Christie: I Was 'Misled By A Member Of My Staff' (updated)

[ProSense]

Christie: I Was 'Misled By A Member Of My Staff'

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) issued a statement on Wednesday, responding to the release of documents showing one of his close aides discussing plans to close lanes on the George Washington Bridge in September.

“What I've seen today for the first time is unacceptable," Christie said. "I am outraged and deeply saddened to learn that not only was I misled by a member of my staff, but this completely inappropriate and unsanctioned conduct was made without my knowledge. One thing is clear: this type of behavior is unacceptable and I will not tolerate it because the people of New Jersey deserve better. This behavior is not representative of me or my Administration in any way, and people will be held responsible for their actions.”

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/christie-statement-bridge

Updated to add this from Steve Benen:

Less than a week ago, during a radio interview, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) was asked about the bridge scandal dogging his administration. “I’ve asked my staff to give me a full briefing. They’ve told me everything we know,” he said, dismissing the controversy. The governor quickly added about the allegations, “None of it makes sense.”

This posturing quickly fell apart today, when we learned the story actually makes perfect sense: Christie’s top staff was directly involved in crippling Fort Lee, on purpose, as political retribution for the local mayor choosing not to endorse the governor’s re-election. Christie canceled his scheduled event for this afternoon and hasn’t appeared publicly. He did, however, issue a written statement this afternoon:

<...>

Note, over the last month, Christie dismissed the very idea of this story as absurd. Today, the governor is no longer denying what is plainly true: his administration abused its power and punished some of the governor’s own constituents simply to punish a mayor who refused to play ball with Christie’s campaign...The materials that caused today’s firestorm were incomplete – some of the documents included redactions, and many of the subpoenaed materials have not yet been made available to the public – but the notion that some of the scandalous details were taken out of context is a non-starter. Christie is no longer saying the allegations are wrong; he’s saying he was out of the loop...no evidence to the contrary has yet emerged. We can’t yet say with certainty what the governor knew and when, but it is possible that some of the governor’s top political aides, including his own deputy chief of staff, orchestrated this dangerous scheme without Christie’s knowledge and then repeatedly lied to him about what transpired.

But this won’t necessarily solve the governor’s problem. As the Star Ledger editorialized this afternoon, “His attempts to laugh this off now appear to be dishonest, though we can’t yet be sure that he personally knew about the correspondence of one of his top aides. Still, Christie bears responsibility either way. If it turns out he did know, he is obviously lying and unfit for office – let alone a 2016 presidential run. And even if he did not, his officials are liars. If Christie can’t control them, how can we trust him as a potential future leader of our country?”

- more -

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/christie-claims-he-was-misled-staff

NJ Assembly Deputy Speaker John Wisniewski: "the governor needs to explain his role."
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024300101

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Riiiight....

[warrior1]

2. Bullshit

[lpbk2713]

3. W E A S E L

Yeah, right. An intern no doubt. They are the most expendible.

[LisaLynne]

4. GOP: The Party of Personal Responsibility. nt

[Atman]

5. I can smell the stink of lies from here!

Keep digging, Mr. Christie. Keep digging. You're so transparent.

[malaise]

75. Way too many contradictions in the story already

Christie is up to his neck in this scandal.

[NightWatcher]

6. A lot of guys get in trouble for letting their staff do their thinking for them

We've seen that pic of him leering at that lady regarding the bridge thingee.

[SummerSnow]

7. bullshit liar

[Laxman]

8. The Christie Administration is obsessed with Control

There is no credible way that this went on without Christie or his Chief of Staff, not only knowing it, but authorizing it. This behavior is absolutely representative of his administration. This is par for the course for him and his lackeys. This is one of the most disciplined administrations in history! Christie's people don't breathe without clearing it with his inner circle. It is totally out of character for something like this to have originated with a staffer. Everything else was under control, but this, THIS, was a rogue action. Right. Punishing many people to settle a political score with one person is his M.O..

[Glimmer of Hope]

55. Hmmm. Evidence that contradicts his my-staff-misled-me statement would be sweet!

[Laxman]

60. I Think It's Out There....

Somebody's going to need to get squeezed. But who will do the sqeezing? Not Christie's lacky Attorney General that's for sure. This has to come from somewhere else. Maybe impeachment. But somehow there has to be some leverage on Wildstein or Kelly to get them to talk.That will only come from the threat of prosecution.

