Investigator Says No Proof Christie Knew of Plan to Jam Traffic

[LiberalElite]

Source: Bloomberg Businessweek

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-02-02/investigator-says-no-proof-christie-knew-of-plan-to-jam-traffic

New Jersey investigators have no proof Republican Governor Chris Christie knew at the time about traffic closures at the George Washington Bridge in September, a Democratic lawmaker helping to lead the state probe said.

“Nothing yet implicates the governor directly,” state Assemblyman John Wisniewski, who is co-chairing the investigation, said today on “Meet the Press” on NBC. “We don’t have any proof right now that the governor said, go and close the lanes.”

Read more: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-02-02/investigator-says-no-proof-christie-knew-of-plan-to-jam-traffic

[notadmblnd]

1. Well they never claimed to have proof.

The one who claims to have the proof is his school chum and sleazeball flunky Weinstein.

[cstanleytech]

14. I thought Weinstein was only offering testimony for immunity?

Thats a far cry from offering testimony against the governor for immunity.

[longship]

2. That doesn't mean he didn't do it.

My thinking is that he's not stupid enough to have left his fingerprints on this. But I also think that it's just not credible for him to claim he did not know about it. For Christ sakes, his top staffers were clearly in on it.

But I suppose he is going to skate, unless somebody throws him under the bus.

Waiting...

[cstanleytech]

15. Doesnt mean he did it either long.

As for him knowing it was going on its likely he did know that something was going on but the question is did he suspect it was being done for malicious reasons and there is just about no way to prove what he suspected that because we cant read peoples minds.

[Heather MC]

18. All he had to do was tell Bridget Kelly verbally to give Ft Lee Traffic Problems, no one would know

I think it is too soon for them to be saying stuff like this, they have no idea what could be buried in an email

[Gin]

29. Yep...he giave the VERBAL order.....she stupidly sent it in an email....thats why he fired

Her for being stupid. IMHO

[Botany]

3. misleading headline

"Nothing YET implicates the governor directly,"

Besides Wildstein says he has proof that governor knew about it.

[TheBlackAdder]

4. This article is premature as the supoenaed documents are still pending. nt

[calimary]

19. And what about the emails (or texts?) that asked whether Trenton was happy about

what was, at that time, currently going on? Who's "Trenton"? Is that not the state capitol, where the governor's office is?

[weissmam]

5. The truth

If you think he didn't know you are an idiot and if he really didn't know, which is totally impossible , then Christie is even a bigger idiot

[rocktivity]

7. DING DING DING! Weissmam, you're our grand prize winner!

Lack of evidence can be considered, too. And you don't need any direct evidence when you've got enough circumstantial evidence.




rocktivity

[jsr]

22. +1

[24601]

23. Yeah, that would be like the people who think President Obama didn't know exactly what NSA has been

doing every day of his administration since noon on 20 January, 2009. Or maybe the Jersey DOT has the goods on Christie and blackmailed him in order to screw up traffic so that more money would ultimately be sent to them to fix a non-existent problem.

Or if he didn't know exactly what every NSA, CIA, FBI & IRS agent was doing every day, that's even worse because it shows that he didn't care enough about his job to ask the right questions.

Every chief executive of every federal, state and local government knows exactly that every uniformed and civilian employee is doing every minute of every day. Warm up the hover-craft driven by tin-foil helmeted clones.

Except that it's not how it works at ANY level of government. Each President/Governor/County Executive/Mayor/Chief Dog Catcher runs their portion of government with patronage appointees and career employees managing departments & agencies. Like any large organization, most people are there because they care about the job and do their best day in/day out. Leaders end up spending probably 90% of their time dealing with the 10% who create the problems.

Cue the conspiracy theorists in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1....

[rocktivity]

6. If you're smart enough to mastermind an operation like this

you're not going to be stupid enough to leave proof lying around -- especially if you had the power to destroy it.


rocktivity

P.S. Consider the source.

[RC]

8. What this means is that they don't have a recording of Christie saying this.

“We don’t have any proof right now that the governor said, go and close the lanes.”

[Baitball Blogger]

9. Which makes the witness testimonies all that more important.

No wonder there's a push to defame that little weasel, high school buddy of his.

