Christie: ‘I Had No Knowledge Or Involvement’ In Bridge Scandal

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie looks out at the crowd at a gathering in Union City, N.J., Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2014. A top aide to Christie is linked through emails and text messages to a seemingly deliberate plan to cre... New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie looks out at the crowd at a gathering in Union City, N.J., Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2014. A top aide to Christie is linked through emails and text messages to a seemingly deliberate plan to create traffic gridlock in Fort Lee, N.J., at the base of the George Washington Bridge after its mayor refused to endorse Christie for re-election. (AP Photo/Mel Evans) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Embattled New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) on Thursday claimed he was not directly involved in the closure of lanes on the George Washington Bridge last year, despite the fact that several of his top aides and appointees appear to have been behind it.

“I had no knowledge or involvement in this issue, in its planning or its execution, and I am stunned by the abject stupidity that was shown here,” he said in a press conference. “Regardless of what the facts ultimately uncover, this was handled in a callous and indifferent way, and is not the way this administration has conducted itself over the last four years, and not the way it will conduct itself over the next four.”

“I will do everything within my power to assure the people of New Jersey of that, and I thank them for their willingness to consider my apology on behalf of this government,” he added. “In the end, I have 65,000 people working for me every day, and I cannot know what each one of them is doing at every minute, but that doesn’t matter, I’m ultimately responsible for what they do.”

Latest Livewire
Comments
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: