No One Believes Christie

[babylonsister]

http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2014/1/9/144440/4966

No One Believes Christie

by BooMan
Thu Jan 9th, 2014 at 02:44:40 PM EST


David Wildstein, the former Port Authority honcho who was thrown under the bus this morning during Governor Chris Christie's press conference, has been found in contempt of the New Jersey assembly for refusing to answer simple questions about his email account and former employment. It's a misdemeanor offense, and it's puzzling because he does have a right against self-incrimination. But his lawyer advised him to not answer any questions whatsoever, even if honest answers were highly unlikely to pertain to any criminal activity.

Needless to say, this doesn't look good. This is not the kind of cooperation with the investigation that Gov. Chris Christie promised in his press conference. It seems very probable that Christie knew that Wildstein would plead the fifth and, in fact, was depending on it when he made his blanket denials of fore- or after-knowledge of the criminal conspiracy that was hatched in his own office.

I am fairly certain that the Chris Christie press conference was one the worst displays of bald-faced lying that any of us have witnessed since at least the time that Anthony Weiner claimed that his Twitter account was hacked. Bold and confident lying can be convincing when you are unwilling to believe that someone could be so dishonest, but I am not unwilling to believe that Christie is dishonest, and I was utterly unconvinced of his innocence. I think that almost every word out of his mouth was a lie.

And I think it will all start to unravel very soon.

[RoverSuswade]

1. Could this be another

W*A*T*E*R*G*A*T*E **?**

[Gore1FL]

15. A bridge over troubled Watergate. n/t

[tulsakatz]

27. that's what it keeps reminding me of!!

an overzealous politician who does something stupid during a re-election bid that he was pretty much guaranteed to win. And when Christie said today "I'm not a bully" it made me think of Nixon's "I'm not a crook"!!

[warrior1]

2. Amen

[Butterbean]

3. I didn't believe him for a nanosecond. I don't see how anybody could. n/t

[ProSense]

4. They're hoping

"No One Believes Christie"

...that no one was actually listening. Just take Christies BS at face value and pretend his victim act and feigned humility (apology) were genuine.

He lied his ass off, contradicted himself and overall made no sense during the entire press conference.

[Boomerproud]

5. John King on CNN was singing his praises.

See, if a Democrat rebuts a story it's "damage control".
If a Gopper gets in trouble it's "fighting back".

[whathehell]

7. "If a democrat rebuts a story, it's "damage control", if a Gopper gets in trouble, its..

fighting back"....Excellent observation.

[TBF]

9. John King is an idiot -

and don't even get me started on David Gregory.

[tulsakatz]

28. he would!!

CNN & John King especially have no credibility with me ever since they so spectacularly blew it when they were searching for the marathon bombers in Boston, King's home town....

[ProSense]

6. If Christie didn’t know, why was his reelection staff involved in damage control?

If Christie didn’t know, why was his reelection staff involved in damage control?

by CenPhx

Something John Wisniewski, Democratic assemblyman, head of the Transportation Committee, asked David Wildstein got me thinking. Following from point A to B to C leads to the conclusion that a lot more people on Christie's staff were involved in coaching Wildstein and Baroni than just Bridget Kelly. I think that was where Wisniewski hoped to go with his questions...

We know that Bill Baroni, the deputy executive director of the Port Authority who was appointed by Christie, after the closure were in place, was actively involved in keeping information from the mayor of Ft. Lee and was constantly contacting Wildstein for what he should tell the mayor. Then Wildstein contacted Baroni when the Wall Street Journal reporter Tedd Mann called his cellphone. Baroni replied, “Jesus,” then told Wildstein to call Michael Drewniak, Christie’s press secretary. This is in the middle of September. So Wildstein, who knew exactly what was going on, called Christie's own press secretary to get direction on what to say to the press. But Drewniak had no idea that Wildstein and Kelly had ordered the closures?

On November 25, Baroni testified before the legislative committee and stated that the lane closures were part of a traffic study. Later that very same day Baroni texted Wildstein to find out about “Trenton feedback”. When Wildstein told him “good,” Baroni said, “Just good? Shit.”

Wildstein then said he has only sent text messages to Bridget Kelly and another woman named Nicole who were “VERY happy.” He added that, “Both said you are doing great” and someone named Charlie also said Baroni did well. So who are Nicole and Charlie? Well, during the legislative hearing today, Assemblyman Wisniewski asked Wildstein about the email and whether Charlie referred to Charlie McKenna. Of course, Wildstein neither confirmed nor denied this was accurate, but I am assuming Wisniewski is probably correct. Charles McKenna is none other than Chief Counsel to Governor Chris Christie.

As for the identity of “Nicole”, I was able to locate one Nicole in news accounts about Christie. Nicole Davidman worked for the NJ Republican Party until she stepped down in late 2012 to work for Chris Christie’s reelection campaign. Around that time she also wed none other than Michael Drewniak, Christie’s press secretary/spokesman. She is considered one of the 100 most powerful people in New Jersey business and the backbone of GOP and Christie’s fundraising. USA Today described her as Christie’s campaign finance director.

