# Did Christie (or his staff) intentionally cause the Fort Lee traffic jam? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 9, 2014, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351 "2014-01-09T13:34:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 20
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/381 "2014-01-20T02:29:47Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Truer words were never spoken. Recognizing that this is a desperate attempt at changing the subject and ought to just be ignored on that basis, I’ll still point out the following: > > 1. The bridge wasn’t blocked for very long. > 2. The people who did it were quickly arrested. > 3. That was a protest, not an act of politically motivated retribution. > 4. Bill di Blasio had nothing to do with the bridge closure; Chris Christie’s administration (and maybe Christie himself) made the GWB closure happen. > [@burunduk34](#): > > … however, **Marley23** appears to disagree with you–when talking about acceptable bridge-blocking, he places the purpose (protest vs. political retaliation) **at the distant 3rd place** , while assigning the prime importance to _the length of time the bridge was blocked_. > So, according to (let’s give them a name) “Marley23’s acceptable bridge-blocking practices”, not blocking the bridge for “very long” (1 minute? half-an-hour? hour? 6 hours? a week?) is acceptable. **Marley** wasn’t putting these in order of importance. You’re continuing your desparate attempt to change the tenor of this thread away from the attempts of a corrupt political regime to extract political revenge on people who won’t cowtow to their whims. How can you equate individual protests with what I’ve suggested? Of course, if YOU were inconvenienced, then I guess that’s the answer. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/382 "2014-01-20T02:33:23Z")
**burunduk** , you really don’t need to go undercover as a fake conservative to post outrageous things to make them look bad. There are enough genuinely bad conservatives out there that they’ll self-destruct eventually on their own. It’s just dishonest to try to pretend to be even worse than them. ---
**Author:** ![burunduk34](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@burunduk34](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burunduk34)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/383 "2014-01-20T02:40:06Z")
> [@Mithras](#): > > **burunduk34** , your position appears to be that we should treat the people behind both bridge “closures” equally. Given that hundreds of the protesters that blocked the Brooklyn bridge were arrested, are you in favor of the same treatment for Chris Christie? I’m in favor Chris Christie getting the same treatment as Melissa Mark-Viverito: a couple of hours of detention, followed, in 2 years, by a promotion to a higher office. ---
**Author:** ![burunduk34](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@burunduk34](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burunduk34)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/384 "2014-01-20T02:43:31Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > **Marley** wasn’t putting these in order of importance. Maybe he was and maybe he wasn’t–it’s not clear from the original post, and I think only **Marley23** can clarify this point. > [@samclem](#): > > How can you equate individual protests with what I’ve suggested? I wouldn’t call 700 or so people attempting to close down an important city artery “individual protests”. I’d call it a mob of dregs of society attempting to shut down the city. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/385 "2014-01-20T02:49:04Z")
> [@burunduk34](#): > > I wouldn’t call 700 or so people closing down an important city artery “individual protests”. I’d call it a mob of dregs of society attempting to shut down the city. As opposed to a small handfull of dregs of people elected to public office criminally trying to subvert their sworn duty. No contest. ---
**Author:** ![Karrius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71c47a/32.png) [@Karrius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karrius)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/386 "2014-01-20T02:58:50Z")
A conservative punched a woman in the face once, which means it’s ok for Christie to put people’s lives at risk for his own pleasure. Duh, how are you people not getting that? I also find it really sad - not surprising, because, you know, Republicans - but sad that a man who thinks he has a right to physically assault whoever he wants and defends politicians who hurt others and insults people who have been stomped on by his own scum friends as “dregs of society” and this is seen as acceptable. Maybe we should just change this thread to how Republicans are violent, dangerous, petty thugs and should never be trusted? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/387 "2014-01-20T03:13:04Z")
