Put Joe and Mika on suicide watch:
The former Port Authority official who personally oversaw the lane closings on the George Washington Bridge in the scandal now swirling around Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey said on Friday that the governor knew about the lane closings when they were happening, and that he had the evidence to prove it.
Being a big football week, this seems appropriate:
And here’s a very good summary of the ties between the Christie administration and Wolff & Samson (the law firm involved with the Hoboken development).
cckids
We all knew this was coming, but it still puts a smile on my face.
Suffer, Repubs. Another hero bites the dust.
schrodinger's cat
Christie is done, stick a fork in him.
Comrade Jake
We really should make “The Outlaw Jersey Whale” a tag.
cokane
He should be done as the governor. Frankly he should be impeached. Of course this will only be mentioned by un-serious extreme leftists and all the very serious people will only discuss how much this hurts his presidential aspirations. As if a public servant is allowed to use the tools of government for petty partisan revenge with no consequences.
maximiliano furtive, formerly known as dr. bloor
On top of everything else, Christie is bad at being a sociopath.
jl
Daddy, has this story grown ‘legs’ yet? Has it, daddy? Please tell me.
But, daddy, where do the legs come from? Does the stork bring them? Or do they come from the cabbage patch?
Mr. Christie says they come from the cabbage patch.
Rick Taylor
Perhaps Christie shouldn’t have thrown his old friend under the bus with quite so much vigor (why I hardly know the man!).
mai naem mobile
I am going to dvr mornin’ ho all next week. Joe the coward will probably claim illness. They’re already getting a ton of snarkilicuous tweets.
Amir Khalid
Is there supposed to be a link in the text under the video?
DougJ
@Amir Khalid:
Just fixed that.
Comrade Jake
LOL:
Mark Halperin, ladies and gentlemen.
Corner Stone
Waiting to corroborate/validate the “evidence”.
But this qualifies as what Tim F was hoping might happen, I think.
Roger Moore
[ETA: copied from previous thread] I’ve been saying for a while that the sign on Christie’s back says “insert knife here” rather than “kick me”. It’s just a surprise that Brutus struck first instead of last.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Rick Taylor: “He was a like a total nerd! I was class president! An Athlete!” one of the most sadly telling moments of that press conference, along with his shifting story about his workout.
Corner Stone
@Rick Taylor: Who? Dwight Schteinfeld?
Never heard a tha guy.
jl
@cokane: I think it was about payloa off the the Ft. Lee development. The disaster relief fund cut for Hoboken were about the city council not being ‘cooperative’ re a development in which Christie cronies had a financial stake.
White Trash Liberal
Who did this guy think he is? A Daley?
? Martin
The lane closures probably won’t kill him. But if there is evidence he knew about it, worse that he pushed for it, then all of those other allegations about Sandy funding, the sheriff business, etc. suddenly went from presumption of innocence to presumption of guilt – and the pattern of abuse is what will kill him.
So much for the myth of the reasonable Republican.
Litlebritdifrnt
@Comrade Jake:
Yeah Halperin is all “we have to wait for the evidence” well most lawyers I know don’t send letters claiming that they have “evidence” if they don’t. You can bet they ain’t bluffing.
Cervantes
Well, thousands of people “knew about the lane closings when they were happening,” so I hope Wildstein is saying more than just that.
Say on, Wildstein.
Violet
Oh, this is excellent. Drip, drip, drip… As always, it’s the coverup that takes them down.
Jay C
@Comrade Jake:
There’s always going to be some media assclown standing up to defend Big Chris (he’s a Republican after all), and some talk-show stalwarts who will, no doubt, be sticking up for him right up until the minute he’s hauled away to the Federal Pen in handcuffs. After which they will probably spend hours of airtime whining about what a rotten deal poor Gov. Christie got, and what a shame it is that politics is so cutthroat nowadays…..
jl
@Rick Taylor:
” Perhaps Christie shouldn’t have thrown his old friend under the bus with quite so much vigor (why I hardly know the man!). ”
I think Christie said that he had not spoken with his appointees or staff before he threw them under the bus. And I took that to mean that, of course, Christie or a Christie flunky had spoken with them to make sure they knew that, ya know, tings woudda be fixed up OK so nuttin to worry about you knows, dat, is, if soyten people kep ‘er mout shuddup.
But, mabye he didn’t speak with them. Which would be weird, unless the scandal hit Christie’s machine in a vital spot that could not be repaired, the things could not, in fact, be fixed up for the operators that got caught red handed.
Corner Stone
@Litlebritdifrnt: I could be wrong but my understanding is the document has not been independently verified at this point as coming from his attorney.
