responded.
“I feel badly about the kids,” the sender replied. “I guess.”
The official responds that “they are the children of Buono voters,” referring to Barbara Buono – the Democratic gubernatorial nominee trounced by Christie last November.
Wow …
Christie hasn’t been directly linked to the scandal, and we’re sure the national GOP establishment will compel any “Republican” within a fifty-mile radius of the state capital in Trenton to dutifully fall on their swords for him. But still … wow.
Obviously politics is bloodsport – and such pettiness among elected officials (and the operatives who work for them) is routine. But this isn’t messing around in an election or getting somebody’s brother’s cousin fired from a job – this is screwing with the lives of ordinary people who are already screwed over enough by their leaders.
The busiest motor vehicle bridge in the world, the George Washington Bridge (or the “GW” or “GWB”) connects the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan to Fort Lee, New Jersey. The fourteen-lane, double-decked steel suspension bridge opened in 1931.
UPDATE: Christie has issued a statement saying “this behavior is not representative of me or my Administration in any way, and people will be held responsible for their actions.”
UPDATE II: Our follow-up report …
46 comments
The GOP has a BIG problem…KA-CHING!
Could some Repubs be mad because he shook hands with Obama?Goldie Some felt that’s what helped him win the election.
If it is true about the situation in NJ/NY; that’s pretty bad considering the huge population there.
u care, i don’t. he’s a fat bastard of the republican clan, AKA, worthless POS. Eat it, Bagger.
Trot his fat ass out as a presidential candidate if you like cause Hillary has this one in the bag. Country is toast, would also be toast if his fat ass were elected and will continue to go down the tubes because the game is totally rigged from the outset.
Crooked politicians are no longer held accountable – the pie is sliced to make certain of that. From the sewer filled streets of Columbia, SC to the boulevard that is Pennsylvania Avenue the fix is in.
+2 … you got that right, friend.
Nikki owns that hand
Ask the war crimminal Bush.
If he runs for president, you better like the VP nominee. Between the job stress and obesity, I doubt he’d make through 4 years.
Un – limited doughnuts, 1 month, Sara Palin VP, good bye USA !
…an older version of John McCain…
For a niggardly amount extra, TBG will proofread for factual inaccuracies as well as common spelling, grammar and punctuation issues.
grammer, from a indian, you jest of course ?
Oy Vey!
You um fall for big um stereotype, Chief.
For Tonto—-
1)… An Indian donated blood. Giving him some orange juice, the nurse asked, “Are you a full-blooded Indian?”
The Indian said, “Not anymore. Now I’m a pint short!”
2)… One Indian girl did a naked rain dance and made the Creeks rise!
2)… One Indian girl did a naked rain dance and made the Creeks rise!
God willing…
“The custom of some Muslims of adding “In shaa’ Allah” (if God wills) to the end of most of their statements of intention is a good one. It is a reminder that all plans are, in fact, contingency plans, subject to interruption or changes because of things we don’t control and can’t foresee. The old Southern expression “God willin’ and the Creeks don’t rise” says the same thing. I grew up thinking that phrase referred to flooding creeks, but someone corrected me. It refers to an uprising of the Creek Indians, which in the 1700s and early 1800s could put a crinkle in anybody’s plans,”
–Charley Reese
A couple of the best humorous stories (not jokes) about Indians is somewhere in my archives. It is a chapter I copied from a book written by an Indian about the history of Indians in America. I’ll share them with you when I find them.
Oy Vey —- Marilyn Monroe, while married to Henry Miller, is reported to have asked at a dinner party while eating matzo balls, “What do you do with the rest of the matzo?”
Nice word usage, “niggardly”, very good.
That’s racist!
a republican cares about race, LOL !!!
It looks like the Republican National Party is gearing up to do the same thing they did in the last two Presidential elections, throw the game so a Democrat goes in again.