So when Wildstein texted his contacts on Christie's staff to find out if they were happy with what Baroni said in front of the committee, Wildstein did not just text Kelly, the person on whom Christie is blaming everything. No, Wildstein also contacted Christie's own attorney, McKenna, and his campaign finance manager, Davidman-Drewniak. But we are supposed to believe that Wildstein and Kelly were the only ones who discussed that they ordered the closures?

Next we have, on December 5, Wildstein sending Michael Drewniak an email from his personal email, thanking him for his “sound advice last night,” and saying “I always appreciate your friendship”. Drewniak acknowledged the dinner by thanking Wildstein for “a great dinner". The very next day, Wildstein announced he would resign from the Port Authority at the end of the year. Given that Wildstein felt he had to resign, is it remotely plausible that he and Drewniak did not discuss that Wildstein ordered the closures? Are you kidding me?

So the question I have is this: is it really plausible that Christie had no idea what Kelly and Wildstein did, given that Wildstein contacted Kelly, Davidman (the campaign finance manager), and McKenna (Christie’s attorney), to check on their reaction to how Baroni did during his testimony? Wildstein certainly knew the closures were not part of a study, and he was the person talking to not just Kelly, but members of Christie’s reelection staff and his attorney. And Baroni, the night before he decided to retire, was given “advice” by Drewniak, Christie’s press secretary and Davidman’s husband.

Christie’s entire staff was in damage control; controlling the message that went out to reporters from Wildstein and Baroni and monitoring what Baroni said in the committee hearing and even his resignation.

This wasn’t limited to Kelly. Everyone on Christie’s staff was involved.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/01/09/1268474/-If-Christie-didn-t-know-why-was-his-reelection-staff-involved-in-damage-control

Chris Christie's press conference claims don't add up
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024305850

NJ Lawmaker Wants To Hear From Fired Christie Aide Bridget Kelly Next
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024306506







Note:

Kos Media, LLC Site content may be used for any purpose without explicit permission unless otherwise specified

[Deny and Shred]

18. This spells it out and connects the dots

If only the public could see past the MSM's 'Christie did well today' mantra and decide to put two and two together, he would be caught in lie upon lie.

[Historic NY]

19. The more names, the more people, that get sucked in...

eventually its going to swallow him .

[Cha]

23. So Michael Drewniak knew but kept it from his boss?

Christie and his coaches think we're all as cowered and dumb as those who vote for him in New Jersey.

Can't wait to hear from those who voted for him and are rethinking that because of the whole Bridge thing.

Thx PS!

[tulsakatz]

29. great article!

thanks!

[Kablooie]

8. 28% of CNN viewers think Christie told the truth.

There's that good old reliable 28% that always, without fail, lives in a fetid bubble of determined ignorance.

http://crossfire.blogs.cnn.com/2014/01/09/can-we-believe-gov-chris-christie/

[kairos12]

10. They are permanent members of the fat earth society. Sorry, flat.

[malaise]

11. No one should

[HipChick]

13. I believe him...

and I also think I can buy some beach property in AZ...

[malaise]

14. LOL

[Cha]

24. Sure you're not into

Bridges in NJ? I hear they're goin' cheap!

[Jack Rabbit]

12. I don't like to jump to conclusions on matters like this, but . . .

In order to believe that Governor Christie is telling the truth, I would have to believe he hasn't spoken to his good friend and high school class mate, David Wildstein, in months.

I'm not inclined to believe that. Even if it was Ms. Kelly's intent to do an end run around the Governor, which I am not inclined to believe, either, it was unlikely that she have could prevented the Governor from meeting with one of his best friends and from discussing matters.

[rurallib]

17. didn't Christie act like he barely knew who Wildstein was

during his press conference today?

Looks like Wildstein may have lost his job and a close, close friend
(who would chop his (Wildstein's) legs off to save his own ass.)

[Cha]

25. Like Rude said in Advice #6, I believe..

"Stop pretending you don't know people".. you fuckin' idiot. That last part is mine.. but I doubt Rude would mind.

[CatWoman]

21. didn't you hear/know?

Christie and Wildstein attended the same high school, but that didn't make them "friends".

this came out of Christie's own mouth.

[weissmam]

16. Bottom Line

Someone died because the traffic delayed EMS

[George II]

20. What I find interesting is that Christie today said he had no sleep "the last couple of nights"....

...yet he knew nothing about the emails until yesterday (Wednesday) morning.

If that is true, what kept him awake on Tuesday night? Advance notice that the Bergen Record was printing a story yesterday?

[Cha]

26. Give Christie a break! He can't keep his

lies straight.. he hasn't had sleep the last couple of days.

Wanna bet it's longer?

[mountain grammy]

22. because he is 100% unbelievable..

[arikara]

30. There are so many similarities between this

and Stephen Harper's Duffygate affair where he also threw his closest hanger-on under the bus. The slight differences are in their responses. Christie blamed his staff but took complete responsibility even though he wasn't aware of what was going on. Harper blamed his staff but claimed total innocence because he wasn't aware of what was going on.

Both are bulling their way through their respective scandals in typical Conservative fashion, and approximately 23% believe them.

[freshwest]

31. BWAHAHA! Even the troll under the bridge doesn't support him! n/t