Haley Barbour defends Chris Christie in bridge scandal, lashes out at ‘liberal media’

Haley Barbour defends Chris Christie in bridge scandal, lashes out at ‘liberal media’ (via NJ.com)

TRENTON — Former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour defended Gov. Chris Christie in a lengthy interview for “taking the bull by the horns” after a week of explosive revelations that top Christie aides knew about plans to cause a massive traffic jam…

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Good News, Bad News Poll For Christie

A Rasmussen Poll taken Thursday evening after Governor Chris Christie’s marathon press conference apologizing for the September George Washington Bridge lane closures indicates that 60% of likely New Jersey voters approve of the job that Christie is doing and 55% hold a favorable opinion of him.

Yet, New Jerseyans are skeptical of Christie’s claims that he had no prior knowledge of the Bridgegate closures or his staff’s involvement.

54% of Likely New Jersey Voters believe it’s at least somewhat likely that Christie was aware that traffic lanes onto the George Washington Bridge were being closed as retaliation for the mayor of Fort Lee’s refusal to support the governor’s reelection. 36% think it’s unlikely Christie was aware beforehand.

56% say Christie should resign if it is proven that he knew the lane closures were an act of political retribution.

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More Front Office Fallout From Bridgegate

Kevin O’Dowd, center, holds the Holy Bible while Governor Christie administers the Oath Of Office to Mary O’Dowd, Kevin’s wife, to be Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, June 3, 2011. Photo by Tim Larsen/Governor’s Office

The State Senate put Kevin O’Dowd’s confirmation hearing for State Attorney General on an indefinite hold, which prompted the governor to withdraw Acting Attorney General John Hoffman’s nomination to be a Superior Court Judge, according to a report by the Associated Press.

O’Dowd is Christie’s Chief of Staff. Bridget Ann Kelly, the Deputy Chief of Staff now at the center of the Bridgegate scandal, reported to O’Dowd  prior to being fired by Christie yesterday morning.

During his hour and 48 minute press conference dealing with Bridgegate yesterday, Christie said he expected O’Dowd’s nomination to go forward.

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Chris Christie is sincere in bridge scandal apology, body language expert says

Chris Christie is sincere in bridge scandal apology, body language expert says (via NJ.com)

Gov. Chris Christie showed all the signs of telling the truth during Thursday’s news conference, a body language expert said. According to Janine Driver, president of the Alexandria, Va.-based Body Language Institute, Christie exhibited some of the…

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Opinion: Big and Small Thinking at the Port Authority

Opinion: Big and Small Thinking at the Port Authority (via NJSpotlight)

The reason I believe Gov. Chris Christie will survive the Bridgegate controversy is that he is too smart to have directed or encouraged what he accurately called the “abject stupidity” of September’s lane closings on the George Washington Bridge…

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Will the Bridgegate Scandal Change the Way Christie Governs?

Will the Bridgegate Scandal Change the Way Christie Governs? (via NJSpotlight)

For all the talk about how the George Washington Bridge scandal is going to affect Gov. Chris Christie’s national ambitions, what about closer to home, what about the “business of the people” as it’s conducted in New Jersey? Christie gives a State…

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Fort Lee Mayor: I Accept Christie’s Apology

Fort Lee Mayor: I Accept Christie’s Apology (via Wall Patch)

‘I take him for his word,’ Mayor Mark Sokolich said after accepting governor’s in-person apology late Thursday afternoon. Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich not only accepted Gov. Chris Christie’s apology for choking lane closures at the George Washington…

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Report: Fort Lee death was not cause by the traffic jams

h/t Matt Rooney

The daughter of the 91 year old woman who died during the George Washington Bridge lane closures told The New York Times that the traffic jams caused by the lane closures were not a factor in her mother’s death.

“I honestly believe it was just her time,” said Vilma Oleri, whose mother, Florence Genova, died on the morning of Sept. 9, the first day that the closing of local lanes leading to the George Washington Bridge set off the snarls.

Mrs. Oleri obviously did not talk to an attorney before talking to the NY Times reporter. Good for her.

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Wildstein Invokes Fifth Amendment Protections Before Assembly Transportation Committee

Former Port Authority of NY/NJ official David Wildstein  invoked his rights against self incrimination under the U.S. and New Jersey constitutions in declining to answer any questions posed by Assembly Transportation Committee Chairman John Wisniewski at a hearing that started moments after Governor Chris Christie’s press conference concluded.

Wisniewski  advised Wildstein and his attorney Alan Zegas that the committee rules and state statute do not allow for invoking fifth amendment protections. Zegas advised his client not to answer question, stating that the constitutions supersede the statute.

The committee held Wildstein in contempt.

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Christie Fires Kelly and Stepien, U.S. Attorney Opens Bridgegate Investigation

A contrite and “heartbroken” Governor Chris Christie answered questions for almost two hours today from the state and national press corps in a press conference in which he announced the firing of his Deputy Chief of Staff Bridget Kelly and his long time political manager Bill Stepien.   Kelly’s employment was terminated first thing this morning and Stepien was advised that his consultancy with the Republican Governors Association was terminated and that Christie is withdrawing his nomination as Chairman of the NJ GOP.

Christie said he fired Kelly because she lied to him about her prior knowledge of the September lane closures at the George Washington Bridge.  Stepien was let go because Christie lost confidence in the political operative’s judgement after reading his participation in the emails released in the Bridgegate controversy yesterday.

The New York Times is reporting that U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Paul Fishman has opened an investigation into the Bridgegate matter today at the request of the Port Authority of NY/NJ’s Inspector General.

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