Today the New York Times reported that David Wildstein, the former executive in the Port Authority who resigned amid the George Washington Bridge lane closing scandal, is now saying that Chris Christie knew about the BridgeGate scandal.
This Chris Christie documentary looks pretty good http://t.co/kSlJ8wvP2I
— Mat Honan (@mat) January 31, 2014
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Here is what you need to know:
1. Wildstein Claims He Has Proof Christie Knew
A letter released by David Wildstein’s attorney claims that there is hard proof that New Jersey Governer Chris Christie knew about the George Washington Bridge lane closures from Fort Lee, New Jersey.
Wildstein, Christie’s high school classmate and former-Port Authority exec, released that statement that, “evidence exists as well tying Mr. Christie to having knowledge of the lane closures, during the period when the lanes were closed, contrary to what the governor stated publicly in a two-hour press conference.”
Above you can see Wildstein testify before the New Jersey State Assembly.
2. Christie Has Denied Knowing
In a two-hour press conference held by Christie after released documents reveled that Christie’s former-deputy chief-of-staff Bridget Anne Kelly ordered the bridge lanes to be closed as political retribution, Christie denied knowledge of the scheme.
The released documents showed an email between Kelly and Wildstein in which the two conspire to close the bridge as political retribution against the democratic Mayor of Fort Lee for his refusal to endorse Christie.
Above you can watch the press conference where Christie says he was “blindsided” by the revelations that political retribution was the real reason behind the lane closures.
3. There Is a State Investigation Into the Scandal
The former-Assistant US Attorney Reid Schar will serve as lead counsel in the New Jersey General Assembly’s investigation into the BridgeGate scandal.
4. Christie is Now Embroiled in Scandal
Christie is now also facing another scandal involving Hoboken’s mayor Dawn Zimmer. Zimmer alleges that Christie threatened to withhold Hurricane Sandy relief money unless she went along with his plan for shoreline redevelopment.
5. His Numbers in 2016 Presidential Polls Are Slipping
A number of recent polls hypothetically pitting former-secretary of state Hillary Clinton against Chris Christie in then 2016 presidential election show that Christie’s numbers are slipping.
The Washington Post now has Clinton 12 points above Chrisite and Quinnipiac has Clinton 16 points above Christie, a bigger margin than in any other hypothetical match-up.