*This article was originally published November 6, 2016 on Liberal America.*
Chris Christie's Political Future in Jeopardy After Bridgegate Scandal Convictions
In light of recent news that two former aides to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie were handed a conviction for causing the Bridgegate scandal, many are wondering what the governor’s future looks like now.
The Governor has one year left in his term, which many feel will be troubled by his newly “tarnished” reputation. This includes his endorsement for Donald Trump earlier this year, the presidential nominee for the Republican Party. The same candidate who Christie was running against before he lost the primary to the billionaire.
Many are saying that his political future is quite bleak, and that he’s already fallen with reports that he has been pulled off of Donald Trump’s campaign trail for the bridge scandal.
Chris Christie Statement of Denial
— Arturo (@politicoace) October 16, 2016
Chris Christie’s head is Photoshop-interchangeable on The Deplorables meme — a social media parody of The Expendables, which shows he’s one of the many who comes to mind of Trump supporters who have publicly supported the candidate despite what vile, racist, bigoted, and lewd comments or action he takes.
All of those deplorables have still triumphed over their blatant disregard for facts and incendiary or explicit conduct.
When Christie learned that his ex-deputy chief of staff Bridget Anne Kelly told the court that he knew about the bridge issue before it happened, he apparently laughed out loud and dismissed it as a lie.
During his recent removal from stumping for Trump, Christie said that he would speak soon on this issue to clear his name, but given his Trump ties, there shouldn’t be any reason for him to clear up anything, as it can’t get any worse for him than it already has.
.@AndreaWNYC on the effect of the #Bridgegate verdict on NJ Gov. Chris Christie. pic.twitter.com/yDScV699Ki
— WNYC 🎙 (@WNYC) November 4, 2016
The two aides indicted are the previously mentioned Bridget Anne Kelly, and Deputy Executive Director of the Port Authority, Bill Baroni. The Port Authority controls the George Washington Bridge on both the New Jersey and New York sides. The Director ordered “traffic problems” to mysteriously appear in Fort Lee, and Kelly passed on the message, helping hasten the traffic problems to appear.
In September, it was reported that New Jersey politicians were looking at the possibility of starting the process of impeachment for Governor Christie. More specifically, Democratic Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto is said to be the one to lead the proceedings.
He stated on Friday that they would consider taking the next steps to reopen an investigation into the Governor with a new committee.
The Governor has already said that he would testify should he be subpoenaed, but there is no information currently as to whether he will end up being indicted, let alone see a conviction.
Christie As Deplorable As Rest Of Trumpeters
The Bridgegate scandal was an attack directed towards Fort Lee’s Mayor Mark Sokolich, and is just one of many political attacks against Democrats via a Republican. In September of 2013, two access lanes to the George Washington bridge were closed supposedly for a “traffic study” that ultimately never materialized.
The closure resulted in the massive traffic delays in Fort Lee.
According to testimony via Syracuse.com:
“Wildstein ‘was very clear the governor wanted this test completed, and I had to get this test completed,’ Baroni told jurors during three hours of direct testimony. ‘And I believed David Wildstein when he said that, because he spoke for Chris Christie.'”
This lane closure was a punishment for Sokolich because he didn’t endorse Christie for his re-election campaign, though some believe it was retaliation for not approving a construction project.
The charges against his aides on Friday were on all counts of fraud, conspiracy, and depriving all driving through the area of their civil rights.
This shut down affected one of the busiest major transport arteries in the East Coast – and the world.
Chris Christie already has some history of fighting off hostility over his association with people such as President Obama, who Republicans attacked because Christie hugged him.
Even the Tea Party went after him for not being conservative enough. Now, the Governor gives no indication of what his image is supposed to be with his associations. The only thing that would stick to Christie – other than the local cronut – would be to literally drag him out of office kicking and screaming.
And with little time remaining of his term, it’s unlikely any other effort is going to take Chris Christie down.
Watch this clip from Morning Joe for more information about Christie’s escape from Bridgegate:
Featured Image 'Chris Christie' by Gage Skidmore via Flickr under a CC BY-SA 2.0 license.
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