Christie Accused Of Bullying Political Enemies

Accounts of Petty Retribution Reinforce Christie’s Bullying Image

TeIn 2010, John F. McKeon, a New Jersey assemblyman, made what he thought was a mild comment on a radio program: Some of the public employees that Gov. Chris Christie was then vilifying had been some of the governor’s biggest supporters. He was surprised to receive a handwritten note from Mr. Christie, telling him he had heard the comments, and that he didn’t like them. “I thought it was a joke,” Mr. McKeon recalled. “What governor would take the time to write a personal note over a relatively innocuous comment?” xt

But the gesture would come to seem genteel compared with the fate suffered by others in disagreements with Mr. Christie: a former governor who was stripped of police security at public events; a Rutgers professor who lost state financing for cherished programs; a state senator whose candidate for a judgeship suddenly stalled; another senator who was disinvited from an event with the governor in his own district. In almost every case, Mr. Christie waved off any suggestion that he had meted out retribution. But to many, the incidents have left that impression, and it has been just as powerful in scaring off others who might dare to cross him.

“Every organization takes its cues from the leadership as to what’s acceptable and what’s not, and this governor, in his public appearances, has made thuggery acceptable,” said Assemblyman John S. Wisniewski, the Democrat leading the hearings that have exposed the role of the governor’s aides in the lane closings. “For the governor to say I knew nothing about this? He created the atmosphere in which this is acceptable.” Text

Now, the governor is dogged by another accusation of petty political revenge. Two close political allies ordered the abrupt shutdown of two local access lanes on the George Washington Bridge in September, gridlocking the borough of Fort Lee for four days. The borough’s mayor said it was punitive because he had declined to endorse the governor’s re-election.

In 2011, Mr. Christie held a news conference where he accused State Senator Richard J. Codey of being “combative and difficult” in blocking two nominees. Mr. Codey, a Democrat who had served as governor following the resignation of James E. McGreevey, responded by noting that he had not only signed off on the nominations, but had held a meeting to try to hurry them along. Three days later, Mr. Codey was walking out of an event in Newark when he got a call from the state police superintendent informing him that he would no longer be afforded the trooper who accompanied him to occasional public events — a courtesy granted all former governors. That same day, his cousin, who had been appointed by Mr. McGreevey to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, was fired, as was a close friend and former deputy chief of staff who was then working in the state Office of Consumer Affairs.

Later that year, the governor was pressing hard on Alan Rosenthal, the Rutgers political scientist whom Republicans and Democrats had chosen as the tiebreaking member of the commission that was redistricting the state’s legislative districts. Mr. Christie wanted Mr. Rosenthal to vote for the map put forward by the Republicans on the commission, but instead he chose the Democrats’ plan, saying it offered more stability. That summer, Mr. Christie used his line-item veto to cut $169,000 for two programs at Mr. Rosenthal’s institute at Rutgers.

In 2010, when a blizzard paralyzed the state, State Senator Sean T. Kean, a Republican, told a reporter that the “one mistake” the Senate president and governor had made was not calling earlier for a state of emergency, which might have kept more cars off the roads. Mr. Christie was smarting from criticism that he had remained at Disney World during the storm. When he returned, he held his first news conference in Mr. Kean’s home district. Shortly before, a member of the governor’s staff called Mr. Kean and warned him not to show up. His seat was eliminated in redistricting the following year.

www.nytimes.com...

This is the guy who will probably be the GOP choice in 2016. So we will be able to vote for this guy or Hillary Clinton! What a choice.

Also, I think this indicates that Christie likely knew about the bridge closings or created an atmosphere that allowed it.

The future of the country looks grim

ChrisChristie "outraged" by traffic scandal. Almost outraged as the day McDonald's pulled Angus burgers from their menu.

Willtell

This is the guy who will probably be the GOP choice in 2016. So we will be able to vote for this guy or Hillary Clinton! What a choice.

Also, I think this indicates that Christie likely knew about the bridge closings or created an atmosphere that allowed it.

The future of the country looks grim

Any nominee from either main party holds no promise of anything.

But as a personal opinion, bullying isn't nearly as bad as all the slimey self-serving corrupt lie-to-your-face politics that already happen in Washington.

Well, at least he knows how to play dirty if he has to go up against Hillary Clinton. After all, the Clintons wrote the book on political bullying.

Politics in New Jersey are mob style 'thug' politics. They are second only to corrupt Chicago politics.
Perhaps Christie was getting his cues from your buddy from Chicago - Obama.

A woman died as a result of this petty nonsense.

I hope charges are brought forth.

beezzer
A woman died as a result of this petty nonsense.

I hope charges are brought forth.

I'd just bet that before this is all over, someone or possible even a group of people, do indeed end up being charged with a criminal offense. On the other hand, Gov. Christie may or may not be one of those charged.

While I'm not a huge fan of Gov. Christie, I'm listening to him speak at his news conference right now and so far, he's making a pretty convincing case that he was not aware of what these people did. It's definitely possible that he may not have known and IMO, it's only right to give him the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise.

If it does turn out that he didn't know, then the most important thing to witness will be to see how he handles this incident and those responsible for initiating it.

All I know is that if I were him and one or some of my staff did something like this behind my back, I'd be the one leading the charge to have them prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Oh yeah, and I wouldn't come along later and pardon them just prior to leaving office either.

reply to post by beezzer

I agree. I was just thinking about that as I watched Christie's news conference.
Someone could have a good lawsuit and I wonder if there will be others that will come from this as well.

bridgegazi!

