Is it possible that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) admitted involvement in the George Washington Bridge lane closing scandal weeks ago, and everyone just assumed he was kidding?
“Unbeknownst to everybody I was actually the guy out there, I was in overalls and a hat,” Christie said at a press conference on Dec. 2, after being asked if he had anything to do with the lane closures, according to WYNC. “But I actually was the guy working the cones out there.”
Wednesday’s revelation that members of Christie’s inner circle discussed plans to close the lanes, which caused a multi-day traffic jam in Fort Lee, N.J., prompted Christie to issue a statement denouncing what he called “completely inappropriate and unsanctioned conduct was made without my knowledge.” But in the weeks leading up the Wednesday’s document dump, Christie had downplayed the story, ridiculing the suggestion of any sort of scandal. On Dec. 2, after making the overalls comment, he rejected the story entirely.
“You really are not serious with that question,” Christie said.
It didn’t end there. Two weeks later, at another press conference, Christie again chastised reporters for pursuing the bridge story.
“I have a lot of things to do,” Christie said. “I know you guys are obsessed with this. I’m not, I’m really not. It’s just — it’s not that big a deal just because press runs around and writes about it both here and nationally. I know why that is and so do you. …Let’s not pretend that it’s because of the gravity of the issue. It’s because I am a national figure and anything like this will be written about a lot now. So, let’s not pretend.”
But wait, there’s more.
“You guys want to keep chasing it around, chase it around. It’s your business,” he told reporters. “In the meantime, when you all have been chasing around about this, I’ve been putting policies in effect that have lowered unemployment to a five-and-a-half-year lows. I’ve come to a compromise agreement on the DREAM Act with the Legislature. I’m putting forward nominations that will be considered in the lame duck session and I’m working with the Senate president and the incoming speaker on an agenda for the new year. Those things are much more important to the people of New Jersey than a couple of cones and a couple of lanes.”
