Christie Traffic Investigation a Media Diversion?
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's administration has begun turning over documents in the investigation of a recent plot to block traffic near the George Washington Bridge. The deadline for the subpoenaed information is Monday.
Critics say the plan was designed to punish Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich for refusing to support Christie's reelection bid.
The governor has apologized for the scandal but claimed he didn't know about it.
"I had no knowledge of this -- of the planning, the execution, or anything about it -- and that I first found out about it after it was over," Christie said in a January press conference.
CBN News Sr. Political Correspondent David Brody shared his insight on the potential political fallout for Gov. Chris Christie on CBN Newswatch, Feb. 3.
But David Wildstein, a former Christie loyalist, has suggested that's not true. Now a Democrat-led investigating committee is demanding more information.
"We have subpoenas out to 20 individuals and organizations, and those documents could range potentially from a couple of papers to thousands of papers," Democratic New Jersey Assemblyman John Wisneiwski said.
Some of Christie's supporters believe coverage of the scandal is being overblown, fueled in part by a national media that wants little or nothing to do with a handful of more serious scandals in the Obama administration.
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani told CBS News he believes Christie, who is a leading potential GOP nominee for the 2016 presidential race, should keep his post as head of the Republican governor's conference while the investigation is underway.
"Maybe I suffer from this, having been a Republican office holder in a Democratic city with lots of newspapers coming after you, some that have real biases," Giuliani told CBS's "Face the Nation," Sunday.
"If we have our guys step down any time they do this -- let's get a Republican, let's get the Democrats to have a special committee with a guy running the special committee who announces that he believes the governor is lying before he begins the investigation -- they're going to harass us this entire campaign," he said.
As the documents make their way to the committee, establishment Republicans are urging caution.
"There's nothing wrong with saying the following: until and unless there's evidence to prove he did something wrong, we'll take the governor at his word and let him do his job," Giuliani said. "I believe it will come out all right. If it doesn't, there's always time to take action then."
