RETRACTION Update: I am hereby retracting the below mentioned story as it is 11:49 am and no other source has reported or even mentioned what should be the biggest headline of the whole scandal. I am very sorry about this and still have not figured out what is going on. Whether this is an error on the part of NJSpotlight (and myself) or a punk website designed to discredit liberal media. Sorry for any embarrassment to this community and the excellent reputation of this site. There is no excuse for me reporting such a big story without checking for a second source even given the latest of the hour.
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Dear Kossacks, I just woke up expecting to see headlines all over the place on the story I reported late last night Gov. Christie refuses to allow members of his office testify before legislative committee, sourced by the New Jersey Spotlight, and which is now on the rec board. But, I see no second report of this anywhere which is deeply distressing, and inexplicable unless this is an error by the NJ Spotlight, and myself.
I may have to retract this story, if I can find no other sources for it. I'm very sorry, and am researching this intensely, but wanted to give the community a heads up about this possible error as soon as I noticed something wrong. I put the following update in the top of the story, and the usual update place at 11:00 pm this morning.
Update: I see no other source picking up this story by 11:00 pm EST, which is inexplicable. I hope I do not have to retract this story, reported late last night by NJSpotlight which still has it up. I am investigating this and will report back as soon as I can figure out what is going on. Sorry, if I jumped the gun on this report.
The NJSpotlight is just breaking a story reporting that Senator Robert Gordon, chairmen of the legislative committee investigating the George Washington Bridge lane closures announced tonight that Christie's office has informed them that they will not allow any members of its office to testify before the committee, in Gordon: Governor’s Office Refuses To Appear Before Legislative Committee. So much for "full cooperation."
Once again, I am very sorry for not waiting to see a second source on this supposed blockbuster of a story. Its inconceivable that this wouldn't be headlines everywhere by now if it were true.
9:48 AM PT: while looking for confirmation of the "Christies-office-refuses-testify" story I ran across this interesting tidbit. Christie is either a liar or incompetent, former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland says
CHICAGO — Former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland this morning said Gov. Chris Christie is either lying or incompetent in claiming that he knew nothing about a top aide’s order to shut down access lanes to the George Washington Bridge.
“I’m suggesting two things, two possibilities: Either the governor knew and he is lying, or he is the most inept, incompetent chief executive imaginable,” Strickland said at a press conference this morning arranged by the Democratic National Committee, just one block where Christie was scheduled to give a talk to the Economic Club of Chicago two hours later. ...
“I was the governor of a large state. I was surrounded by top staff,” Strickland said. “In my judgment it is impossible for these types of things to have happened in Chris Christie’s office without his knowledge or his consent.” ... Added Strickland: “If he is so incompetent in his judge of character and his oversight of his administration, then God help us if he becomes president.”
Strickland also had high praise for Senator Barbara Buono.
10:18 AM PT: Another interesting development but still nothing on the "Christie office refusing to testify story."
New Jersey Allows Christie Campaign To Raise Money For Legal Fees
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey campaign finance regulators have given Gov. Chris Christie's re-election campaign permission to raise money and spend it on complying with subpoenas from investigations into a political retribution scandal.
The Election Law Enforcement Commission voted on the unusual request Tuesday. ...
The campaign came within $13,000 of hitting the limit, so it needed permission to raise and spend more for lawyers, data-mining and fundraising costs to comply with subpoenas. The campaign received the subpoenas last month from the U.S. attorney's office and a special legislative investigation.
10:49 AM PT: GOP gubernatorial candidate will attend Christie event in Chicago
Chicago (CNN) - Illinois gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady will attend Gov. Chris Christie's only public event Tuesday with the Economic Club of Chicago, Brady's campaign manager Dan Egler told CNN.
Brady will be in a large crowd of what is expected to be more than a thousand people at the Economic Club event.
When reports emerged over the weekend that Republican candidates in Illinois weren't planning to appear with Christie, the RGA pointed out there were never any plans to make joint appearances because the RGA doesn't get involved in competitive primaries.
10:59 AM PT: This announcement from Christie's reelection campaign, which is legally distinct from the Governor's office, ways they will comply with the document request of the subpoena.
Stepien invoked 5th Amendment, but Christie campaign says it will comply with subpoenas
TRENTON – Gov. Chris Christie’s former campaign manager may be declining to comply with a legislative subpoena investigating the George Washington Bridge lane closure controversy, but to the extent that lawmakers want to have a look at his campaign correspondences on the matter they’ll have their chance, a campaign attorney said.
Mark Sheridan, the attorney representing Christie’s campaign, told reporters the campaign intends to comply with both legislative and federal subpoenas investigating the GWB controversy. The compliance includes handing over any subpoenaed records sought by both the legislative committee and the U.S. Attorney’s office, he said. ...
The campaign would only turn over requested documents that are in its possession, which would include official campaign transmissions – not, for example, emails sent from Stepien’s personal email address.
“We will respond with the documents that are in our possession,” Sheridan said, adding, “To the extent that there are additional documents that are sought that are in his possession, his counsel has indicated in a letter that he is not providing them.”