[Drew2510]

9. Gee, where have we heard that excuse before? n/t

[calimary]

76. Welcome to DU, Drew2510!

Glad you're here! I am SO thoroughly enjoying the chew-up-chris-christiefest that's going on, on "Hardball" at the moment! SWEEEEEET!!! This schmuck just may be toast. The longer he stonewalls the worse it'll get for him because that will expand the number of people wanting to get to the bottom of it. We've seen this before, and not surprisingly, the name Nixon has started being tossed into the conversation, too. Reminiscent of the stink that began to permeate everything during Watergate, and I'm glad the comparison is being made openly now. I hope it continues! That's one way to make sure older voters who remember the Watergate days (who also might foolishly be chris christie fans) are jolted back to reality and sensible conclusions.

I can see christie's appeal. That plain-talking, bold, defiant, in-yer-face, rough-edged, pugnacious, "no-nonsense," I'm-just-a-rumpled-average-guy-who-doesn't-mess-around-and-gets-things-done crap is just that: CRAP. But astoundingly enough, it's appealing to many, including those who love to fall in love with the whole lone-gunslinger "maverick" BS. And I'm delighted to see it's unraveling! He's not what they thought he was. WTF? What they thought he was? You don't see "BULLY" draped all over him like he was wearing it around on a neon sandwich board with glow-in-the-dark shoulder straps? You don't see the swagger and the arrogance and the phony Jersey tough-guy crap? This asshole doesn't fool me for a nanosecond. I never liked him. I always dreaded the thought of THAT sitting across the table from Putin or the leader-of-the-week in Iran or North Korea or even friends in Germany, France, or Great Britain. Yeah, THAT is what we need - wonder how many bruises and black eyes he'd leave behind after one of those? That's all we need, another my-way-or-the-highway guy.

I hope this is the beginning of the end of him. I really do! Let him stay in New Jersey and start learning some manners. And maybe even a little humility. Might do him some good.

[Drew2510]

89. Thanks for the wecome. I have some very

strong feelings about some topics, and I do not have a lot of patience with stupid, naive people, so I hope I will survive here.

[Ohio Joe]

10. Ahhh... Typical repug taking 'responsibilty'

'I have no idea what my people do so it's all good'

Not that I even believe this bullshit but even were it true, it still shows him to be a clueless idiot.

[SummerSnow]

11. Now he will fire a staff member(s) for following his orders.

I hope whoever he fires talks and talks and talks and talks

[arthritisR_US]

12. If that is the case then it puts into question

his leadership abilities, or lack of.

[chelsea0011]

13. "and the buck stops......over there"

[nyquil_man]

57. +1

[calimary]

81. Yeah, remember the last time we heard that crap about "the adults are back in charge"?

I heard christie quoted as saying (or being portrayed as) he was The Adult In The Room - and everybody else was some childish nincompoop. Remember who said that last time? dick cheney, sneering at the outgoing Clinton administration.

I rest my case.

[sufrommich]

14. Overzealous staff member strikes again.

[rufus dog]

15. And in December he told reporters

That his Sr. Staff had told him they were not involved in the closures. That he requested confirmation from the staff members that they were not involved, and if they were they needed to come forward. With today's story the question is, do you have control of your staff Governor?

[herding cats]

16. Not just a member of his staff, his closest aide and adviser and his dear friend since childhood!

Come on now Christi, don't try and distance yourself from how close these two people are to you.

[bklyncowgirl]

17. Politicians have been pulling this sort of thing since the days of Henry II.

Blame the overzealous staffers. Claim they were decieved and are oh so disappointed.

Maybe, Like King Henry, Jersey Fats will don sackcloth and crawl across the George Washington Bridge on his knees, then be forced to kneel in front of a toll booth in Fort Lee and be whipped by angry monks in order atone for his underling's crimes.

We can only hope.

[icymist]

36. That would just cause another traffic jam. nt

[lumpy]

42. It's called "dirty tricks ".

[okaawhatever]

18. This went on for too long and there were too many questions asked for him to pull

this now. It makes him look pathetic. It isn't like something that transpired in one day. How many inquiries from reporters does it take for Christie to ask his "staff" if this is true? Is he saying that his staff has lied to him since August? They were getting inquiries back then. I guess we will have to believe that Christie either A. Is lying about all of this B. He didn't know and has a very close staff that has lied to him and hid this from him since August.

