Something no one has yet said about Christie's "hardball" handling of political "enemies".

[Tom Rinaldo]

No one in either the media or politics is foolish enough to try to defend what happened to the general public in Fort Lee when George Washington Bridge access lanes were closed for indefensible reasons. But turn on Morning Joe for example and you will witness a wink wink nod nod acceptance of "hardball politics" in New Jersey as something only to be expected. The inference is that successful politicians, at least those in New Jersey, know how to reward their friends and punish their enemies. True, in this particular instance some red line was crossed when the lives of the public were put at risk while some form of as yet murky retribution was exacted by the Christie administration against presumed political enemies. But If you keep the general public out of the direct line of fire, this line of reasoning goes, why shouldn't a politician reward his or her political friends and punish his or her political enemies? That's how things get done in the real world, or so some say.

What isn't noted though is the perverse nature of the sting operation Chris Christie ran during his last election campaign. It was the political equivalent of criminal entrapment. Christie didn't merely target preexisting enemies in an attempt to take them down. He offered "deals that you can't refuse" to numerous mayors who showed up in his sights simply because they happened to have been elected as Democrats. They weren't Christie enemies, not if you take him at his word that he values governing in a bipartisan manner. These simply were mayors who held office as Democrats at a time when Christie wanted Democratic endorsements so he could demonstrate to a national audience that he had "bipartisan support" to further his personal ambitions. From what I have seen so far the mayors of Fort Lee, Jersey City and Hoboken never went out of their way to cross Chris Christie. Chris Christie went out of his way to put them on the hot seat.

When did it become a political capital offense for an elected official of one party to not endorse the head of the opposing party's state wide ticket in an election? That wasn't bare knuckled politics Chris Christie was playing in New Jersey during his last campaign for governor, whether or not he actually ordered those bridge access lanes closed. It was extortion pure and simple.

[okaawhatever]

1. And those cones Christie jokingly claimed to have put out? Misappropriation of state equipment, or

how about misappropriation of state funds or resources for the bridge thing? Certainly misappropriating of state funds for those ads, but that may not be criminal just bad taste. I don't know how the resources used to supposedly do the traffic study , the one that was inconclusive, isn't misappropriation. Ditto all the workers who helped create it and/or cover it up.

[rocktivity]

4. Did he REALLY work the cones, or was he trying to be facetious?

Because if he was working the cones, why wasn't he also wondering how the shutdown took place without his knowledge or consent?


rocktivity

[okaawhatever]

7. He was joking when he said it, but someone took the cones and put them out there to block traffic.

Since there was no good reason for having done it, how is it not misappropriation? They used state equipment to pursue a political goal. If you're familiar with the Siegelman case, you'd realize a conviction can be had on much less.

[Tom Rinaldo]

2. Hillary has gotten press recently for supposedly once having an "enemies list"

Bill Richardson is said to have gotten on it for refusing to endorse her when she ran for President. But Richardson at least was a fellow Democrat. It's not like she got pissed at Lamar Alexander for not endorsing her Presidential bid.

[Samantha]

8. Ted Kennedy and Claire McCaskill were on it as well (Hillary's list)

Their sin was to endorse Barack Obama. Seems like all politicians, or at least many, have such a list.

I think Christie conducts himself the way he does because he is naturally a bully and he is a former prosecutor. Lawyers become obsessed with forcing matters to end the way they want them to, in other words forcing the outcome, and if you add to the recipe "politician" and "New Jersey" you find you end up with, how should I put this politely, one tough cookie??

From today's conversation, it appears there are some who think he will emerge unscathed from this bridge issue. I believe he has made too many enemies and we will see a lot of skeletons emerge from closets. It is just going to snowball. I think he will resign to try to preserve a future re-emergence into the field, but what do I know?

Sam

[Tom Rinaldo]

10. Yes, but my point is that it is one thing to be "let down" by someone you honestly think

you should have been able to count on, it's another to punish someone who should routinely be expected to "oppose" you, such as a member of a competing political party. There is no "betrayal" when an elected Democrat endorses another Democrat over a Republican (or vice versa), or in the case of at least one Democratic NJ mayor in question, decides to sit the race out.

[Samantha]

12. I have zero problems with anything you wrote in your thread - I posted to kick it

I just re-read the whole piece, and I agree with you completely. I think the difference here is simply that we are discussing Chris Christie, who plays the game with a tawdry ruthlessness.

His pallor during that last press conference had a gray tinge to it. I think he never expected to be held accountable for his actions as a public servant because he had most people around him so intimidated. It will be very interesting to see how this all pans out.

Sam

[Tom Rinaldo]

13. Thanks Sam. n/t

[DURHAM D]

3. Clearly Christie has been mentored by the Mob.

[Tom Rinaldo]

5. You mean like; "Nice city you got here, it would be a shame if something happened to it."? n/t

[DURHAM D]

6. Sounds like a statement made to the Mayor of Ft. Lee?

[rocktivity]

9. I nicknamed him "Governor Soprano" years ago.

rocktivity

[global1]

11. His Getting Re-elected Guv Had Little To Do With Running NJ-It Was All About 2016 & The Presidency..

He wanted to show the Repugs that he got broad support. Not only votes from primarily Repugs - but he wanted and needed Dem & Ind support. That is what was driving his - I like how you put it - extortion.

So this whole scandal and his unraveling came because of his ambition to be president. Ego and power were his motivators.

[Oilwellian]

14. This

K&R

[Tom Rinaldo]

15. He was "asking" Democratic mayors to literally betray the people who busted ass to elect them

I know how I would have felt if I was a local Democratic activist who helped put a Democratic mayor in office only to see that person turn around and endorse Chris Christie for governor over a Democratic candidate who came much closer to embracing my political priorities and values. It wouldn't be pretty.

You put it well, ego and power. Christie wanted those Democratic enforcements as window dressing for his self serving political narrative. He didn't need Democratic mayors to endorse him in order to win. He wanted a long list of Democratic turncoats to make a point that was always meant to register far beyond New Jersey, it had nothing whatsoever to do with the needs or interests of Garden State voters. And Democratic mayors got swept up and spit out in the wake of Christie's ambitions through no initiative of their own. If they remained true to the one who brought them to the prom (the Democratic Party) their towns could suffer at the hands of a jealous suitor who would not accept no as an answer.

[global1]

16. Check Out This Post Of Mine Asking If There Is A List Of Dem (Mayors & Legislators) That Endorsed...

Crispy.

Here's the link:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024335568

Note there are two responses to this post that supposedly list the names. (To be honest with you I haven't clicked on these links yet - so I'm not exactly sure what's there - but if you're interested you can check them out.)