Chris Christie fails Scandal Response 101: Why he’s handling it disastrously

[DonViejo]

His attorneys' laughable "report" didn't convince anyone, and only strengthened the real investigation against him

ALEX PAREENE

The lawyers Chris Christie hired to look into whether or not Chris Christie did anything wrong released the report that concludes their (taxpayer-funded) investigation last week, and, surprising few, they determined that Chris Christie did not do anything wrong. Christie effectively declared himself totally vindicated at a press conference in which he cracked jokes and seemed uninterested in performing any sort of penitent act. This is his official declaration that he’s done with this scandal.

The purpose of the report was the same as the purpose of Christie’s original “epic” Jan. 9 press conference: To help the governor act as though this whole mess is behind him, so that he can resume governing and preparing to run for president. At the Jan. 9 conference he made a point of answering every single question. He then limited his appearances to friendly town halls and claimed that only out-of-touch reporters still cared about the bridge scandal. Until last Friday, it had been three months since Christie’s last press conference.

That gave his attorneys (including one who has referred to Christie as a “very dear friend”) time to write up a faux-exhaustive accounting of how the time that a bunch of devoted Christie allies decided to create traffic problems as a means of political retribution against a Democratic mayor had nothing, at all, to do with Christie personally. The governor “has conducted himself at every turn as someone who has nothing to hide,” according to the report. Case closed!

The entire thing, from hiring politically connected Christie-allied lawyers to paying for the pricey investigation with public funds to crowing about the transparent snow job like it will actually convince anyone, looks like a stupid unforced error by Christie. Even the “objective” press is highlighting the attorneys’ links to Christie and the fact that New Jersey taxpayers are on the hook for $1 million spent solely to help their governor recover from a scandal. Starting with the New York Times’ initial story on the review, nearly every news organization has (appropriately) treated the report as an unconvincing attempt to venerate Christie and pin everything on a few obvious scapegoats who, conveniently, didn’t cooperate with the investigation. No one is buying it, and in thinking he could get the political press to play along, Christie just insulted a class of people who were formerly among his most valuable allies.

more
http://www.salon.com/2014/03/31/chris_christie_fails_scandal_response_101_why_hes_handling_it_disastrously/

[djean111]

1. It might be prudent to remember that Mittens made it all the way to being the candidate despite

his obvious drawbacks. The GOP admires the shit out of people who got rich by basically stealing and scamming. They also admire the shit out of bullies. When the dust settles, I think the GOP candidate may be either Christie or Jeb. One would think that perpetuating the Bush dynasty, awful as it was (and still is) would make Jeb not viable. But the GOP admires and puts its money behind people who appeal to them for reasons we don't find compelling or sane. After all, they have all that money. And plans that have nothing to do, really, with what a president does, they want another guy like Shrub. Christie is headstrong and stubborn, but they have ways of getting around that - plus Christie very badly wants into the rarefied air of power and money, and is willing to do anything, it seems, to get into that club.

What is astounding is how many Conservatives think the Democratic party is liberal. It has not been for quite a long time now, the liberals and Progressives are just about shunned - but the GOP successfully lies about that. IMO the thing to do would be to actually, you know, BE liberal, present (and go ahead and implement a clear difference, but the Third Way has very effectively put the chocks to that. Alex Sink's campaign told me that - appease, fix ACA, be bipartisan. And whenever anyone says "strengthen Social Security" - I see the catfood commission grinning like wolves. "Strengthening" is quite a bendy concept these days....

Anyway, legal misdeeds and lies never stick to GOP candidates. The GOP admires bullies. I will wait until someone else is anointed, because the rest of the Klown Klub is pretty shallow pickings.

[davidpdx]

5. I just don't see any way Christie could be a viable candidate

If W. had lost (or more accurately had the SC not intervened) I think Jeb Bush would have a strong shot at the nomination and the White House at some point. The Bush fatigue is definitely a factor for Jeb. He is likely to do better with Hispanic voters than McCain or Rmoney did though and my guess is he'd do the same among AAs as both (which is to say very poor). Women would likely be the deciding factor, which I think he would slightly better than McCain and Rmoney, but not enough to win especially if the D candidate was a woman.

[djean111]

8. As a woman who lives in Florida - Jeb is unattractive.

The GOP will have some cleaning up to to regarding Jeb's family -

http://nymag.com/news/politics/elections-2012/jeb-bush-2012-10/index4.html

Jeb's wife and daughter really had some problems.

I also remember reading that there was enough money in the state Healthy Kids fund to give everyone on the waiting list a year's worth of insurance - but when that was pointed out to Jeb he said oh, why give them health care for a year and then take it away again. And then he dissolved the waiting list.

http://www.sptimes.com/2004/02/10/news_pf/State/Deeming_waiting_list_.shtml

[yellowcanine]

7. The investigation was very narrow - basically did Christie know before the closure?

They concluded he did not. Big deal. There was no smoking gun that Nixon knew about Watergate before it happened either. And we know how that turned out.

[Smarmie Doofus]

2. My best guess is that he assumed the M$M would fold after a while.

And just help retire the story.

Frankly I'm surprised myself. Of course elements of the media HAVE retired it but lots are still hanging in.

I think a lot of that has to do w. Christie's unfortunate personality.

Sorry about that, big guy.

[cheyanne]

3. The report didn't investigate the motives for the closure either.

That they couldn't come up with one plausible motive shows a true lack of imagination or ignorance about NJ politics.

The lane closures affected another entity besides Ft. Lee:

The Hudson Lights project is a billion dollar project because it offers unparalleled access to the George Washington Bridge. But take away that access and it’s no longer a billion dollar project.

Mark Sokolich knew this back in September when the toll lanes from Fort Lee had been cut from three down to one. He asked Port Authority Deputy Executive Director Bill Baroni on September 12: “what do I do when our billion dollar development is put on line at the end of next year?”

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/cafe/is-a-billion-dollar-development-project-at-the-heart-of-bridgegate

This situation offers a much more reasonable explanation of the closures: let Hudson Lights developers know who gives the go-ahead on their billion-dollar project.

[rocktivity]

4. DING DING DING! Cheyanne, you're our grand prize winner!

Last edited Thu Jun 26, 2014, 03:15 PM - Edit history (4)

This situation offers a much more reasonable explanation of the closures: let Hudson Lights developers know who gives the go-ahead on their billion-dollar project.

Mastro & Co. found no motives because they didn't really look. They didn't really look because they knew what they would have found. And what they would have found was ex-PA chairman David Samson, his law firm Wolff & Samson, and his client Silverstein Properties, who lost out on the bidding. Which means that whatever Samson knew, Christie either knew also, or should have. Why do you think Christie held on to Samson as long as he could?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251349067

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=4347705


rocktivity

[CTyankee]

6. that won't be lost on the federal prosecutors, I"ll bet!

[Paladin]

9. I think that latest press conference sealed Christie's fate.

He didn't even try to disguise what he obviously is: a pathologically arrogant, rude, bullying thug who has no business advancing any further in politics. That laughable "investigation" he commissioned just locks an already-closed door.