Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) said Saturday that people shouldn’t feel bullied by their government, referring to the bridge scandal plaguing New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s (R) administration.
For weeks, Christie’s administration has been embroiled in an investigation into whether it directed lane closures on the George Washington Bridge in September for political retribution. Asked by Houston TV station KTRK whether Christie should remain at the helm of the Republican Governors Assocation, Paul said it wasn’t his place to judge.
“It’s important that people think that their government not be used to bully them,” Paul told KTRK. “So for example, one of the things that conservatives have been upset with President Obama is that it looked like he was using the IRS to target taxpayer groups.”
“Nobody wants to think their government would shut down a bridge or do something just because you’re a Democrat and I’m a Republican,” he added. “It’s an unsettling charge. I don’t know if it’s true, but it’s unsettling.”
Paul has taken a few subtle digs at his rival since the bridge scandal broke news, joking about his own frustration with traffic and saying that his long-simmering feud with Christie was “all under the bridge.”
