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.”

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