[another_liberal]

10. Just the kind of disinformation one would expect to find published in that Bloomberg rag.

Let his fatcat friends use their money and influence trying to save Christies' mobbed-up, lying butt. That way they'll have less available to do real harm with.

[lostincalifornia]

37. yup, you should have heard the garbage coming out of Bloomberg network when the story first broke.

They had one christie fan boy after another coming out for him saying that his press conference "proved" he didn't do anything wrong, and is "soooooooooo presidential"

It was disgusting. They were somewhat reserved last week as the walls began to cave in.

but this was wall streets boy for sure

[another_liberal]

41. The big money is starting to give up on Christie . . .

But the biggest money is still fighting to save him.

[lostincalifornia]

44. no surprise, and I say keep throwing their money down the drain

[Jim Lane]

40. No, this is Wisniewski being properly cautious.

He's been pushing this investigation for some time now. Believe me, he is NOT in the tank for Christie. He knows, though, that if he overstates the case, he'll give the Republicans something to shoot at (accusing him of prejudging or of engaging in partisan politics or whatever).

He's saying only that not all the evidence has yet become available. I don't see any Bloomberg disinformation except, as others have noted, for the slanted headline.

[another_liberal]

42. Very insightful.

Your point is well taken.

[flamingdem]

11. Apparently a large number of the 20 who are supposed to turn over cell phones, emails

have asked for more time and gotten it..

[Walk away]

45. They just need more time to find lawyers...

At this point the crop of NJ white collar criminal defense lawyers is wearing thin. As soon as any of them hook up with a law firm they quit and issue a press release.

[gussmith]

12. Time For Some.....In Ft. Lee:

What is Ms Kelly Saying?

[thesquanderer]

16. I'm waiting for them to blame it on autocorrect (n/t)

[Justice]

13. They have proof of the what but not the why and of planning

[StevePaulson]

17. Just Like Alberto Gonzales - Never Used e-mail - "I don't recall" 122 times

Christie set up this whole thing, but he did it all by telling people what to do. Not by using e-mail. And I assume he wasn't being wiretapped like Blagojevich. Without the wiretap the Illinois governor would not be in prison. I assume it is the same here. No digital fingerprints that can prove Christie knew or set up the whole thing.

Is Christie 100% responsible for closing the bridge and hurting all those people's lives? Yes
Would you have to be an idiot to think Christie didn't know about the bridge closing? Yes
Did Christie help plan the bridge closing. Almost certainly.
Will Christie do time? No way.

Jails are for for people that can't afford the very best lawyers, or who had their phones wiretapped.

Imagine the feds tapping Blagojevich's phone, but not the mobbed up Christie's. Sad isn't it.

It was a well known fact Alberto Gonzales didn't use email. He did everything with "meetings" so all the crimes he committed, or covered up had no evidence.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/19/AR2007041902571.html

When testifying, just say I don't remember.

Remember the Bush years when our attorney general couldn't remember a darn thing?

Oh but for the good 'ol days when the non-muslim, Kenyan, socialist was in the White House. I just can't wait for the next Republican President.

[calimary]

20. Welcome to DU, StevePaulson!

Glad you're here. One thing I've noticed through the years is how thoroughly the bad guys learn from their mistakes. They cover their tracks a LOT better than they did during Watergate. Slippery sneaky-ass schmucks. Doesn't matter. He's still damaged goods. As he deserves to be, in the very least.

[NJCher]

30. in addition

Christie told a few people that one thing he learned from being a prosecutor is not to e-mail. He said it's better to text because it's harder to pull together the texts. This is not to say that Christie texted anyone, just that this is his belief from his prosecutor days.

Also, since the time he said that, the technology may have changed.

Now, this is only a television reporter saying this. I know nothing of texting since I don't even use a cell phone.


Cher

[adirondacker]

34. I'm thinking about investing in disposable cell phone stock.

Welcome to DU and I agree with you're well stated post.

[NutmegYankee]

21. Christie is like Henry II of England

He may not have personally killed Thomas Becket, but he is very responsible for it happening.

"Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?

I have no doubt that Christie issued something similar to have his aids carry this out.