> [@Karrius](#): > > Maybe we should just change this thread to how Republicans are violent, dangerous, petty thugs and should never be trusted? Not all Republicans. Hopefully not a majority. Just some. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/388 "2014-01-20T03:18:49Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Not all Republicans. Hopefully not a majority. Just some. Indeed, my father’s family were all Republicans, and each one a decent, salt-of-the-earth type who would condone none of the recent shenanigans. It’s very much a case of some rotten apples spoiling the barrel, I fear. But I also fear the rotten apples may have reached critical mass. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/389 "2014-01-20T04:55:25Z")
Suddenly, I’m reminded of the Applebaums…a nuclear family, the Applebaums… ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/390 "2014-01-20T21:08:03Z")
> [@burunduk34](#): > > It’s pretty simple, IMO. > > A chief executive just shouldn’t use the power of government to exact revenge on ordinary citizens for what they take to be political insubordination, be it this bridge business or a much more important recent issue, where IRS specifically targetted political opposition of current admnistration. > If there’s anything to like about this situation is that Christie took responsibility and that the heads rolled. > Compare it with the IRS scandal, where, basically, couple of people retired early. > Forget the IRS, even… > > Remember the “Occupy” scum? No? Well, I do, and pretty well (more about that later). > Well, it turns among those “Occupy” degenerates who blocked the Brooklyn Bridge was one Melissa Mark-Viverito, who, a few days ago, became a hand-picked NYC City Council speaker. > I shit you not. The twat who blocked the lifeline between Manhattan and Brooklyn (for those not familiar with NYC layout) got (in essence) appointed by the new NYC mayor to be the NYC city council speaker. The contrast between Christie and de Blasio couldn’t be greater. > > Anyway, just to go on a rant here…I actually was in NYC on that day ( not in the vicinity of the Brooklyn Bridge, though) and some “Occupy” cunts actually showed up at my office. > Here’s the pic I took (this is the view down on the Vesey street, the Freedom tower is a few blocks to the left) > [http://s45.radikal.ru/i109/1112/00/754e83c87f9c.jpg](http://s45.radikal.ru/i109/1112/00/754e83c87f9c.jpg) > > I was working pretty late and they were still there, when I walked out of the building. The stupid fucks actually moved closer to the entrance as it got darker, and 8 or 9 of them approached me and started yelling something. Well, this being NYC, you just ignore the crazies and walk on, which is exactly what I did… > Except the fact that some fat chick actually got directly into my face and spit on me . Well, I’m not a young man anymore and it took me a second to realize what happened, but then the wave of rage just hit me and I decked the fat imbecile with a left hook to the jaw. Her friends kinda hesitated for a few seconds ( I guess deciding if a bunch of young, healthy people wouldn’t be in too much danger ganging up on someone 3 times their age). I’d probably got the worse of the fight if these cowards actually had any balls, but in downtown NYC, the cops are never too far, and arrived in about 10 seconds flat. They questioned the bystanders, cuffed the fat cow and asked me whether I wanted to press charges. Of course, I didn’t have time to deal with that shit, so I let it go. > Well, it looks like it’s the people like this who’ll be running NYC. What a fucking shame… You will stop referring to anyone as a twat or a cunt in this forum. You will stop hijacking this thread will irrelevant claims about protests with which you disagreed or bragging about your violent nature. **EVERYONE ELSE** : Take any further discussions about violent behavior or the differences between a protest and a politically motivated bridge closing to a separate thread. This thread was intended to discuss whether Christie was guilty of participating in the closure of the George Washington Bridge. Stick to that topic. [/Moderating] ---
**Author:** ![burunduk34](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@burunduk34](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burunduk34)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/391 "2014-01-20T21:31:58Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > As opposed to a small handfull of dregs of people elected to public office criminally trying to subvert their sworn duty. This is precisely why we need to define the rules of acceptable bridge-blocking. **Marley23** had some good ones, but they are not complete yet. So far, it appears that the length of the time a bridge was blocked should be taken into consideration, along with whether the people who blocked the bridge were arrested (and subsequently, promoted), and whether the motivation behind the blocking was a political protest or political retaliation. You seem to hit another nail on the head: who,exactly, is doing the blocking? Elected officials or “I can’t Occupy a job, if my life depended on it” protesters? Some people should be allowed to block the bridge, while others shouldn’t. If you ask me, it is also important to include the race and sexuality of the blockers into account. For example, bridge-blocking by a woman-punching elderly straight white christian republican male should be strictly \*verboten \*while the same action performed by gay-right defending young lesbian african-american muslim liberal should be rewarded. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/392 "2014-01-20T22:22:59Z")
In the post immediately above yours, **tomndebb** said > [@](#): > > Take any further discussions about violent behavior or the differences between a protest and a politically motivated bridge closing to a separate thread. > > This thread was intended to discuss whether Christie was guilty of participating in the closure of the George Washington Bridge. Stick to that topic. I am giving you a warning for ignoring moderator instructions. **twickster** , Elections moderator ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/393 "2014-01-20T22:33:10Z")
