"He's not going to fire her before he's assured she's going to back him up."

[TheOther95Percent]

That was the gist of what Lawrence O'Donnell said in an exchange with Steve Schmidt about why Christie hasn't fired the deputy chief on his staff at the center of today's email releases. Steve Schmidt looked, quite frankly, shocked. He didn't argue with O'Donnell. What's the only explanation - in light of the damning admissions revealed in the staffer's written exchanges with Christie's own appointee to the Port Authority. This governor has bellowed about his ability to take decisive action. He even said "heads will roll." Well, what the fuck is he waiting for? Bridget Ann Kelly should have been fired on the spot. That she hasn't been is very telling.

I also cannot believe that once the story line about the non-existent traffic study came to light that he accepted no one in his administration had anything to do with it. Christie is a former prosecutor and should be able to determine where there is smoke, there is also fire. He looked the other way.

[immoderate]

1. Can Bridget Kelly bet that her fabrications can't be disproven?

Will she do her time alongside Christie?

--imm

[rustydog]

2. If you think you are above the law...

You have a "I am not a crook" moment
Or a: "I was humping, hiking the Appalachian trail" moment

And your career slowly slinks under the horizon

[TheOther95Percent]

6. I think this is his "I'm not a crook" moment.

I came of age watching the House investigation into Watergate. This has more of the flavor of a third rate burglary than a "I was cheating on my spouse" taste to it.

[Cha]

3. "back him up"?! Bridget Kelly is Toxic.. it looks

like she started the whole vengeance with or without Christie's go ahead.

[greatlaurel]

4. Does she have pictures?

[Whisp]

5. I wonder if Christie calls her 'Bridge' for short...

or will now

[TheOther95Percent]

7. Oh, SNAP. That's a DUZY

[Kahuna]

9. Good one. Another DUzy nom. nt

[jsr]

8. They're probably working on giving her another high-paying job to reward her compliance.

[riqster]

10. Link?

[Laxman]

11. That Was A Selective Release Of E-Mails...

with all of the redactions and the missing names, her message is the one released making it look like it originated with her. There is no way this was her idea. She may have been the messenger, but this was per-meditated from the Christie leadership, both the campaign side and the administrative side. The fact that the two were too closely coordinated may be a real problem as well.