It’s no wonder that Chris Christie and Donald Trump got along so well. They both share a passion for cheap, petty revenge. With Trump it’s a Twitter war every hour on the hour. With Christie it’s sleazy, underhanded political tactics. However, Trump’s tantrums make him somehow more popular, whereas Christie literally couldn’t get elected dog catcher in Catsburgh, his October popularity in New Jersey is a never before seen 21%.
Never let it be said that Christie is a quick learner. His fit of pique with the Mayor of Fort Lee NJ refusing to endorse him turned into Bridgegate, which not only demolished his career, it led to the destruction of several of his aides, including some of them heading off to the pokey. Christie escaped unindicted, but his career and reputation weren’t so lucky. And now it appears he’s right back at it again.
According to a REPORT on NBCNews.com, Chris Christie is as vengefully furious at the New Jersey newspapers that exposed him and put increasing pressure and a spotlight on him as he is at the legislators who pursued this. Not much he can do about the legislature, but he can try to put a hurting on the newspapers that hounded him. And he is. Right now government agencies and municipalities are required to publish “Public Notices” in newspapers to announce upcoming meetings, and regulatory changes. Christie is fast tracking a bill that would allow them to put the posts on their websites, cutting out the requirement of posting the notices in newspapers, in the process cutting off that source of revenue to the newspapers.
In all fairness Christie allies are ridiculing the pushback against this legislation as petty political posturing by the Democrats, pointing out that this is not a new bill, it was originally proposed in 2010. This is true, but what they’re glossing over is the fact that it died about a year later, never to be heard of again. Until now. Michael Darcy, the executive director of the League of Municipalities confirmed that it was the Christie office that revived the bill at this time, and that it’s being fast tracked. There is question as to whether or not it would save anybody any money, but it would cost 200-300 reporters their jobs.
The Democrats in the legislature are already up in arms about this, and they’re pointing the finger directly at Chris Christie, and already branding it as petty political revenge. At least with Bridgegate Christie tried to keep it under the radar, but in this case, he hasn’t even left the house yet and already the spotlight is shining on his front door. It will be interesting to see just how far Christie is willing to continue to push this when his hand has been tipped right out of the gate.
Thanks as always for reading, you are ALL the wind beneath my wings!