I think Christie cancelled his appointments so he and his staff could see if there was any incriminating evidence anywhere before he issued his statement. This statement means they don't think there's a smoking gun, er email, anywhere. Let's hope he's wrong.

[mstinamotorcity2]

19. Damn I just knew i was going to

usher 2016 in with Christie on the republican ticket for President. I had my plan of attack already. I had my links to articles and news clips that I have been saving in a little shoe box. I was like the fisherman on the lake struggling with the big one. I wasn't about to let him get away. Now my dreams have been all but dashed. Is that Jeb Bush I hear coming around the corner. There's hope yet!!!

[lpbk2713]

22. I see the Jebster for pres and Marco Rubio for veep as strong possibilities.

But not on the same ticket.

[mstinamotorcity2]

24. Probably should start

crazy op with Republican possible tickets for 2016. But not a serious campaign ticket. Like Foxx/King. Virginia Foxx and Steven King. An education denier and a climate change denier. Perfect marriage.

[Sheepshank]

73. DO NOT toss away that little shoe box

too may people and too many of the media like to selectively forget.

[longship]

20. These Republicans never learn, do they.

The cover-up is just as bad as the crime.

Obstruction charges are not to be trifled with.

This is going to unravel like a WalMart sweater.

[reflection]

38. I'm stealing that last line.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

21. His Staff and his Member are the same thing, but enough about his private parts. He's responsible.

We all know he ordered this, but we may never know that officially. Still, he's arguing that he's not a liar, he's just incompetent and has no control over his staff. That will be enough to keep him from ever getting the GOP nomination. Next up: Scott Walker.

[SidDithers]

23. He should have claimed to be too drunk to remember whether he was involved...nt

Sid

[onenote]

25. If his senior staff aren't "representative" of his administration, who the heck is?

[Laxman]

26. After Reading Your Update...

the bullshit meter goes higher! His administration spokesperson Drewniak and Wildstein are both in that e-mail chain. He talks to Dreniak every single day. There is no way that he did not know. He just thought nobody would ever find out. I guess he thought wrong.

[markpkessinger]

27. Well, then, Mr. Governor . . .

. . . you aren't exactly a very good judge of character sufficient to be, say, President of the United States, now are you?

[tazkcmo]

28. Like a true leader.

It wasn't me, it was someone that works for me. What, I'm supposed to know what my staff is up to?

[dballance]

29. Can't wait to see Maddow tonight /nt

[SunSeeker]

56. Exactly what I was thinking. She knew this was a big deal from the beginning. nt

[BeyondGeography]

30. L'etat c'est pas moi

Weak.

[markpkessinger]

31. "I was misled by a member of my staff . . ."

" . . . who never told me she put my instructions in an e-mail."

[ProSense]

32. NJ Mayor: Christie Should Apologize To Families For Lane Closures...

Last edited Wed Jan 8, 2014, 07:44 PM - Edit history (1)

NJ Mayor: Christie Should Apologize To Families For Lane Closures (VIDEO)

Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich on Wednesday said that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) should offer an apology not to him, but rather to the families who were impacted by the lane closures on the George Washington Bridge.

"Don't call me, but call the families," he told Wolf Blitzer on CNN's "The Situation Room." "He has to public address the folks who are specifically impacted by this."

Sokolich said that he hoped Christie was not involved in the lane closures, but that he was starting to believe the governor had something to do with it.

"I'm beginning to question my judgement," the Democrat said.

Sokolich does not recall an endorsement request from Christie, but is glad he did not endorse the governor.

"I'm grateful to my instincts because they have only proven me to be correct," he said. "Nobody should have to do anything like that, or provide any support under threat of retribution."

The Fort Lee mayor called the lane closures the "most venomous form of political retaliation."

- more -

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/fort-lee-mayor-christie-should-apologize-to-families

This calls for a full investigation.

"The woman later died, borough records show. "
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024300477#post1

[msanthrope]

37. I think I found the woman who died....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024300652

I'm betting the family might like to speak to Christie.