That may be inaccurate, but I want a solid gold stamp on it before I do my ACL blowout Cole searching for his mustard Happy Dance.
mouse tolliver
Note to Democratic establishment,
The next time you feel the urge to embrace a Republican because everybody thinks he’s cool, DON’T!
aimai
@jl: That ws really funny.
I’m too late to say “Nobody saw that coming!”
Anoniminous
Jesus forgives him.
The rest of us want him doing 20 years at Leavenworth.
Corner Stone
@Jay C:
I decry the Criminalization of Personal Politics!!
Corner Stone
Or is it the Personalization of Criminal Politics?
Dammit.
...now I try to be amused
@Rick Taylor:
Let us now give thanks to whoever coined the phrase, “[So and so] will not go quietly under that good bus.”
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@? Martin: I agree. there’s been a sort of retroactive assumption that Christie was a shoe in for the nomination and a Hildebeast Slayer. I think he was their best candidate in the general, but the primaries were gonna be very tough for him, and his temper, bullying, made him his own worst enemy in the general, the press being his best friend. Like McCain, Christie was/is in no small measure a media creation. Sandy gave him a Teflon coating, and this has stripped away the Teflon. I’d be surprised if he’s ever indicted, but there’s so much stink on him I think he’s gonna go the way of Rudi!
WaterGirl
So do we know who was this letter was written TO? I don’t want to waste one of my 10 NYT pages checking. :-)
jl
@Corner Stone: The politicization of criminal personalities?
Roger Moore
@? Martin:
The big danger for him is that he’s lost his air of invulnerability. When he was the big scary guy you didn’t want to cross, everyone was afraid of coming out against him. Once the first round of accusations didn’t go away and actually started to look bad, more and more people who had reason to hate him started to come out of the woodwork. Now that he looks likely to go down, everyone in New Jersey who has a beef with him is going to see it as an opportunity for some payback. It’s the big danger for bullies everywhere: once the fear goes away, all the victims come out and want revenge.
jl
@WaterGirl: TPM has a brief version of the story. Check their front page.
Edit: and it makes no difference whether Wildstein is telling the truth or just trying anything to save his skin, Christie is approaching well done, in terms of political future.
This isn’t even the only serious political scandal were people are putting their skin in the game in going after him up close an personal. Soon, political blogs will have to put up a Christie scandal matrix to keep track.
Dare we say, regardless of the truth, the problem is now officially ‘out there’ Sad day for the Big Man, huh?
Edit: OTOH, nobody ordered Christie to hire all these incompetent thugs and goons.
Chyron HR
Better face facts, the rainbow’s started to fade.
I don’t think he’ll make it to the White House now.
(Halperin: “It wasn’t on the schedule, anyhow!”)
LanceThruster
Well, Duh! He said himself he was putting out the cones.
Cervantes
@Corner Stone: You can read the letter from Wildstein’s attorney here.
In general I would recommend against relying on Kate Zernike’s (or her headline writer’s) paraphrases.
GregB
The times are tough now, just getting tougher
This old world is rough, it’s just getting rougher
Cover me, come on baby, cover me………
Cover you? Eff you!
Roger Moore
@mouse tolliver:
They weren’t embracing him because they liked him; they were going along with his threats because they were afraid of him.
lol chikinburd
I’d be happier about all this if it didn’t all but clear Scott Walker’s path to the GOP’s 2016 nomination. Walker having been the only semi-coinhabitant of Christie’s non-Congressional niche that readily comes to mind.
Tractarian
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again.
If this guy is still in office by Labor Day, I’ll eat my hat.
Cervantes
@WaterGirl:
General Counsel, Port Authority NY/NJ.
Wildstein is still trying to get the PA to pay his legal bills.
Anoniminous
@Cervantes:
Lots of luck with that one.
LanceThruster
@mouse tolliver:
This.
cckids
@Anoniminous:
Nice. Reminds me of my son’s t-shirt:
Jesus loves you. Everyone else thinks you’re an asshole.
Fits Christie to a T.
Dave N.
@lol chikinburd:
Walker is currently only just barely out polling a complete unknown to retain his office this November. Coupled with that, several of his aides have already been indicted and the sharks are still circling Scooter himself. He could be brought up on charges before November.
Jay C
@Corner Stone:
More likely the personalitization of political criminals….?
WaterGirl
@Cervantes: Ah. First I wondered who the letter was to, then I wondered why he had written to the port authority. That makes sense if he’s trying to get them to pay.
AnonPhenom
Aaaand therefore the reason for the High Dudgeon on the Cheerios tweet and the need for the 5 apologies from MSNBC. Maddow has a valuable conservative’s scalp. This cannot be allowed to pass without some payment extracted!