Pushing crapola like Christie, Huckabee, Santorum, or like assholes will give the Democrats another eight years, no matter how shitty the Democrat running is. Hey, the Republicans used to have standards or at least something that vaguely passed for them.
Pantsuit bitch is a shoe in anyway. The “hope and change” thing is now hoping for a coup de grace economically speaking.
The welfare mob is running the show with some manipulations by the monkey’s from inside their cages.(HT to Mencken)
TBG believes that Hillary is physically past her political prime. The rigors of a campaign will wear her down and she will have many more “What does it matter?” moments.
I kindly suggest you are underestimating the importance of what she says to people.
She is a liberal women ready and willing to hand out the necessary bene’s that also happens to appear strong on foreign policy(benghazi excepted) in a country that is not only moving toward socialism more as a solution to its economic woes but MORE IMPORTANTLY elected a black president to try to rid itself of the slave monkey on its back.
Forgive my above run on, but in conclusion, it’s time to for the country morons to now rid themselves of the “equal opportunity for women” monkey from its back.
It’s not, nor has it ever been, about substantive issues that require any degree of intelligence.
Unless she gets up on stage and start literally mumbling like an idiot I doubt anything she says has much impact.
Another bad year for pubs
edit: “I kindly suggest you’re OVERestimating”
Unless she gets up on stage and start literally mumbling like an idiot…
Exactly what TBG is predicting. Perhaps even drooling. Many, many “Rick Perry back pain meds” moments.
How about politically past her physical prime?
u can’t blame them, look at there leaders
I said, 20 years for the wars, eat it, like it. Not too far away from the Wiggs party.
Realistically, who else have they got?
Tear the bridge down. Nobody should want to go to Washington Heights or any part of New Jersey anyway.
Most conservatives idolize Ronald Reagan. Chris Christie idolizes Ronald McDonald.
Did you know there is a SC connection to this story? The Chairman of the Port Authority is David Samson. Appointed by Christie, he lives in NJ and Aiken.
Someone who lives in both NJ and SC? Sounds like double majors at Corruption U.
so much fun, where is the popcorn ?
In the tradition of Lee Atwater.
There is no such thing as a conservitive Rebublican. Pipe dream maybe.? Tea – baggers are the Republicans. Bush killed thousands, for ? What ? Baggers ? Republicans just can’t wait for another war, but will vote to shut down payments for our veterans and military. How many Vets do you think need help from the recent wars ? Why has Bush not opened his mouth to help them ? He wants to paint pictures ! Why does the Republican party want to distance themselves from him ? Bush is your legacy, the destruction of the USA, now you want to be in power ? Ain’t gona happen, spew more crap, 2016 is Clinton ! Nikki suck – up’s, too bad.
Would one of you folks (the populace, not Will) who voted Ol’Deo here up please explain to me what the *@&#$^ he’s talking about?
Nikki Fit’s will have to decide. That will be true fun, can’t wait.
Vindictive like most politicians:
Obama
Ohaley
Sanford
Eckstrom
the Peelers
leatherman
Harrell
Reid
They all think they are royalty and you had better kiss their rings and bow down.
You kiss’em, they like you
See….he’s acting just like the prezzie who barricaded the WWII memorial out of spite…to discriminate, dishonor, and disrespect those Honor Flight vets…
In 2016, Doing nothing, to help the people will be your doom. Plain and simple. There are no conservitives in the R party ( you should say people that want war at a drop of the hat ) good luck, peace be with you. Hillary 2016 !!!
I was in a meeting late this afternoon when a couple of the people starting talking about this story. Stories of politicians and their retaliation and vindictiveness ensued. One guy who was in the House with Jean Toal won the prize. Toal is the worst on vicious counterattacks. Ask any lawyer in the House who she has let slide with a private reprimand for egregious behavior, then not voted as she commanded. Many of you in Fits Nation know about the folks of which we are speaking.
Find a new respectable job or get over it .
When we can go to a 30 trillion dollar war for zippo, done and over. No rocket science needed.