At the heart of the scandal

[ProSense]

At the heart of the scandal

By Steve Benen

It’s no longer in dispute that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s (R) administration crippled the community of Fort Lee last September on purpose. It’s also no longer in dispute that the governor’s team did so as an act of political retaliation...The working assumption has been that the administration sought to punish Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich, a Democrat who didn’t endorse Christie’s re-election...Rachel offered an alternative theory on the show last night and it’s important to consider it in detail.

In New Jersey, state Supreme Court justices serve an initial term of seven years, at which point the sitting governor decides whether or not to reappoint them. Since the New Jersey constitution was revised and adopted in 1947, every governor has reappointed every state Supreme Court justice without exception...until Christie took office. In 2010, soon after Christie’s inauguration, he did something unprecedented: he declined to reappoint one of the justices: New Jersey Supreme Court Justice John Wallace, the court’s only African-American member. Wallace was not burdened by scandal or allegations of wrongdoing; Christie simply didn’t want him on the high court anymore...Rachel described the political firestorm that soon erupted in Trenton:

Senate Democrats made Chris Christie’s first nominee to replace Justice Wallace, they made her wait until somebody else’s seat came up on the court then they would consider her for that one, but not Justice Wallace’s.

Then, Chris Christie nominated a man named Phil Quan for the state Supreme Court, Senate Democrats said no. Then, Chris Christie nominated a man named Bruce Harris for the court, Senate Democrats said no.

Senate Democrats were so mad about what Christie did to take John Harris off the Supreme Court when he was up for re-nomination that they would not let anyone through. It’s been a big political crisis in New Jersey. Senate Democrats rejected every one of those Christie nominees, one after the other.

And then when another of the justices on the Supreme Court, a Republican, came up for re-nomination just like John Harris had, and the Senate Democrats signaled that they were going to give her a whale of a time at her re-nomination hearing, Chris Christie just flipped out. He had enough. He pulled that justice off the Supreme Court rather than submit her to re-nomination before the Senate Democrats.

No governor had ever failed to reappoint a sitting state Supreme Court justice, but Christie had suddenly done it twice – once for the court’s only African-American jurist, infuriating Democrats, and then again for a justice he actually liked. The governor, enraged, held a press conference to tell reporters, “I was not going to let her loose to the animals.”

The “animals,” in this case, were the Democrats in the state Senate.

Christie said that on the afternoon of Aug. 12, 2013.

On the morning of Aug. 13, 2013, Christie’s deputy chief of staff told the governor’s guy at the Port Authority, “Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee.”

The leader of the Senate Democrats at the time was a senator from … Fort Lee.

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/the-heart-the-scandal

[n2doc]

1. Good Summary. Thanks n/t

[BlueCaliDem]

2. Excellent summary! Thanks for sharing, ProSense. Question is, why isn't this all over

the media? And why has MSNBC failed to report on this possibility beyond Maddow's show?

This should be in all print media, broadcast media, and cable media. Instead, we have one lonely voice, Rachel Maddow, doing what the beltway press (too busy looking for scandals in the Obama Administration, no doubt) should be doing.

The result? Barely anyone knows about this.

[longship]

5. It's still speculative.

Plus, the released e-mails mention the Fort Lee mayor, but not the state senator.

So, although this sounds logical, Rachel's still a little out on a limb on this.

Myself, I think she may be right.

[avebury]

9. It is possible that they threw in the mayor as a red herring.

If anything went bad using the mayor as the victim of political payback leaves Christie space for plausible deniability. He really did not know the guy and the guy was not on his radar so why on earth would he want political payback on him? It also serves to deflect attention from the NJ Supreme Court Justice war between Christie and the Democrats which might give the story even more traction if the MSM actually provided national coverage of the State Supreme Court Justice war.

[BlueCaliDem]

10. I understand that. But since when has corporate media shied away from

speculative stories, especially (or almost exclusively) when it comes to President Obama and Democrats?

Darryl Issa is a prime example of how highly speculative, even baseless and unsubstantiated stories like Benghazi, IRS, death panels in ObamaCare, and Fast & Furious become truth through our complicit U.S. media.

And although, granted, Rachel's report still needs to be backed by hard evidence, the timeline alone should make red flags pop among "journalists" in our media, and yet that's not the case here.

Like you, I believe she's right on the money, too. Rachel wouldn't report on something as serious as this with nothing to back it up. That's just not her style.

[SunSeeker]

13. The mayor's name came up in the emails AFTER he started complaining about the closures.

His digging threatened to expose their stunt and it got the Wall Street Journal chewing on their ass. So that is why they were now pissed at the mayor.

I remember the mayor saying in an interview that he did not think it was anything to do with the lack of endorsement since he had never said he wouldn't endorse Christie. It was only August 13. Sokolich had supported Christie on other matters. There was still plenty of time for him to issue an endorsement before the November election.

[longship]

23. Yup. Thanks for the clarification.

Regards.

[dmr]

28. MSNBC has been airing Rachel's theory.

I've had MSNBC on all day, and each host has been discussing it.

[BlueCaliDem]

29. That's true, dmr. And you know what? It's picking up steam because of MSNBC's

continued reporting on this angle of "Bridgegate".

Let's hope this trend continues.

[NYC_SKP]

30. Hey, you! How are you?

I was thinking about you and didn't see any recent posts on your FB or here, got worried!

Happy New Year!!!

[bettyellen]

3. What was he hiding by not renominating Justice Hoens- what was he afraid would come out??

Last edited Fri Jan 10, 2014, 12:46 PM - Edit history (1)

someone asked on the thread last night, and it's a very important question.

