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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhy Did Chris Christie Say He Was Appointed U.S. Attorney The Day Before 9/11 When He Wasn’t?
Why Did Chris Christie Say He Was Appointed U.S. Attorney The Day Before 9/11 When He Wasnt?
At the GOP primary debate Thursday night, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) misrepresented the timing of his appointment to a Department of Justice position by claiming to have been a United States Attorney at the time of the 9/11 attacks.
When Fox News Megyn Kelly asked Christie about his criticisms of Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who argues that extensive surveillance programs created in the wake of the attacks violate the Bill of Rights, Christie invoked his personal experience with the attacks and ensuing law enforcement activity.
I was appointed U.S. Attorney by President Bush on September 10th, 2001, and the world changed enormously the next day, and that happened in my state. This is not theoretical to me, Christie said. In his closing remarks, Christie repeated the claim and date.
Reports from the time suggest that Christies nomination to the vacant U.S. Attorney slot in New Jersey was widely anticipated prior to the attacks. The New Jersey Star-Ledger reported that the White House had contacted Christie on September 10 to tell him they had begun the six-week vetting process that would precede his nomination. But Bush didnt actually nominate him until December 7 of that year, and he did not assume office until early 2002. The Meet Chris section on Christies campaign website says that he served as U.S. Attorney from 2002-2008.
An editorial in the New Jersey Star-Ledger from September 7, 2001, says Bush is preparing to name Morris County attorney Chris Christie to the position. The New York Times article from December marking the official nomination notes that it was expected for months. Christie was confirmed the next month, after New Jerseys two senators agreed to support the nomination despite their concerns that Christie had no prosecutorial experience at the time.
Christies misrepresentation of the timeline of his appointment, first reported by Marcy Wheeler, was enough to mislead NBC News Andrea Mitchell on Thursday nights post-debate broadcast. Christie has not reminded people in a long time, he hasnt had the forum to remind people, that he was a prosecutor on September 10th and September 11th, that he was locking up terrorists, Mitchell said. Christie was not sworn in as a federal prosecutor until January 17, 2002.
http://thinkprogress.org/election/2015/08/07/3689230/chris-christie-september-10/
davidn3600
(6,342 posts)He's trying to find a niche as the "9/11 candidate."
TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)Elwood P Dowd
(11,443 posts)He is a lying mountain of shit.
rocktivity
(44,576 posts)It's like asking why Dolly Parton sleeps on her back.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=7087145
rocktivity
Lurks Often
(5,455 posts)Maybe on 9/10/2001 Bush told Christie he was going to be the next US Attorney for New Jersey (presuming nothing showed up during the vetting process) and between 9/11, the DC bureaucracy and the holidays, the official announcement and confirmation was delayed.
It's a moot point, Christie isn't going to be the Presidential nominee or VP nominee.