Will Chris Christie Resign In Return For A Suspended Sentence That Keeps Him Out Of Prison?

[TexasTowelie]

In October you'll be able to dig this post up and say, "Wow, those DWT folks sure knew what was up before anyone else." Fact of the matter, we've been predicting an eventual Chris Christie plea bargain since January when the Bridge-gate scandal started spiraling out of control. But over the weekend we got the word from an impeccable source that he'd be resigning as governor as part of a bargain to keep him out of prison and he'd do it before the first snow falls-- unless the first snow fall comes early.

I was unable to ascertain what the smoking gun is, just that Christie won't be celebrating Christmas in Drumthwacket this year. Ostensibly, Christie is still the chief fundraiser for the Republican Governors Association and "a potential White House candidate." In 10 days, he'll be at the Iowa State Fair in Davenport raising money to reelect Davenport. If you donate $10,000 to Christie's dinner, you're on the host committee, you get a table for 8 and you get a picture of yourself with Christie. You can also get the same deal, including the picture with Christie, for $1,000, $2,500 or $5,000.

Late last month there were a flurry of reports about a second Bridge scandal. Time endeavored to delineate between the two unrelated bridge scandals for its readers. Christie seems to have gotten his hands on money from bonds sold to repair the Lincoln Tunnel and used it to repair the Pulaski Skyway instead. "The first bridge controversy centers on allegations that Christie allies closed lanes leading to the George Washington Bridge as political retribution against a local mayor who wouldn’t endorse his reelection. The story badly damaged Christie’s reputation as a no-nonsense politician who puts governing ahead of politics. But in some ways, the latest scandal appears to suggest the opposite intent on Christie’s part. The Pulaski Skyway is a dilapidated overpass in desperate need of renovation. Repairing it undoubtedly serves the state’s interests, while closing lanes on a busy bridge that connects New Jersey and New York did not." Only 32% of New Jersey residents believe Christie's explanations for the scandals and, even without a smoking gun, 47% of poll respondents are convinced Christie is personally involved in the George Washington Bridge shutdown and the coverup.

Going into the 4th of July weekend there were unrelated reports about more Christie political corruption of a more conventional nature-- and probably easier to prosecute.

Corporations that contributed millions of dollars to the Chris Christie-led Republican Governors Association and other GOP campaigns have received public funding deals worth almost $1.25 billion from his New Jersey administration in less than two years.

A review of the 30 biggest corporate subsidies awarded by the state of New Jersey since Christie appointed one of his closest allies as head of the state’s “bank for business” found that 21 went to ventures involving firms that made significant donations to Republicans, or had senior executives who did.

About half made contributions, totalling $1.8 million, to the Republican Governors Association (RGA), the organisation that works to elect GOP candidates to statehouses around the US, since Christie became one of its senior officials. The New Jersey governor now chairs the RGA.

Others contributed millions more to Republican committees and candidates including Christie himself; 2012 presidential candidate Mitt Romney, for whom Christie was a campaign surrogate and senior fundraiser; and state senator Joseph Kyrillos, Christie’s former campaign manager.

...“It seems pretty obvious to me that we don’t have enough safeguards in place to make sure these awards are not going out based upon favouritism,” said Senator Loretta Weinberg, the co-chair of the New Jersey legislature’s select committee on investigation.

Assemblyman John Wisniewski, her co-chair, said that Christie should be stripped of his power to appoint the EDA’s chief executive. “It seems to be part a pattern within this administration: the gross politicisation of what up until now had really been straight economic development,” said Wisniewski.

- See more at: http://downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/2014/07/will-chris-christie-resign-in-return.html

[LuvNewcastle]

1. I hope this is true. He's just the type of loud, obnoxious asshole America loves,

and I'd really like to see his chances killed for 2016.

[DonCoquixote]

2. Jeb would pop the Bubbly

as he thinks it is his turn.

[TheBlackAdder]

3. Christie appointed BPA head (former oil exec). Immediately ended the state's Geothermal program.

Geothermal is the most efficient heating and cooling system.

The program, with state help, grants, funding, etc was immediately defunded and all assistance removed from the State's websites.

Next, loans and grants for solar conversions were discontinued.


===


Everything they did helped the major utility companies and hurt residents and businesses.

[freshwest]

7. Sounds like the worst form of corruption right there.

[rocktivity]

4. Keep him out of jail? What for?

He's toast on his relationship with David Samson alone (hiring him to run the Port Authority without stopping him from also running a law firm that did business with the Port Authority). There's too much money that's unaccounted-for -- and he probably wouldn't get that much hard time, anyway.


rocktivity

[rocktivity]

5. Is Down With Tyranny willing to put his prediction where his mouth is

In the Christie Crime Digest?


rocktivity

[cheyanne]

6. Please stop with the revenge motive.

The revenge motive has never been confirmed or even seriously investigated. The connection between the Harbor Lights Development and the closure of the lanes is much more plausible motive. Christie questioned, after the fact, that Fort Lee needed those 3 lanes and recommended an investigation in why they had those lanes. The Harbor Lights is dependent on those lanes and a few days after the lanes opened, the deal was signed.

Christie would not have broken federal laws just to get revenge on the mayor of Ft. Lee who was already on board with the project. But someone else had to be shown what Christie could do.

[rocktivity]

14. Bridge(t)-Gate motive? I got your Bridge(t)-Gate motive

right here!


rocktivity

[merrily]

8. I bet a lot of people doing time would have liked that deal.

Just resign your job and you won't have to go to jail. Nice deal, if you can get it.

[delrem]

9. The court shouldn't allow such a plea bargain. nt

[C Moon]

10. I agree. "I won't govern anymore, if you forgive everything." What kind of crap is that?

[delrem]

11. It's the kind of crap which allows him to proceed

to being a totally exonerated uber-lobbyist, pulling in millions free and clear. It also allows the US to continue "going forward, not looking back", to that kind of bright future that lacks second-sight guarantees.

[C Moon]

12. +1

[Jim Lane]

13. That's the kind of deal Agnew got.

He was given a very lenient disposition of the criminal charges against him, on condition that he resign as Vice President.

There was plenty of criticism of the deal at the time. Prosecutors defended it by saying that they couldn't force Agnew to resign, and all the time that the grand jury proceeding and then the trial went forward, he would be able to cling to his office. Furthermore, it wasn't just a matter of being the traditional one heartbeat away from the Presidency. The whole thing went down at a time when Watergate was unfolding and Nixon was in serious danger of being impeached.

In that special case, I can see the rationale for the deal. The leader of the Free World is indeed a crook, and people are trying to get him out of office, but he'd be replaced by another crook. Averting that chaotic scenario justified letting Agnew off with a wrist slap.

I don't see any comparable circumstances in Christie's case, though.