[ananda]

6. Her name is Helen Hoens.

Not Holmes.

[bettyellen]

7. correcting, thank you- her husband works for Christie, this is the only piece I could find

that mentions them both:

http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/13/08/13/christie-s-judicial-shuffle-escalates-supreme-court-battle/?p=all

[joanbarnes]

4. Knew it was more than dislike of the Fort Lee mayor

[JBoy]

8. So that would have made it a "win-win" for Christie

Retribution against two people with one act. Very efficient.

[starroute]

11. What I don't understand is how Christie got a reputation for bipartisanship

Supposedly one of his strengths as a candidate -- and potential presidential candidate -- has been his ability to reach across the aisle and work with Democrats. But now we're hearing that there has been a behind-the-scenes guerrilla war going on since 2010.

So what's really happening in New Jersey? And to what extent has Christie been using political blackmail, extortion, and bribery to compel the appearance of bipartisan cooperation that doesn't really exist?

[calimary]

20. Fear can be a great motivator.

You can manipulate your enemies' perception, too, if they think you're gonna fuck with them but good if you don't make nice. Bullies and thugs tend to operate that way. Just sayin'.

Highly intriguing to me that the Democratic State Senator who may well be a christie administration target in her own right is now getting quite a bit of face time on MSNBC, at least. When they pop up on Andrea Mitchell's show, that should tell you something, because she's about as establishment-1%-CON-predisposed as they come. And when even Andrea Mitchell feels compelled (or her producers do) to go as deeply into this as to run a substantial clip from last night's Rachel Maddow muckraking, then that is significant as all-get-out.

I look at that Democratic State Senate leader and what I get from her is that either she has quite a few knife wounds in her back already, OR she knows quite a few people who have them. She at least knows the feel or the smell of christie's boot near her throat.

[JEB]

12. So what was his motive for sacking John Harris? Racism?

[SunSeeker]

14. He was a good judge, that's why.

Christie wants to pack the court with hacks who will support his anti-worker, anti-tax agenda regardless of what the laws and Constitution say. It's the same reason the GOP nationally has been blocking Obama's appointments.

Christie is every bit the teahadist you'll find in the House and Senate, he just has a New Jersey swagger.

[JEB]

16. Seems like he fits the mold of Repub Gov. ala Walker, Scott,

Kasich, Snyder and that power grabbing idiot in Maine who's name I can't recall. Bunch of out of control pigs.

[lindysalsagal]

27. Best post of the day: Hewants his court and this is GOP SOP: refuse nominees.

So, the dems did it to the GOP, and we all know that's not alowed. daring to return the same retribution back to the GOP IS enough to make him do something this petty. It absolutely is.

Best. Post. Of. The. Day.

[Hissyspit]

15. That's what I've been wondering.

[JEB]

17. I think that whole issue deserves a public re-airing.

[another_liberal]

18. I think Maddow is really on to something here.

This theory needs to be investigated aggressively.

[SCVDem]

19. This stinks like Watergate

Same type of situation.

I shouldn't jinx it but I am so glad that this story hasn't been popularly tagged as "Bridgegate".

I am sick of gate being applied to everything.

Great investigative reporting to Rachel and the staff at TRMS!

[ProSense]

21. NJ Senate President Rejects Maddow's Alternate Bridge Scandal Theory

NJ Senate President Rejects Maddow's Alternate Bridge Scandal Theory

New Jersey Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D) on Friday dismissed an alternate theory that was floated by MSNBC host Rachel Maddow about the George Washington Bridge scandal.

"That's a real conspiracy thing, right?" Sweeney said, after TPM described to him the gist of Maddow's argument.

<...>

But Sweeney, who said he did not see Maddow's program, rejected the theory.

"That can't be part of that, that can't be," he told TPM, referring to the Supreme Court fight, later adding: "Whoever said that has a very creative imagination."

Sweeney suggested that now that federal prosecutors are looking into the bridge incident, the truth about the lane closures will eventually come out.

- more -

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/sweeney-rejects-maddow-theory

[ProSense]

22. I don't find this dismissal convincing.

"That can't be part of that, that can't be."

Why not?

It makes more sense that revenge for an non-endorsement.

Either way, the facts will come out in the investigation.

Christie: Vindictive ass or incompetent buffoon
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/01/09/1268391/-Christie-Vindictive-ass-or-incompetent-buffoon

[crappyjazz]

24. Christie made his positions known, Hoen's hubby worked for Christie so.....

... would she decide against the bully's wishes potentially risking retaliation from Christie who could make her hubby unemployed?

[Cha]

25. I saw Rachel's Show last night.. it was excellent! I think Steve Benen

"John Wallace" in this situation?

"Senate Democrats were so mad about what Christie did to take John Harris off the Supreme Court when he was up for re-nomination that they would not let anyone through. It’s been a big political crisis in New Jersey. Senate Democrats rejected every one of those Christie nominees, one after the other."

And, this one..

"And then when another of the justices on the Supreme Court, a Republican, came up for re-nomination just like John Harris had, and the Senate Democrats signaled that they were going to give her a whale of a time at her re-nomination hearing, Chris Christie just flipped out. He had enough. He pulled that justice off the Supreme Court rather than submit her to re-nomination before the Senate Democrats."

I'm wondering why Christy wouldn't re-nominate Justice Wallace in the first place?!

Thanks ProSense

[treestar]

26. good article

Christie sounds worse and worse the more I learn about him.