Christie pulls judicial nominee amid GWB flap

[rocktivity]

Gov. Chris Christie has notified the state Senate that he is withdrawing the nomination of his acting attorney general to the Superior Court.

The pulling of the nomination late Friday is another wound to an administration facing its most difficult test so far.

The Republican governor hoped to send acting Attorney General John Hoffman to the bench and clear a spot for his chief of staff, Kevin O’Dowd, to become attorney general. Christie’s office said the decision was made to ensure continuity in the attorney general’s office.

But Democrats have delayed O’Dowd’s confirmation hearing indefinitely because of the possibly politically-orchestrated closing of approach lanes to the George Washington Bridge that caused traffic chaos in Fort Lee. O’Dowd had supervised the aide who was fired for her involvement.

Three other key associates of the governor are also now gone as a result of the bridge scandal.
(link)

[TheBlackAdder]

1. It sounds to me like someone might be remembering an email somewhere. nt

[Bjorn Against]

2. He knows O'Dowd's confirmation hearing would be disasterous if it ever did happen

There is no way the Democrats would confirm the supervisor of the person who sent out the call to close the lanes as Attorney General, but they would ask him lots of questions he did not want to answer in the confirmation hearings. O'Dowd will still get those questions of course, they will just come after he is subpoened.

[rocktivity]

3. And about that other nomination he withdrew because he didn't want to "expose"

the nominee to "animalistic" questioning by the Dems -- how sensible does that sound now? He withdrew the nomination because something WAY too damaging would have come out!


rocktivity

[Bjorn Against]

5. Yes damaging info would come out for sure

Not only was O'Dowd Kelly's supervisor but he was also one of the two lead "investigators" who told Christie there was no wrong doing in the bridge closing. I am sure there were going to be many questions asked about his "investigation" and how it managed to miss such obvious cases of wrong doing. Christie could not afford to have these questions asked of O'Dowd, they will still be asked however as I would be shocked if O'Dowd is not eventually subpoened.

[avebury]

4. Christie probably doesn't want O'Dowd being under

oath during his confirmation hearing.

[Bjorn Against]

6. No he does not, but it will be even worse when he is under oath after a subpoena

[avebury]

7. By pulling the nomination, Christie has more time

to try to rig whatever information might come out of any hearings/investigation.

[Bjorn Against]

8. He will try to do that either way, unfortunately for him there is no time this is full steam ahead

[Cha]

20. ..

To Full Steam Ahead

[SunSeeker]

9. Sure sounds like Christie gave up on making O'Dowd AG.

Even if he was confirmed, which is highly unlikely at this point, O'Dowd could never do the Bridge investigation/prosecution because of the obvious conflict of interest, having been Kelly's immediate supervisor. If he has a conflict, other people would have to take over, maybe the feds, who might not be so friendly to Christie. He's hoping to keep Hoffman acting AG and have him do any potential investigation/prosecution since no one has raised an objection to Hoffman and he'd be a lot friendlier to Christie than the potential alternatives.

Still, O'Dowd will get subpoenaed. But he can parse his answers or plead the 5th if he is not there to be confirmed for anything.

[Tx4obama]

22. See Comment #18

[SunSeeker]

24. I know. I'm wondering how long Christie can keep Hoffman as Acting AG. nt

[Jack Rabbit]

10. Pobably the best thing to do under the circumstance

I can't imagine O'Dowd be confirmed right now. That doesn't necessarily reflect badly on him. I don't know anything about him.

Nevertheless, as AG he would be expected to be as above suspicion as Caesar's wife while investigating criminal activity in a scandal that has already claimed the job of his deputy. If he makes one close call in favor of a suspect from Christie's office, he won't be Caesar's wife no matter how carefully he weighed the decision and no matter how much he thought it right.

I really don't envy the next New Jersey attorney general.

[rocktivity]

11. Which is why I'm glad the Feds have already stepped in

and why Christie would have called in the feds himself if he truly had not known what was going on.


rocktivity

[MyNameGoesHere]

12. I wish the acronym GWB wouldn't have caught hold

everytime I see it I want to wretch. Too soon still.

[George II]

14. That's the way it is in New Jersey....

GWB, BRB, CBB, DMB, WWB, TPB, etc.

[George II]

13. I think that's the FIRST card, wait for one or two more before the house collapses!

[Cha]

15. Wow Wow Wowwww And, Christie was soooo

sure.. "Absolutely" that it was going to go through. No doubt Kevin O'Dowd would be the next AG of NJ.

Ooooooops! Karmic can be really really ROUGH.

thanks Rock!

[ailsagirl]

16. You said it, Cha

That's what I was thinking. Such "bravado" on his part re O'Dowd's appointment. He must be realizing what a mess he is in, finally. He surely can't dismiss this brouhaha

[Cha]

17. It might be sinking in, ailsagirl.. didn't matter how much his

marathon presser lasted. The wheels of justice were slowly moving forward even as he BSed his way through..

Salon: 5 Reasons Chris Christie Might Be Lying

"1. Too much detail regarding unimportant issues. According to Meyer, a subject will often offer specific details that have nothing to do with the question of his guilt as a way of validating his claim of innocence. It’s as if the specificity will add credibility to what he’s about to tell you. However, when you listen closely, you’ll observe that the abundance of details does not lead to relevant information."

More..
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024316636

[ailsagirl]

23. So true, Cha

"...the abundance of details does not lead to relevant information."

Amen to that

[Tx4obama]

19. See Comment #18

[Tx4obama]

18. He pulled Hoffman's 'judicial' nomination, let's see IF/when he will pull O'Dowd's AG nomination too

Hoffman is only the 'acting' AG.

Dowd's nomination is for the permanent AG spot, and it is still pending in the State Senate even though his confirmation hearing has been delayed.

[Cha]

21. Oh really? Oh shit..

"Gov. Chris Christie has notified the state Senate that he is withdrawing the nomination of his acting attorney general to the Superior Court."

John Hoffman.. so that "wound" has got to mean something.. if he's pulling the nominee of the vacancy of the spot where he wanted, O'Dowd?

thanks for straightening me out, Tx.