How Morally Bankrupt is the GOP? Bob Ehrlich's Running For President
Just how bankrupt is the Republican effort to ditch their brand? NH1's Paul Steinhauser writes for the National Journal that the presidential field is so big that even former Maryland Governor Bob Ehrlich is running:
Ehrlich plans to make his fourth visit to New Hampshire on Feb. 24, after meeting last week with more than 100 top donors in New York to discuss financing a potential campaign. At those meetings, he discussed setting up a leadership PAC, as a bunch of other probable candidates have done in recent weeks.It should come as no shock that the GOP is tolerating the sleazy tactics, voter suppression, and convictions in would-be candidate Bob Ehrlich's record...
MEMO: Chris Christie’s Terrible Economic Record
Tonight, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie will deliver his State of the State address. We hope he uses this chance to come clean about his serious money problems: his credit has been downgraded eight times. He hasn’t saved enough for retirement. And his security detail is costing him 18 times what it did 5 years ago. Why should he talk about his money problems during the State of the State? Because they have nothing to do with his bank account – we’re talking about New Jersey taxpayers’ money here. Since Chris Christie took office in 2010, he’s been playing fast and loose with taxpayer money. He has mismanaged the budget, resulting in New Jersey’s credit has been downgraded eight times – no New Jersey governor had ever presided over that many downgrades. He’s spending 18 times more on his personal security today than when he took office, for a total of almost $1 million, or nearly $33,000 per month. He’s cut $2.4 billion in pension payments he promised to make because his budget projections were wrong. And the list goes on...
Happy Anniversary, Chris Christie!
It’s been one whole year since the words “time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee” rang 'round the world and we found out that the George Washington Bridge lane closures were initiated by people very close to you, causing four days’ worth of traffic jams. Time sure goes by fast, doesn’t it? In case you’ve forgotten what it felt like to read the headlines that day, we’ve compiled them here for your reading pleasure. Maybe it will help take your mind off all the bad press you’re getting for over your ethics problems with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones? Enjoy!
New York Times: Christie Faces Scandal on Traffic Jam Aides Ordered
“The mystery of who closed two lanes onto the George Washington Bridge — turning the borough of Fort Lee, N.J., into a parking lot for four days in September — exploded into a full-bore political scandal for Gov. Chris Christie on Wednesday. Emails and texts revealed that a top aide had ordered the closings to punish the town’s mayor after he did not endorse the governor for re-election.”New York Post: Christie could face criminal probe over ‘Bridgegate’
“‘This smells of corrupt use of government authority at the highest levels,’ said Democratic State Sen. Ray Lesniak, who called for a federal grand-jury probe, rather than a state investigation that could be influenced by the Christie administration.”Wall Street Journal: Bridge-Spat Emails Pose Questions For Christie
“…[T]he image of a popular Republican governor punishing a less-powerful Democratic mayor and his constituents for a political reason threatens to undermine one of Mr. Christie's central arguments for himself.”Chris Christie, Call Your Lawyer.
A year ago today, the nation was introduced to the now infamous line, "time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee" as emails were released from Chris Christie's deputy chief of staff, Bridget Anne Kelly. Despite Christie's continued insistence that his Bridgegate nightmare is over and he absolved of wrongdoing, the scandal and connected incidents keep bringing new travails for the governor. This morning, the Wall Street Journal reported that federal prosecutors have subpoenaed Christie's reelection campaign in relation to meetings Christie cancelled after a Democratic lawmaker refused to endorse him in his reelection bid. You have to hand it to the guy, when it comes to retribution, he truly is an elite politician. Meanwhile, there are new developments in Christie's latest fiasco surrounding his ethically dubious journeys to Jerry Jones' box for Cowboys games. According to the Asbury Park Press, the New Jersey State Ethics Commission "has received, and is reviewing, the complaint filed by American Democracy Legal Fund" regarding a potential ethics violation from Christie. It seems the governor "personally pushed" for a government contract to go to a firm partially owned by Jerry Jones, then turned around and accepted gifts from Jones in the form of travel, tickets, and awkward hugs. (okay, the hugs may be legal) All this is leading some in the press to say, "perhaps Chris Christie's first 2016 hires should be lawyers?"
Video: Chris Christie's Cowboy Ethics
For Chris Christie, it's the story that just won't die. In fact, it keeps getting worse. The focus of Christie's…
A 3rd & Long Day of Bad Press for Cowboys Superfan Governor Chris Christie
From his hometown editorial board to the pages of Sports Illustrated, New Jersey Governor "Cowboys' Mojo" Chris Christie was greeted again this morning…
Pat McCrory Doesn't Seem To Like Questions About Ethics…
Pat McCrory seems pretty irritable these days. Yesterday, he got into yet another tiff with an AP reporter trying to get to the bottom of his latest debacle. The governor continues to respond with utter contempt to questions about the eye-brow raising payout he received from a mortgage broker whose board he sat on as he took office in 2013. McCrory's response since this story broke has been damning enough -- the innocent are rarely so defiant. But his history of ethical shortcomings raises even more flags. We've already learned that he's downplayed his ties to an internet sweepstakes executive under indictment, and that he had a financial stake in Duke Energy when they spilled 39,000 tons of coal ash into the Dan river after McCrory helped loosen their regulations. It seems the more you dig, the more Pat McCrory conflicts of interests you uncover, so it's no wonder he gets a little short when you start asking questions.
American Bridge Submits Open Records Request Regarding Governor Christie's Travel
Below is a copy of the open records request American Bridge President Brad Woodhouse is submitting to the state of New Jersey regarding Governor Christie's travel to Dallas this weekend. --- To Whom It May Concern, It is known from press coverage that Governor Chris Christie, who has spent much of his time over the last year outside of New Jersey, was in Texas on Sunday, January 4. The following request is being made in accordance with the New Jersey Open Public Records Act (N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq.) and all other New Jersey open record laws. I am requesting copies of the following records: Travel Logs/Itineraries: Copies of all travel logs and itineraries of Governor Chris Christie from January 3, 2015, to January 5, 2015. Records should detail the date and time of travel, the destination, the purpose of travel and meeting, and whom Christie met as available. Outlook Calendar: Copies of all outlook calendars of Governor Chris Christie from January 3, 2015, to January 5, 2015.
Stonewalled
Since Chris Christie's Bridgegate scandal first broke, threatening his 2016 ambitions, he has been desperately trying to sweep it under…
BREAKING: Christie Aide Deleted Texts To Governor, Lied About It In Testimony
In July, one of Chris Christie's top aides, Regina Egea, was called to testify before the legislature's Bridgegate committee. At…