New Jersey Sunday Star-Ledger...front page: The Crisis Widens

[spanone]

http://www.nj.com/starledger/pdf/sunday.pdf

[URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]

There are lots of time-honored ways for powerful elected officials to punish other elected officials in New Jersey.

Make sure a pending bill disappears off the board. Erase a line item in the budget. Put a patronage hire out to pasture.

But those actions, as correspondence showed last week, seem to have been far too pedestrian for people close to Gov. Chris Christie.

Based on the release of internal doc- uments, a circle of Christie staff and allies appears to have taken politi- cal retribution to a new level when it conspired to send the borough of Fort

Lee into traffic chaos by closing lanes to the world’s busiest bridge — and then covered it up, say Democrats and political observers.

[malaise]

1. Ha - The Fort Lee Redevelopment Project

just exposed on Kornacki is going to make this even wider

[spanone]

2. saw that....interesting. godfather politics.

[JustAnotherGen]

3. Less Godfather

And more Boardwalk Empire.

[Voice for Peace]

15. do you have a link for this? I am curious but don't know what you're referring to.

thanks EDIT.. just found it

[malaise]

21. Several links available now

http://www.salon.com/2014/01/12/steve_kornacki_offers_up_his_own_solution_to_bridgegate_mystery/

[Voice for Peace]

22. thanks!

[catbyte]

17. Maddow's theory also makes a lot of sense.

[another_liberal]

18. I did a quick search . . .

This link is the latest mention I found:

http://www.northjersey.com/fortlee/Luxury_Fort_Lee_high-rise_transforms_Bergen_County_skyline.html

I guess as of mid-November there was no hint of scandal? Do you have a link to something more recent on the matter?

[randr]

4. I will take time but

the soon to come civil and criminal suits will have them all singing.

[rurallib]

16. Can Christie be forced to testify in court under oath?

[another_liberal]

19. If the Feds get into it . . .

I think he can be, yes.

[rurallib]

25. and I guess the feds would care because this is interstate commerce

[another_liberal]

30. Yes, and that is a very good reason for them to "Care."

If any governor could block the free flow of commerce into or through his State for personal, self-serving reasons, he could blackmail the rest of our country.

[Faygo Kid]

5. Getting ever closer to the guv

You have to believe in the tooth fairy to believe that Christie didn't know about and orchestrate this whole thing.

That, or be a well-trained dittohead.

[Stuart G]

6. Say it ain't so..Shoeless Joe. Too many in the know..some, maybe one, will sing...nt

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

7. Crisis Christie

[SHRED]

8. Map

[ProSense]

9. All well and good, but

"quickly realized the threat posed to Christie"

...that statement again tries to paint Governor Blowhard as a victim.

As pointed out here (http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024315957#post5), the one-line messages and responses point to a coordinated effort that had to involve prior communication and knowledge.

[Cha]

10. Ya think!

"Based on the release of internal documents, a circle of Christie staff and allies appears to have taken political retribution to a new level when it conspired to send the borough of Fort Lee into traffic chaos by closing lanes to the world’s busiest bridge — and then covered it up, say Democrats and political observers."

Christie the eternal victim.. the nastiness of his top aides and staff is a political threat to him. me a river

Brawawwawawaaa.. Another story in the Star Ledger..

"iN defeNse Of Christie A former governor scolds the “liberal media elite.” Page 9"

thanks spanone~

[flamingdem]

11. Squawk! I'm a victim (unless somebody sings like a canary!)

[Cha]

13. This story is in serious

need of a few canaries.

[Overseas]

12. K&R. Glad it seems to be expanding to include his other retaliatory acts.

Then the oh golly, I just didn't know what my over zealous staff was doing argument will glow more as a clear lie.

[Skittles]

29. CORRECT

[Shankapotomus]

14. The mentality of conservatives in this whole state is corrupt

Instead of dealing with disagreements and differences via open debate and discussion, I've noticed conservatives of every stripe - whether politicians or employers - here like to "get back" at people by clandestine methods and under the table...taking away privileges, breaking promises, gossiping, etc. It permeates the whole culture here. The conservatives in this state need one upside the head.