[Cha]

46. Mayor Mark Sokolich is the hero in this tragedy.

"Don't call me, but call the families," he told Wolf Blitzer on CNN's "The Situation Room." "He has to public address the folks who are specifically impacted by this."

[rustbeltvoice]

33. NBC evening news led with this

Chuck Todd just said this confirms him to be the bully many people had always thought him to be.

[avebury]

34. It does not matter what he says. He just cannot win.

He either has to admit to being a bully or that he is a poor executive with an out of control staff.

[HipChick]

35. He should have just taken full responsibiity..now he'll just be a big fat liar..

[W.J. McCabe]

39. The Buck Stops

... Over There...

[Fred Sanders]

40. Circle The Wagons and blame the staff? How original, but the same staff had "told me everything"...

just last week, so they lied to Christie just last week? Looks like a few heads will roll, on the promise of rolling them back into the White House campaign as soon as the mass media has forgotten.

AND his staff did this elaborate reprisal with NO input or NO idea by their boss?

Improbable to the point of absurdity....but seems Christie took the time to take the "blame the help" tact over his usual bluster and yelling tack....denial and circling the wagons is not his forte.

[Cha]

41. "For the first time".. uh huh. Mr fuckin' innocence, himself.

First deny deny deny and then claim total obliviousness. Typical republicon revenge bully.

Do ya think the other repub 2016 wannabes smell blood in the water yet?

[Catherine Vincent]

43. Sorry I'm not up to speed on this topic

Why were the lanes closed and why is it a scandal?

[ProSense]

44. Here Are The 4 Most Incriminating Email Exchanges In The Chris Christie Bridge Scandal

Here Are The 4 Most Incriminating Email Exchanges In The Chris Christie Bridge Scandal
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/01/08/3134241/emails-tie-christie-aide-bridge-closing-scandal/

[Cha]

50. Yes, "It's Wrong that you're smiling".. you fucking idiot. NO wonder Wildstein

Resigned!

thanks for the link, PS

[Laxman]

70. Its Very Interesting....

the "time for traffic in Fort Lee message was on August 13. However, there is a whole set of messages from July and early August that were included in the disclosure, including the scheduling of a meeting with the governor and Baroni. Why?

[Catherine Vincent]

88. Thanks

[moondust]

45. What did he do when the phones started ringing off the hook?

Must have been some furious drivers. What action did he take at the time to get to the bottom of it and correct it?

(I'll take a wild guess that he did nothing because it happened by design.)

[SHRED]

47. What did Christie do....

...when he first heard of the traffic jam? That is a important question.

[Faygo Kid]

48. "A" member? Sorry, guv, that dog won't hunt.

He likely initiated it, but for the sake of argument, say he didn't. Then what does that say about the kind of people he surrounds himself with?

He's toast. An admittedly large piece of toast, but toast nonetheless.

[BAPhill]

49. What did he know and when did he know it?

That's what they would be saying if he was a Democrat.

[reflection]

51. I eagerly await Issa's investigation. n/t

[DebbieCDC]

52. "I was misled by a member of my staff"

And if you believe that plate of sizzling crap, the gov has a bridge in Fort Lee to sell you.

[orpupilofnature57]

53. Who's the lucky one ????

[another_liberal]

54. He's a fat Richard Nixon . . .

Just waiting to happen.

[Logical]

66. classy weight comment. Congrats! n-t

[another_liberal]

71. Christie is fat.

Richard Nixon was not. Out of respect for Nixon's thinness, I thought difference should be noted.

[Logical]

72. Why does that matter? So are some DU members. Want to insult them also? n-t

[another_liberal]

74. Oh, we can't note a public figure's size now?

Is short an insult too? Is thin an insult?

I'm not insulting anyone by calling the governor of New Jersey fat.

[Logical]

80. Yes you are. But I bet you do it a lot. n-t

[another_liberal]

85. If I offended you, it was unintentional.

Christie, on the other hand, is a public figure. I refuse to refrain from stating my opinion of him, whether it is political or otherwise.

[bayareaboy]

58. I often thought of Chris Christy ...

though of himself as a RePUG version of Ralph Cramden in the Honeymooners. Except Jackie Gleason knew when to back off when he really pissed off someone. Needless to say, RePUGs aren't good actors, does Pres. Reagan come to mind.

