Bridgegate

Ken AshfordElection 2016, Political Scandals, Republicans2 Comments

I was willing to give Governor Christie the benefit of the doubt that it was a rogue staffer who was responsible for the closing of lanes on the GW bridge on 9/11/13, and that he (and the rest of his staff) knew nothing about it.

But a photo published earlier this week in the Wall Street Journal along with new revelations found by analyzing documents disclosed by the New Jersey Assembly Transportation Committee invalidate some of Governor Chris Christie’s central assertions that he made in his marathon two hour press conference on improper and possibly illegal lane closures on the George Washington Bridge. Those assertions being that his remaining staff was unaware of the event until after it happened and the claim that Christie did not know David Wildstein that well and could “count on one hand” the amount of time they saw each other.

Photos published by the Wall Street Journal show Chris Christie and David Wildstein (in red tie) together on 9/11 when the lane closures were occurring as well as an earlier event in June. Both photos show Governor Christie and Wildstein speaking with one another.  Here's one:

BN-BC112_0114br_G_20140114110203

Emails that were released by the New Jersey Assembly Committee investigating the GW bridge scandal prove members of Christie’s staff, including members of his senior staff, were receiving emails during the lane closures which contradicts Christie’s claim that his staff were ignorant until after the closures had ended.

Bridgeate-genovesesoko-2

I'm still willing to give Christie the benefit of the doubt.  Maybe more of his staffers knew about it, and Christie didn't know.  Maybe it is just a coincidence that he happened  to be with David Wildstein that day, even though Christie says he rarely sees him.

But it isn't looking good for the Governor.

Normally, this is just another scandal involving power-mongering, but I believe this has national implcations.  Christiie, in my view, was the only one who had a chance of beating Hillary Clinton in the 2016 elections.  Now… who knows?  Unless this blows over quickly, or the public has a short memory, or Christie catches a baby falling from a burning building, I would say that the White House is Hillary's in 2016.  Because of Bridgegate.