Knowing how much Christie’s fanboi, Morning Glory, has always hated on Maddow almost makes MSNBC’s pathetic groveling to RiNCe PRiBuS tolerable.
Jewish Steel
Hey, photo editors! Ready your shots of Christie looking queasy!
Like this one.
Patrick
@Comrade Jake:
Goodness! He hates Obama and calls him nasty names. But Christie who basically is no better Nixon makes Halperin gushy. Why is Halperin still on MSNBC?
maximiliano furtive, formerly known as dr. bloor
@? Martin:
Perhaps, but I’ve always taken “reasonable” in this context to mean “merely crooked and not head trauma crazy.”
scav
how sure are we what is being proven in the docs? “Mr. Wildstein contests the accuracy of various statements that the governor made about him and he can prove the inaccuracy of some.” Vague to me that is. Granted, earlier in the paragraph they say evidence exists that the Gov. knew about the lane closures while they were happening, but so did most of the nation, unless that is just unhandy lawyerese meaning during the leadup to the cones being laid out.
rikyrah
BWA HA HA HA H AH HA HA HA
Roger Moore
@Anoniminous:
A lot of things could change if he can give them Christie’s head on a stake.
ThresherK
@Chyron HR: Heeheehee. And I’ve known that lyric since before Cats.
Anoniminous
@Roger Moore:
Running on ancient memories, I don’t think the PA can provide funding. Even if they wanted to. Which they don’t.
burnspbesq
In the timeless words of the Cameron Crazies (when an opposing player fouls out):
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh … SEE YA!
J.D. Rhoades
@Comrade Jake:
My reply to Halperin:
lol chikinburd
@Dave N.: Walker gained on said complete unknown, Mary Burke, in the most recent Marquette Law poll. (PPP hasn’t bothered polling the state since September.) And that Burke’s still a “complete unknown” after the state party went all-in on her as the presumptive nominee speaks both to Burke’s shortcomings as a candidate (30%-ish name recognition, and she doesn’t go get photographed with Obama this week) and the state party’s singular incompetence generally.
As for the second John Doe, “he’s in trouble now” was what we all thought during the first John Doe.
Turgidson
@mai naem mobile:
The Morning Jokers are currently desperately, furiously hoping there’s a controversial Richard Sherman hot mic moment during the Super Bowl, or some other stupid distraction this weekend, that they can pretend to be outraged about for 15 straight hours next week.
Bob
“Put Joe and Mika on suicide watch:”
Oh, I don’t know…Joe and Mika are adults and if they want to eat a shotgun they have that right.
kbuttle
@lol chikinburd: This. But there’s still time for Walker’s own obvious corruption to catch up with him.
Corner Stone
@Cervantes: Thanks. I read the letter but I’m having a hard time seeing this as a closer against Christie.
Bobby Thomson
@Comrade Jake: The comments are hysterical. But in a good way.
Bill Arnold
@Corner Stone:
Yeah., the big deal at this point (the last several weeks) is that the local press is on it. Need more emails or other documents, else they might lose focus. Also, the fear of CC/administration is gone.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
Good lord, What does that even mean, “a fighter”? Is that Halperin’s version of Fournier’s “leadership”
Cervantes
@Corner Stone: Right — I would not draw conclusions yet, and certainly not on the basis of anything written by Zernike.
Howard Beale IV
Here’s hoping the whale beaches himself before he gets harpooned and pollutes the ocean….
Villago Delenda Est
@Dave N.:
The only way Walker can run for President is if he’s reelected in Wisconsin, and that’s questionable right now, as you point out.
lefthanded compliment
@…now I try to be amused:
Do not go gentle under that good bus.
Rage, rage, and kick up a damn fine fuss.
PaulW
Dear Obama: while it may have been fun to frame Christie for all this like the wingnut factions think you’ve done, could you also spend some effort getting Rick “Medicare Fraud” Scott placed under investigation for something? ‘Cause, you know, he’s a bit of a douche too. In fact, there’s about 15-20 GOP governors who need to fall victim to your scheming ways…
PaulW
Christie’s a fighter the same way a fourth grader falls on the ground and kicks at everyone to avoid getting wedgied.
JenJen
@Comrade Jake: Best laugh I’ve had all week!!
Corner Stone
That official denial by Gov Christie today is so much fail I think it fully captures the whole #FAIL.
Keith G
While I’d love to see Christy hoisted on his own shish kabob, this letter is not it. The lawyer is essentially saying, “We got the proof and someday we will show it.”
I’ve heard lawyers say that a bunch, and sometimes it was even true.
Cervantes
@Keith G: Left this for you.