I don't care if he knew or not, he's a leader and he is is responsible for his people's actions. A captain of a boat is responsible for even the lowliest member of his crew.

Christie should have solid staffers in the run up to a GOP nomination to keep scandals like this from ever happening. The governor should be watching his P's and Q's -- as he's in the spotlight as one of the front running Republican candidates.

I too hope charges are brought, this whole thing sickens me. I guess politics are more important than people these days.

reply to post by MystikMushroom


I agree. Currently, the most dangerous job in the world is to be a staffer or an aide to a politician.

You'll get thrown under a bus quicker than saying, "If you like your bridge, you can keep it!"

reply to post by beezzer


Consider this...

If he had no idea this was going on, what kind of a leader is he? How can he not have "the pulse" of his own people? I'm not saying he needed to have micromanaged his staff, but at least stay on top of their activities!

Christie wants to go to Fort Lee and save his skin but the Mayor suggests he stay away until the investigation is over.

If I were mayor of Fort Lee I would tell Christie to go to hell. He didn’t give a dam about them until he got caught.

Now he wants fake photo ops of forgiveness.

I think Christie had an infiltrated staff.

Most likely by the Obama/Hillary mob.

The tactics are obvious. They see Christie as a major threat.

smells like Alinsky

Hillary, Obama and the Cult of Alinsky: "True revolutionaries do not flaunt their radicalism, Alinsky taught. They cut their hair, put on suits and infiltrate the system from within. Alinsky viewed revolution as a slow, patient process. The trick was to penetrate existing institutions such as churches, unions and political parties.... Many leftists view Hillary as a sell-out because she claims to hold moderate views on some issues. However, Hillary is simply following Alinsky’s counsel to do and say whatever it takes to gain power.

"Obama is also an Alinskyite.... Obama spent years teaching workshops on the Alinsky method. In 1985 he began a four-year stint as a community organizer in Chicago, working for an Alinskyite group called the Developing Communities Project.... Camouflage is key to Alinsky-style organizing. While trying to build coalitions of black churches in Chicago, Obama caught flak for not attending church himself. He became an instant churchgoer." (By Richard Poe, 11-27-07)

Hillary started early.
In her 1969 thesis on Alinsky, she eluded to Alinsky being ineffective.
Standard procedure for making people believe the opposite of your own plans !!
Reference Hillary Rodham senior thesis

reply to post by Willtell


I always thought he was a bully.

xuenchen
I think Christie had an infiltrated staff.

Most likely by the Obama/Hillary mob.

The tactics are obvious. They see Christie as a major threat.

smells like Alinsky

Hillary, Obama and the Cult of Alinsky: "True revolutionaries do not flaunt their radicalism, Alinsky taught. They cut their hair, put on suits and infiltrate the system from within. Alinsky viewed revolution as a slow, patient process. The trick was to penetrate existing institutions such as churches, unions and political parties.... Many leftists view Hillary as a sell-out because she claims to hold moderate views on some issues. However, Hillary is simply following Alinsky’s counsel to do and say whatever it takes to gain power.

"Obama is also an Alinskyite.... Obama spent years teaching workshops on the Alinsky method. In 1985 he began a four-year stint as a community organizer in Chicago, working for an Alinskyite group called the Developing Communities Project.... Camouflage is key to Alinsky-style organizing. While trying to build coalitions of black churches in Chicago, Obama caught flak for not attending church himself. He became an instant churchgoer." (By Richard Poe, 11-27-07)

Hillary started early.
In her 1969 thesis on Alinsky, she eluded to Alinsky being ineffective.
Standard procedure for making people believe the opposite of your own plans !!
Reference Hillary Rodham senior thesis

(Facepalm) Stop stirring, you old fox you!!!

reply to post by Willtell


I happened to have gotten caught in his traffic scandal when he had several lanes closed on the GWB.
Surely I was pissed as can be - although I like Christie.

MystikMushroom
reply to post by beezzer

 

Consider this...

If he had no idea this was going on, what kind of a leader is he? How can he not have "the pulse" of his own people? I'm not saying he needed to have micromanaged his staff, but at least stay on top of their activities!

Wow! That is exactly what I've been saying about Obama for the last 5 years almost word for word. Benghazi, IRS targeting political enemies, Obamacare website, tapping reporters phones, Fast and Furious... the list goes on.

jjkenobi

MystikMushroom
reply to post by beezzer

 

Consider this...

If he had no idea this was going on, what kind of a leader is he? How can he not have "the pulse" of his own people? I'm not saying he needed to have micromanaged his staff, but at least stay on top of their activities!

Wow! That is exactly what I've been saying about Obama for the last 5 years almost word for word. Benghazi, IRS targeting political enemies, Obamacare website, tapping reporters phones, Fast and Furious... the list goes on.

This is going to get interesting.

I see conservatives almost forced to condemn Christie because they have spent the past 5 years slamming Obama for being the leader and accusing him of hiding when he "didn't know."

I also see the left defending him, because THEY have spent the past 5 years defending Obama because, while he is in charge, he can't know everything.

My personal opinion? I thought Christie was a RINO and a progressive before all of this started.

Plus, I honestly think that while he will get away with actual murder, he won't get the nod for the 2016 run. He screwed up.

Good.