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Here’s The Real Chris Christie Bridge Bullying Question No One’s Asking

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Emails Reveal Chris Christie Closed Off Democratic Mayor’s Town For Political Revenge

For months, Rachel Maddow and other progressive news commentators had been talking about allegations that Governor Chris Christie had access to a small New Jersey town all but shut down in an act of political revenge. Democratic mayor Mark Sokolich of Fort Lee refused to endorse Christie’s re-election bid, unlike many other Democratic mayors across the state.

As these allegations became more widespread, Governor Christie found himself forced to deny them more and more frequently. A close friend who worked for Christie resigned as a sacrificial lamb, but the New Jersey state legislature began to investigate, as did many local and national media outlets.

Today, we learn that a top Christie aide in the governor’s office ordered the closure of three of the four lanes from the George Washington Bridge — the nation’s most-traveled bridge — into and out of Fort Lee, starting on the first day children went back to school, and including, shockingly, on September 11.

“Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee,” a Christie deputy chief of staff, Bridget Anne Kelly, said in an email to David Wildstein, Christie’s high school close friend whom the New York Times identifies as “one of his appointees at the Port Authority, which controls the bridge.”

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Aides in Christie’s office, according to the Times, were “gleeful” about the retribution and the angst it caused:

“Is it wrong that I am smiling?” Mr. Wildstein texted Ms. Kelly.

“No,” she texted back.

“I feel badly about the kids,” he texted.

“They are the children of Buono voters,” she said, referring to Mr. Christie’s Democratic opponent, Barbara Buono, who was trailing consistently in the polls and lost by a wide margin.

The country sees Governor Christie as a straight-talking moderate Republican who could be the Republican nominee for President in 2016. Those who see things more clearly understand that not only is Christie not a moderate — his stance against same-sex marriage is but one indicator — he is also a bully. And shutting down access into and out of a small town because the mayor wouldn’t endorse you is definitely the action of a bully.

So here’s the question no one is asking, but should — aside from the legal implications of this disgusting attack on his own citizens: What would a President Chris Christie do, if given a chance in the Oval Office?

Would he continue to use his power to shut down access to towns and states that didn’t vote for him?

No, been there, done that — and it would be too obvious.

But would he use his power to bully and deny access to government programs and services states badly need?

Could a blue state count on immediate FEMA help during a crisis if they didn’t vote for Christie? Would there be presidential executive orders that somehow worked to punish counties or states that voted Democratic?

Given today’s revelations, these are not only fair but important and necessary questions the people of New Jersey and voters across the nation need to ask.

Unfortunately, Governor Christie isn’t taking any questions.

 

Image via Chris Christie’s Facebook page

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Ethics Committee Reveals Latest Republican to Come Under Review: Report

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The House Ethics Committee has reportedly announced that U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) is facing a review by the Office of Congressional Conduct.

The origin of the review was not been disclosed. Under committee rules, officials are prohibited from stating whether the matter constitutes a formal investigation or identifying its underlying cause. The Committee only stated that there is a “matter regarding Representative Nancy Mace.”

“The Committee notes that the mere fact of a referral or an extension, and the mandatory disclosure of such an extension and the name of the subject of the matter, does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred, or reflect any judgment on behalf of the Committee,” the Ethics Committee statement reads. It was posted to social media by congressional journalist Jamie Dupree.

The statement also says the committee will “announce its course of action in this matter on or before March 2, 2026.”

Congresswoman Mace is currently running for governor of South Carolina.

Earlier this month Mace warned that Republicans may lose control of the House, saying they have not “done enough” and could “do a lot more” to implement President Donald Trump’s agenda, The Hill reported.

 

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Republican Vows to Block Trump’s Greenland Push

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A prominent Republican lawmaker is vowing to thwart any attempt by President Donald Trump to acquire Greenland through force or financial means.

Speaking from Copenhagen as part of a bipartisan delegation of U.S. congressional lawmakers, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), told reporters it is “an important message for the people of the Kingdom of Denmark to understand” that the United States has “three separate but equal branches” of government.

Reminding them that under the U.S. Constitution it is Congress that controls spending, Senator Murkowski, who has broken ranks and stood up to President Trump at times, said, “In Congress, we have tools at our disposal under our constitutional authority that speaks specifically to the power of the purse through appropriations.”

She noted also that “Congress has a role. Certainly, when it comes to spending authorities, the Congress has a role in basically helping to facilitate the message that comes from our constituents, to be reflected in whether it’s legislation or appropriations, or actions or measures, that can indicate, again, the will of the Congress.”

READ MORE: Trump Dangles Another Insurrection Act Threat for Minnesota

The “vast majority” of Americans do not support the acquisition of Greenland, Senator Murkowski added, noting that “some 75 percent will say we do not think that that is a good idea.”

“Greenland needs to be viewed as our ally, not as an asset,” Murkowski also told reporters.

Politico reported that U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) “also took part in the visit by House and Senate lawmakers,” and “said he would push ahead with legislation to curb Trump’s power to act unilaterally.”

He also denied President Trump’s claims that Greenland is necessary to be owned by the U.S. for national security reasons.

“Are there real, pressing threats to the security of Greenland from China and Russia?” Coons said. “No, not today.”

READ MORE: With Shutdown Looming and Crises Growing Trump Heads Off for Long Mar-a-Lago Weekend

 

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Trump Dangles Another Insurrection Act Threat for Minnesota

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Just one day after threatening to invoke the Insurrection Act in Minnesota, which would allow him to unleash domestic military forces onto American streets, President Donald Trump once again on Friday hinted he would do so while suggesting he may be “forced” to take action.

Trump targeted Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, both Democrats, claiming they “don’t know what to do” after he deployed roughly 3,000 federal troops to the city.

“In Minnesota,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, “the Troublemakers, Agitators, and Insurrectionists are, in many cases, highly paid professionals.”

“The Governor and Mayor don’t know what to do, they have totally lost control, and our currently being rendered, USELESS! If, and when, I am forced to act, it will be solved, QUICKLY and EFFECTIVELY!”

The Guardian labeled Trump’s claims that protesters are paid as baseless.

Attorney Aaron Reichlin-Melnick wrote: “Note that the Trump admin hasn’t yet been able to produce evidence of a SINGLE ‘paid protestor.’ They’ve had total control of the FBI and the DOJ and ICE HSI and yet despite all of that, they can’t even find ONE person who they can accuse of being paid to protest.”

Separately, The Steady State, a group of over 365 former national security officials, while not referring to Trump’s remarks from Friday morning, noted that the Insurrection Act is “an extraordinary power meant for true emergencies, not a shield for unconstitutional policing. Using it to silence dissent or justify unlawful paramilitary activity at the hand of ICE undermines the rule of law.”

READ MORE: With Shutdown Looming and Crises Growing Trump Heads Off for Long Mar-a-Lago Weekend

 

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