(updated)
The conservative noise machine has been quiet so far, but Chris Christie's old pals might rally to his side now:
Federal prosecutors in New Jersey will begin a preliminary inquiry into the lane closures in Fort Lee, according to a law enforcement source.You know how this will be spun on the right, don't you? Eric Holder's Justice Department is now investigating Christie after refusing to investigate blah blah blah blah blah. Now the right has a liberal enemy in this matter. Game on.
A source with knowledge of the plans said that the United States attorney for New Jersey, Paul J. Fishman, would announce the investigation on Thursday morning.
Fishman is an Obama appointee who once (cue sinister music) worked for Holder in Washington. He was expected to get the U.S. attorney's position in 2001 if Al Gore (boo! hiss!) had become president (George W. Bush chose Christie instead). Wikipedia says he's a registered Democrat. The Montclair Times says he's done outreach to Arab and Muslim families and argued that "We're never going to arrest our way out of" our violent crime problem.
Appalled yet? If you were a wingnut, you would be.
And I'm sure that's just skimming the surface. I'm sure we'll find out whether Fishman has granite countertops by the end of the day.
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UPDATE: as promised (via Daily Caller):
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AND... Here's the same story at CNN.
Right now, Christie's doing a pretty good job of tap-dancing away from "Bridge-gate."
ReplyDeletePretty nimble, for a guy that size!
He's trying the old "I didn't know a thing about ____________" routine.
Ok, sure, but everything is not a chance for John McCain to finally take the white house. Its just not. Christie had to do a lot more than have some powerful wing nut wurlitzer allies to get over in even a straight wingnut primary. Circling the wagons to protect him? Some might do it but so what? He can't run as a martyr for something he claims he didn't do. The base is too southern and midwestern for that--although you are right that they like an asshole and a bully to the extent that he then tries to run as a victim and a patsy he can't do that. By next year there will be unbloodied and more popular people to run and Christie will be massively tarnished. As many people will think "no smoke without fire" as there will be to make Christie into a new Benghazi or, more likely, St. Christie Misericordia, barbecuing slowly on a Pagan pyre. Its just not possible for Christie to be all things at all times to all voters. Every voter whose imagination he seizes as a victim, he loses as a hero.
ReplyDeleteI didn't hear all of the press conference, but I did hear Christie take a sharp jab at the people who shut down the federal government. For a second there I thought he might announce a party change.
ReplyDeleteI would have placed emphasis on not 'now' but might, i.e. perhaps, or may.
ReplyDeletePoint of observation, a, is the base is way too southern and midwestern. Like all other points outside of New York / New Jersey, contrary to what their homies think they are not the center of the country. Everyplace has gridlock, even Oregon. To make is worse resonates with even the dumbest of rubes.
As with Hillary we are back to betting on a horse when the race hasn't even begun. The cartoons sketch thamselves.
No fear.