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Christie Impeachment? A Day Late.....
and a dollar short. But I like the sentiment. Bear in mind this article comes from Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner's web site. The author, Bridid Harrison, is a straight shooter however. Interesting that the Assembly speaker is finally talking impeachment. Its about time.
With Prosecutors Alleging Chris Christie Knew, Is Impeachment a Possibility?
New Jersey has never impeached a governor, and the law on such proceedings is vague, saying only that officials including the governor “shall be liable to impeachment for misdemeanor committed during their respective continuance in office.”
The most recent federal impeachment was the 1998 impeachment of Bill Clinton, who was impeached on two charges, one of perjury and one of obstruction of justice. Remember, the charges against Clinton were based on his testimony about an extramarital affair with former White House Intern Monica Lewinsky during a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against him by Paula Jones. Clinton was acquitted of these charges by the Senate.
But that case presents an interesting lesson about impeachment: Politics matters. Clinton’s case was rooted in the personal, not in the manner in which he carried out his duties as president. Because impeachments are carried out by legislatures, the popularity (or serious lack thereof) of an elected official can tip the scales when it comes to legislatures choosing to impeach a sitting executive.
And that should be of great concern to Gov. Christie, who has record low approval ratings (even before the Bridgegate trial began) and a Republican party in the state legislature champing at the bit to move on from the toxicity of the Christie era that may wind up damaging their own political careers.
Opening statements by both the prosecution and the defense attorneys contend that two people – David Wildstein and Bill Baroni – had a conversation with Gov. Chris Christie on September 11, 2013 during which time they talked to Christie about the scheme to close lanes to the George Washington Bridge in a form of retribution against Fort Lee Mayor Sokolich. When Wildstein first cut his deal with the prosecution, he claimed “evidence exists” that proves that Christie knew about the plan. Thus far, that blue dress – likely in the form of text messages sent from a now-lost cell phone or unproduced emails from a private account – has not emerged. But even without physical evidence, the accounts that Baroni and Wildstein – and perhaps others – will tell may be damning enough.
New Jersey has never impeached a governor, and the law on such proceedings is vague, saying only that officials including the governor “shall be liable to impeachment for misdemeanor committed during their respective continuance in office.”
The most recent federal impeachment was the 1998 impeachment of Bill Clinton, who was impeached on two charges, one of perjury and one of obstruction of justice. Remember, the charges against Clinton were based on his testimony about an extramarital affair with former White House Intern Monica Lewinsky during a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against him by Paula Jones. Clinton was acquitted of these charges by the Senate.
But that case presents an interesting lesson about impeachment: Politics matters. Clinton’s case was rooted in the personal, not in the manner in which he carried out his duties as president. Because impeachments are carried out by legislatures, the popularity (or serious lack thereof) of an elected official can tip the scales when it comes to legislatures choosing to impeach a sitting executive.
And that should be of great concern to Gov. Christie, who has record low approval ratings (even before the Bridgegate trial began) and a Republican party in the state legislature champing at the bit to move on from the toxicity of the Christie era that may wind up damaging their own political careers.
Opening statements by both the prosecution and the defense attorneys contend that two people – David Wildstein and Bill Baroni – had a conversation with Gov. Chris Christie on September 11, 2013 during which time they talked to Christie about the scheme to close lanes to the George Washington Bridge in a form of retribution against Fort Lee Mayor Sokolich. When Wildstein first cut his deal with the prosecution, he claimed “evidence exists” that proves that Christie knew about the plan. Thus far, that blue dress – likely in the form of text messages sent from a now-lost cell phone or unproduced emails from a private account – has not emerged. But even without physical evidence, the accounts that Baroni and Wildstein – and perhaps others – will tell may be damning enough.
Read the rest here: http://observer.com/2016/09/with-prosecutors-alleging-chris-christie-knew-is-impeachment-a-possibility/
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