Star-Ledger columnist: "Hoboken blackmail charge is worse than Bridgegate"..."Time for US Attorney"

[highplainsdem]

http://blog.nj.com/njv_tom_moran/2014/01/hoboken_blackmail_charge_worse.html

This is a credible charge. Zimmer is describing the same kind of thuggish behavior from the Christie administration that we saw during Bridgegate.

But this one cuts deeper. Leaving people stranded in horrid traffic for four days is bad enough. But denying aid to victims of Sandy as a means of leverage against an elected official is simply revolting. And surely illegal.

Time for U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman to jump on this. And the Legislature should ramp up an investigation as well.

In the meantime, what about it, Ms. Guadagno? If you are telling the truth, why don't you belly up and take that lie detector test? And how about you, Mr. Constable?

[hrmjustin]

1. I agree.

[Cleita]

2. I agree, it's time for at least an inquiry by an authority that is outside the

reach of any New Jersey, or even New York authority.

[DURHAM D]

3. Meanwhile, Alex Witt allowed some idiot from the Star Ledger

on MSNBC today who said there is no story here and Christie's presidential plans have not been damaged.

[monmouth3]

5. Alex Witt is the Mika/Joe for the weekends. She leans very far right..n/t

[malaise]

7. Do you mean Alex

deTwitt?

[valerief]

9. No, Alex Witless. nt

[malaise]

10. Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

[valerief]

11. Thought you'd like that! nt

[pa28]

4. The bridge story pales in comparison.

If Christie used federal money to extort mayors he should be in prison.

[Auntie Bush]

17. Bet Christie is thanking God he is in FL today.

[Gothmog]

6. Will the Lt. governor be willing to lie for Christie

This lady is going to be under oath soon.

[mucifer]

8. Blago went to prison for 14 years for threatening to sell Obama's senate seat and threatening

Children's Memorial Hospital . Money never actually changed hands.

Seems to me Christie has done worse by withholding this money to the victims.

[mrdmk]

20. Since money was involved, it becomes to complex for the common person to understand

So a quick slap on the wrist, a fine, and a sweep under the rug are the rule of order here...

[dixiegrrrrl]

22. The man who convicted Blago is now to Lead NJ Scandal Inquiry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The federal prosecutor who helped convict former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich of corruption was tapped Wednesday to investigate the apparent political payback scandal involving New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's administration.

Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Reid Schar will advise a legislative committee investigating a plot that shut down lanes to the George Washington Bridge for four days in September, causing massive traffic jams in the town of Fort Lee. The plot apparently was hatched as a political vendetta, possibly against the town's Democratic mayor for not endorsing the Republican governor's re-election.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/blagojevich-prosecutor-lead-nj-scandal-inquiry-21544359

[Stuart G]

12. Will the Road Lead to the King?.

Yes..how long is it??
Not very long..
When will we get there?
When some more of the drivers of the cars on the road..
.. sing to the cops..
When is that???
....soon, very soon.........

[Dopers_Greed]

13. Anyone good with Photoshop?

I'd love to see a "Christie toast" image, just like the "Romney toast" that was made during the election.

[NJCher]

14. I live in a Banana Republic

The federal government gives NJ money to bail the state out of a natural disaster.

Tribal leader Christie, however, has other plans.


Cher

[Beacool]

18. Pass me one of those bananas.

[catbyte]

15. The thing that strikes me in both cases is how cavalier they are about the safety

& well being of the citizens they swore an oath to serve. They don't give a damn about people. Christie is all, "I, I, I, me,me,me," & the mayor is only concerned about her citizens. Democratic vs. Republican values in a nutshell.

[highplainsdem]

16. +1,000

[NJCher]

19. Me too, catbyte

How can anyone go to their nice, warm, intact home knowing that their fellow citizens in the state are sleeping in the cold, some still without furnaces, some unable to get resolution on their homes and staying in "temporary" quarters...

and the person who has control over whether that happens s holding those funds ransom so a one-percenter can get more money?

It enrages me.

We still see these stories on the nightly news in NJ--people who are living in trailers on their lot. People who are trying to keep a house warm that has no sheetrock or insulation. It is heartbreaking.

And let's not forget that the day the story broke, Christie was supposed to speak to some of the people affected by the storm. There were some who had been promised $150k to finish their homes and who showed up to ask the "man in charge" why these funds could not be released to them.

And then, of course, Christie failed to show up because he had to stay in his office to save his own @$#.


Cher

[MH1]

21. it's ALL about making money for themselves and their cronies.

The only things that surprise me about what's unfolding with Christie:

1) that they let themselves get caught.

2) that it's Christie who might be going down first, when PA's Gov. Corrupt (Corbett to the ever decreasing number of Repubs who even like him) is so slimy he oozes when he walks. But I guess on that we can just refer back to #1.