[NJCher]

31. I asked my English 102 students

What Christie's tragic flaw was and they all yelled, practically in unison: "HE'S A HYPOCRITE!"

Christie talks the talk but he doesn't walk the talk.



Cher

[okaawhatever]

24. Giuliani-what a tool-his comment in this article is typical Republican water carrying tripe.

“It’s not evidence,” former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani said on the “Face the Nation” program on CBS. “It’s the suggestion, the tantalizing suggestion, that there may be evidence.”

No, what was said was: Evidence exists. He didn't say there may be evidence. If there isn't evidence Wildstein is in a world of hurt. It doesn't make sense for him to use that phrase unless he knows it's out there. He could have said many things that weren't definitive, but he chose definitive language. His attorney had it published. Pretty clear statement Rudy boy.


I'd like to thank Businessweek for showing they're not afraid to be the propoganda arm of the Republican party.

[SunSeeker]

25. That article's headline is misleading.

Evidence does not have to be direct evidence. It includes circumstancial evidence. People get convicted on circumstancial evidence all the time. Circumstancial evidence IS proof of guilt. Yes, Wisniewski does not have "proof right now that the governor said, go and close the lanes." But he may not need such proof. Circumstancial evidence can still prove Christie's involvement. Either way, he (and the feds) will get direct evidence, as soon as they give Bridget Kelly immunity.

[NJCher]

32. thank you

That is a point that needed to be made.

Some of our reporters are so ignorant.


Cher

[DallasNE]

26. Talk About Misleading Headlines

Using selective editing. Somehow the word "yet" was dropped from the headline. Here, both CBS and NBC attempted to entrap Wisniewski in a gaffe and when he was nimble on his feet the Christie apologists are left with misrepresenting what he actually said. Surely, people will see through this clumsy attempt to shore up Christie's standing for what it is.

[Misskittycat]

33. Agreed. Headline writing is a difficult and important function in news reporting.

The headline can be slanted -- easily -- by the choice of words. That's what happened here.

[DallasNE]

39. And DU Rules Prohibit Any Alterations In The Story's Headline

So here it is Bloomberg that is the guilty party.

[Politicalboi]

27. Since Crisco was in NY on 9/11

How on fucking earth does he not KNOW about it. It will come out sooner or later. I find it impossible for him not to know about the lane closures.

[Vincardog]

28. No proof right now that the governor said, "go and close the lanes.” he may have said "Close the F*k

lanes now" He may have said "F*uck up some traffic".


We do not have proof right now of exactly what he said.

Hell he may have written it down!

[tblue37]

35. Doesn't matter where 2016 hopes are concerned. If he created an atmosphere

that made his staff and appointees feel such things were wanted, and if he appointed a bunch of thugs, and if he failed to pay attention and control what they were doing, then he is a crappy leader and not presidential material, and their thuggishness als reflects on his own well publicized bullying persona.

I would love to see him prosecuted and convicted. He is almost certainly guilty of this and of other equally criminal behavior. But even if we don't get to see him serve time for his crimes, we can at least breathe a sigh of relief that he won't be the GOP nominee in 2016, because he was bizarrely appealing to way too many low-information voters, including a scary number of Dems and independents. Also, the M$M loved him and would have helped his campaign along, just as they did for McCain for so long just because he schmoozed with them and courted their goodwill during his campaigns.

As Sylvia Plath notes in her poem "Daddy" (she says it about women, but I believe the observation to be true about all too many people generally, both male and female), people love a brute.

I think that's because we are just a species of great ape, and the natural social structure for our type of animal has a big, loud bullying male at the top.

[SoapBox]

36. Such bullshit...

So right now, "no proof", as in physical proof...but a closed circle, verbal conversation is all that it takes.

The fucking Bully is full of shit, that he didn't know from noth'ing.

[iandhr]

38. “Nothing yet implicates the governor directly,”

So these people are going to investigate and wait for facts instead of wild media speculation? Wow what a concept.

[olddad56]

43. no proof - YET

[yellowcanine]

46. “We don’t have any proof right now that the governor said, go and close the lanes.”

Of course they will not get proof of anything that specific. Even the smoking gun email was not that specific.