But it seems Jackie seemed to know when he said "How sweet it is".

So who do you figure for 2016.

[Adrahil]

59. Read that as:

I have found a scapegoat who is willing to take the fall in an effort to salvage my Presidential ambitions.

[sheshe2]

61. Hey Christie "You Lie"! nt

[mother earth]

62. Throwing his staff under the bus to save his ample butt. nt

[Jefferson23]

63. Nixon incarnate, Tricky Christie. n/t

[Gothmog]

64. Juanita Jean has a great letter to Christie

http://www.juanitajean.com/2014/01/08/an-open-letter-to-chris-chistie/

Hey Chris,

How’s it going?

Well, that was probably the wrong way to start. You ain’t having a star spangled day, right?

I just read this at CNN.

E-mails emerged on Wednesday purportedly from top aides to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie bolstering suggestions that George Washington Bridge lane closures last year that tied up traffic stemmed from a political vendetta and not bureaucratic incompetence as his administration claimed.

I know you want to be president one day and people generally don’t mind political vendettas. In fact, most folks kinda enjoy them.

Except, of damn course, when it means they have to pay for it by sitting in damn traffic which you damn caused. That’s when they say, “Well, Damn Chris Christie. He ain’t sitting his bohunkus in this traffic.”

And, you know about that whole The Buck Stops Here thing? Dude, you missed the bus. You’re so out there that you won’t get the Today Show until tomorrow.

Christie said in a statement that “what I’ve seen today is unacceptable,” adding that he was “misled by a member of his staff” and knew nothing about what had transpired.

Now how long did that take you?

Sweetie, I could have told you two months ago before all this started that you cannot trust Republicans. Most of them lie so much that they have to hire someone to call the dogs. Hell, they’ll lie when the truth makes a better story. Sometimes they lie just to stay in practice.

A source close to Christie said “there will probably be some sacrificial firing and that’ll be it.”

Come clean or go home, Darlin’. People won’t mind if you mess around on your wife, if you start a war just for the helluva it, or scream You Lie at the State of the Union Address. You’ll still be reelected. But, traffic. Well, that’s a whole ‘nother ball of wax.

And, by the way, when are public officials going to learn that emails from the office belong to the public? Seriously, didn’t you learn anything from Jack Abramoff?

Love and Fried Okra,
Juanita Jean Herownself

[MADem]

65. Translation: Now watch me drop kick that basstid right under da bus!!!!! nt

[calimary]

67. Uh-huh. Another one for the "Yeah, SUUUUUUUURE" file.

I am LOVING this-LOVING this-LOVING this-LOVING this-LOVING THIS!!!!!

"Is it bad that I'm smiling?"

[brett_jv]

68. Gov. Chris Christie (D-NJ)

How much you wanna bet that Faux 'accidentally' illustrates their story about this tonight (or upcoming days) ... with the above label ... esp. if it gets even worse for the guy?

[MsPithy]

69. Watch their bank accounts!

The two guys who have already resigned and the "staff," who christie will blame, might just be getting a shitload of money from republican fat cats in the next few weeks.

I wonder how much the chamber of commerce will pay for them to keep their mouths shut, in an attempt to keep their 2016 fatboy candidate clean?

[gopiscrap]

87. Welcome to DU

[SunSeeker]

78. Christie's either a liar or incompetent (or both).

Either way, he is disqualified to run for President.

[Dopers_Greed]

79. I'm impressed that the M$M is even picking this story up.

Though I guess I shouldn't be surprised, since they are just sharks that smelled some blood and are now circling.

There goes their "Golden Boy" narrative of Christie.

[rustbeltvoice]

82. Danziger cartoon

http://www.gocomics.com/jeffdanziger/2013/12/18

some one cut and paste

[Turbineguy]

83. Politic for

"My dog ate my homework!"

[justiceischeap]

84. Well, from this statement we know what he spent his day doing

He and his attorney's and whomever else went through everything they could get their hands on to make sure he could say what he said today without it coming back on him. We'll see if they covered all their bases.

[Shankapotomus]

86. A member of your staff, Christie

and it's not a reflection of your administration?

Which is it, Christie?

[spanone]

90. we all know where the buck stops mr gubner