> [@AtomicDog](#): > > Yes, it does look like we narrowly averted having a gangster run for president. > > Part of me kinda wished it would happen. > > In an alternate universe. hat’s no goo. Alternate-Universe-President Christie would have to have an evil goatee. And nobody wants that. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/394 "2014-01-20T23:23:36Z")
Maybe it’s this-universe Christie who has the goatee-of-evil. And maybe he shaved it off as a disguise. Did you ever think of that? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2014, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/395 "2014-01-21T01:09:25Z")
Another drip from the faucet. [Carl Lewis](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/20/carl-lewis-chris-christie_n_4633565.html) says that Christie bullied him out of the Senate race. Not directly related to the bridge closure, but it reinforces the bully nature of Christie and further makes the case that he’s the type of guy who would pull off a petty stunt like the bridge closure. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2014, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/396 "2014-01-21T01:38:09Z")
If true - that alone should be enough to finish his career right? Wouldn’t outright blackmail of that sort (assuming Lewis can prove it) be illegal? Impeachable? ---
**Author:** ![twhitt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@twhitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twhitt)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2014, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/397 "2014-01-21T02:01:23Z")
> [@bengangmo](#): > > If true - that alone should be enough to finish his career right? Wouldn’t outright blackmail of that sort (assuming Lewis can prove it) be illegal? Impeachable? I’m not defending Christie, by any stretch, but I doubt it. Christie was going to appoint Lewis to a political position, and decided not to due to a political dispute between them. I don’t see any wrongdoing here, ethically. I would be surprised if there were any legally either. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2014, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/398 "2014-01-21T02:38:52Z")
> [@twhitt](#): > > I’m not defending Christie, by any stretch, but I doubt it. Christie was going to appoint Lewis to a political position, and decided not to due to a political dispute between them. I don’t see any wrongdoing here, ethically. I would be surprised if there were any legally either. Was it a “political” position? In the sense that any public promotion is political, I guess so… But how is running for office contrary to the position of Sports Ambassador? In any case - it probably doesn’t matter… ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2014, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/399 "2014-01-21T03:03:55Z")
Whether or not it was unethical or illegal for Christie to deny the position to Carl Lewis, it’s a petty, partisan thing to do (as was the lane closures in Fort Lee). But he had an image as a Republican who was above the partisan nonsense (e.g., embracing the president during his post-Sandy visit). ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2014, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/400 "2014-01-21T15:41:41Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Another drip from the faucet. [Carl Lewis](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/20/carl-lewis-chris-christie_n_4633565.html) says that Christie bullied him out of the Senate race. Not directly related to the bridge closure, but it reinforces the bully nature of Christie and further makes the case that he’s the type of guy who would pull off a petty stunt like the bridge closure. \*Lewis withdrew from the Senate race after a court ruled **he didn’t meet a residency requirement**. He now lives in Houston. Democrats have said recent scandals involving traffic jams and Superstorm Sandy aid are more evidence Christie is a bully\*. > **[HuffPost - Breaking News, U.S. and World News](https://www.huffpost.com/)** > > Read the latest headlines, news stories, and opinion from Politics, Entertainment, Life, Perspectives, and more. Hahahaha. Boohoo, if Lewis had any balls he would have run for the Senate anyway. Just because Lewis DID NOT LIVE IN THE AREA AND WAS INELIGIBLE TO RUN FOR THAT OFFICE, it must be Christie’s fault. :smack: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351.md?page=19) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351.md?page=21)