[ChiciB1]

23. Yes, Conservatives Seem Extremely "Mean Spirited"

However, NJ politics has always been a state where outright, under-the-table or quid pro quo runs rampant. A well known fact, but the pettiness of what Christie seems to have done is pretty impressive to me, even for this state.

Not until recently did I understand why so many Democrats fawned over him. But it does appear that unless you play along... well you can kiss your job, status or other even aspirations of a political career out the window if you got on the wrong side of this man.

Maybe he doesn't have all the power I'm speaking of here, but for a man to "decide" to hold a "special" Gubernatorial election to make himself gain a larger margin of his win, does show a side of him that makes me wonder.

Even Cory Booker & Melendez seem to walk in his shadow. Both of these Senators 2 who disagree and are pushing against Obama and how he wants to proceed with his plan for dealing with Iran. I think even Obama didn't want to get on the wrong side of this man.

I do realize many here think Booker's election was fantastic, but for me and having heard him speak about various issues, he's a pretty moderate Democrat.

JMHO

[stillwaiting]

24. Booker is more conservative than moderate on economic issues.

He will do what Wall Street wants, and he'll do it when they want it.

He's moderate on social issues, and that's all that we seem to be able to get from way too many Democratic politicians these days after very managed primaries all throughout our country.

I just had to vote for a "Democrat" in a special election that ran non-stop commercials touting his votes to eliminate the "death tax", reduce regulations, cut taxes, and spoke about "Obamacare" as a pejorative. He won by 9 votes, I believe, and I was directly and indirectly responsible for his victory by choosing to vote for the conservative Democrat and persuading others to do so as well. I honestly don't know how much longer I can do it though.

I am extremely upset about how apathetic and disconnected so many Americans are to what's happened in this country over the past 3 to 4 decades.

[ChiciB1]

26. Sooooo, Since I Actually Live In Flor-EEE-DUH

my comments and observations are only coming from me because I've followed politics very closely for a very long time. Truth be known, my father introduced it to me at the young age of 11 yrs. old. Most call me an addict, which is something I've tried to withdraw from many, many times. Haven't kicked yet!

I guess I would go even further than you regarding you saying you're apathetic. I'm actually disgusted and have become quite cynical these days. Many say this kernel started growing back with Reagan and I agree with that, but politics has surrounded this country from it's inception. Like maybe, tell me WHY we celebrate Columbus Day, just for starters. I won't start a litany though.

But let's just say people CAN even think back as far as Reagan, I've seen this country change immensely and not in a good way. As a liberal it's probably more distressing to me than it is to my kids who grew up around their parents who are Boomers AND vocal about our views. I tried to instill in them the importance of voting, however now I wonder if even I believe it makes that much difference. Many times it's the lesser of 2 evils. I think the generations who have come since my time are vastly different than it was between what my parents believed and my views. Regardless that we rebelled, my parents did seem to understand the reason why.

Now what I see IS what you see, apathy, disconnection and an almost "who cares" attitude that I feel deeply will some day come back to bite them. I can no longer work in the trenches because 1. very few trenches and 2. those in the trenches start strong and end up quitting.

And Democrats today most certainly aren't the type I grew up with. There are a handful who seem to be fighting back, sure you know them, but overall it does seem to more about CYA than anything else.

I still recall reading a book called "It Came From Berkeley," and it was quite an eye opener. Founded mostly by Repubs, it seemed that even they were more liberal minded than many of our Democrats today. And yes, the place changed over years... but it was an interesting read.

Sorry, got off topic... but not sure I see HOPE and some do. Best I can do is keep my fingers crossed!

[The Wizard]

20. A traffic study was done that indicated

to lessen the traffic on Fort Lee's streets three lanes be dedicated to alleviating the traffic build up. Everyone is aware of Christie's retaliatory proclivities. His big mistake was to take advice and counsel from Karl Rove. Everything changes once the lying starts.

[Kingofalldems]

27. But but Karl Rove said it's over and

Christie will be a great president and and

[malaise]

28. Don't forget Karl Rove also said that Rmoney was about to win Pennsylvania

and hence the Presidency live on TV Election night only to humiliate himself publicly.
People still listen to that failed ReTHUG asshole?

[malaise]

31. Why didn't he know?

That's the question - but we know that he knew.