NYT: Missing From Christie’s Proof-of-Innocence Claim: The Proof

[Voice for Peace]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/02/nyregion/missing-from-christies-proof-of-innocence-claim-the-proof.html

Missing From Christie’s Proof-of-Innocence Claim: The Proof

As of Tuesday afternoon, Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey was refusing to make public the interviews that, his lawyer asserts, “vindicate” the governor in the traffic-jam-as-punishment scheme run by his aides.

Well, why not just show the goods?

The lawyer, Randy Mastro of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, released a statement Tuesday, saying, “The governor’s office is fully cooperating with the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s investigation, and in that regard, has not publicly released accounts of interviews conducted in connection with the Gibson Dunn investigation.”

Note, carefully, the phrase “in that regard.”

more at link

[Voice for Peace]

1. I have a question about this part:

Mr. Mastro made sweeping claims about his investigation, and barely acknowledged its limitations. He had no subpoena power. The four people at the center of the scandal did not give him statements or provide documents, and one of them, it emerged, had said that he told the governor about the traffic scandal while it was happening. (The governor said he didn’t remember hearing about it.)

(a) Did Wildstein say that he told Christie about it?

Or (b) did he say they had talked about it that day -- and he therefore
knew the Gov was lying?

Saying Wildstein told Christie that day makes it sound as if
Christie didn't know anything beforehand.

But as I recall, it was first reported as (b). Anybody know?

[starroute]

3. That's an interesting question

There appear to be two sources for the claim. One is a letter from Wildstein's lawyer saying that "evidence exists ...tying Mr. Christie to having knowledge of the lane closures, during the period when the lanes were closed, contrary to what the Governor stated publicly in a two-hour press conference." (http://www.northjersey.com/news/gwb-scandal-christie-knew-of-bridge-lane-closures-ex-port-authority-official-says-1.676341)

The other is the study by Crhistie's hand-picked lawfirm, which "surmises" that this letter was referring to Wildstein's having told Christie's press secretary two months later that he'd "mentioned" the lane closures to Christie during the September 11 commemoration ceremonies.

The study concludes that because of the hectic circumstances, it's plausible that Christie is telling the truth when he says he has no memory of such an exchange. But to me it suggests just the opposite -- that Wildstein wouldn't have brought the matter up in the middle of a ceremony except as confirmation of something Christie already knew was in the works.

There's also Wildstein's lawyer's use of the phrase "evidence exists." Lawyers choose their very carefully, and I doubt this one would have said "evidence" unless there was actual physical proof of the claim.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2014/03/27/wildstein-mentioned-fort-lee-traffic-problems-to-christie-at-sept-11-memorial-event-lawyers-report-says/6956889/

The report issued by Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP surmises that the assertion by Wildstein’s lawyer, Alan Zegas, in a January letter to the Port Authority that “evidence exists” that Christie was aware of the closures is about a Sept. 11 memorial event at which Christie, Wildstein and other authority officials were together on the third day of the controversial lane closures in Fort Lee. The report says Christie doesn’t recall the exchange and that there is no evidence it took place.

Wildstein mentioned the conversation to Michael Drewniak, Christie’s press secretary, in a dinner in New Brunswick on Dec. 4, two nights before he was forced to resign from the Port Authority, Drewniak told the Gibson Dunn investigators.

“It will apparently be Wildstein’s contention—as he alleged in early December 2013 to Drewniak—that he mentioned the traffic issue to the governor on that occasion,” says a footnote in the report. “Whatever brief exchange they had occurred in a public setting where they were surrounded by many, including other Port Authority officials, the governor’s wife, and a steady stream of spectators requesting photographs and handshakes with the governor. Not surprisingly, the governor has no recollection of such an exchange.”

The report also says, “There is, however, no evidence we have seen that the governor and Wildstein actually had any substantive discussion of the Fort Lee lane realignment at that public event.”

[onecaliberal]

2. How do you get to the bottom of a scandal

when you fail to interview the people at the center of it? Do Christie and Mastro really think sane people capable of critical thought believe anything either of them say.

[jtuck004]

5. You don't get there if that isn't your goal. Case in point...

You could interview the people at the center and still leave the crooks in charge.

Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission

Sometimes it's just showtime.

[onecaliberal]

6. Good point

We see that in practically every corner of that states politics.

[rhett o rick]

4. Let's see, with Christie's 2016 chances dead, that opens the door for Jeb. Now who would be

working for that end? KKKarl Rove. I bet we can thank KKKarl for Christie's demise.

[onecaliberal]

7. I've read in different places

That is was bush cronies who are trying to bring Christie down for the sole purpose of elevating Jeb's chances in 2016.