# 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:** 64
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2015, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/1261 "2015-11-24T15:18:18Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > So, he didn’t know? Went on for…how long? And no one told him? Thousands of totally pissed off New Jersey voters, and nobody said a word to him about it? > > Sure. Hugh Betcha. Pull the other one, it’s got bells, pull the middle one, I’ll give you a nickel. Christie was informed of the traffic problem. He had asked his staff about it. His staff lied to him. When that was discovered, Christie fired her. But don’t let the facts get in the way of your private bell pulling. Better luck next time. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2015, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/1262 "2015-11-24T15:38:31Z")
Wait, now, what lie did his staff tell him? That there was no traffic problem, or that they had nothing to do with it? Did he act swiftly to resolve the issue? Send down an official “Cut That Shit Out” order? > [@](#): > > …The problems began on Monday, September 9, 2013…only ended when the two lanes were reopened on Friday, September 13, 2013 by an order from Port Authority Executive Director Patrick Foye… (Wiki, natch. Or Liberalmediapedia, if you insist…) Boy, sure a good thing they had a “take charge” kinda guy in the Governor’s office, huh? Only took four days for him to make a phone call. Oh, wait, he didn’t, that other guy did. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/1263 "2015-11-25T18:49:09Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Wait, now, what lie did his staff tell him? That there was no traffic problem, or that they had nothing to do with it? Did he act swiftly to resolve the issue? Send down an official “Cut That Shit Out” order? Bridget Anne Kelly lied and Bridget Anne Kelly was fired. And Bridget Anne Kelly was indicted. You should update wiki. In your spare time, of course. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/1264 "2015-11-26T06:13:33Z")
> [@brazil84](#): > > For what it’s worth, I believe that more likely than not, Christie was aware of and approved the lane closures. But at the same time, Christie is an experienced politician and attorney and it’s likely that he was careful not to put anything in writing and to make sure that he could plausibly deny any knowledge or involvement. > > So my prediction was based on a rational analysis of the situation. **BobLibDem** ’s prediction seems to be based on wishful thinking. Even now, a year and a half later, he seems to think there’s a decent chance Christie will end up in jail over this. You didn’t quote the entire exchange. Which is odd, as I think it makes you look a little better. Here it is: > [@BobLibDem](#): > > I don’t think he’ll be impeached, either. He’ll resign. When it is revealed, and it will be, that he approved of or conceived of the intentional traffic shutdown, he will resign. > [@brazil84](#): > > My prediction is that it will blow over and fizzle out without such a revelation. The best his enemies can realistically hope for is that one of his underlings points the finger at him without anything in writing to back them up. In such a case, he can just follow Bill Clinton’s advice – deny deny deny. > > In short, I predict that he will not resign. If I think of it, I will try to find this post (perhaps with a bookmark) in a few months. BLD thought Christie would get caught. Brazil speculated that he wouldn’t, and gave his reasoning. As it happened Christie never had to deny-deny-deny. Christie is still running for the Presidency. Bridgegate’s legacy was to put a cap on his prospects. He made his big denials in February 2014. Since the story broke in early 2014, Christie’s unfavorables have exceeded his favorables by double digits. It’s now at 44- 30%, a hefty gap. [http://elections.huffingtonpost.com/pollster/chris-christie-favorable-rating](http://elections.huffingtonpost.com/pollster/chris-christie-favorable-rating) At any rate I hereby award brazil84 a virtual medallion, for Straight Dope Perceptuity above and beyond the call of duty. No, that is not a word. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/1265 "2015-11-27T19:24:31Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Bridget Anne Kelly lied and Bridget Anne Kelly was fired. And Bridget Anne Kelly was indicted. Who? You mean Christie Staff Kelly? ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2015, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/1266 "2015-11-28T04:17:53Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > I don’t think it was the mayor, **I think it was that big-ass development project**. [immovable post and irresistable hijack] [What Randall Munroe would do with that:](https://xkcd.com/37/) I think it was that big ass-development project [/immovable post and irresistable hijack] ---
**Author:** ![brazil84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@brazil84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brazil84)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/1267 "2016-11-04T16:19:21Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > At any rate I hereby award brazil84 a virtual medallion, for Straight Dope Perceptuity above and beyond the call of duty. Thank you 🙂 For what it may be worth, even after today’s convictions, I am standing by my prediction for the same reason. I just read this in the news: > [@](#): > > And Ms. Kelly testified that she had received the governor’s approval before she sent the email to trigger what she thought was the traffic study. That may very well be true, but it seems like there is nothing in writing. So that at this point, the main evidence against Christie is the testimony of a convicted criminal about an oral conversation in which she has every incentive to spin things to make it seem that Christie was aware of and approved the scheme. ---
**Author:** ![Corry\_El](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecae2f/32.png) [@Corry\_El](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corry_El)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/1268 "2016-11-04T16:43:17Z")
> [@brazil84](#): > > That may very well be true, but it seems like there is nothing in writing. So that at this point, the main evidence against Christie is the testimony of a convicted criminal about an oral conversation in which she has every incentive to spin things to make it seem that Christie was aware of and approved the scheme. I agree, convictions of the aides based on the evidence presented, no independent evidence directly against Christie, were always going to cut as much against as for ever convicting him. Now it’s proven there was a criminal element to this scheme…but now the people _saying_ it involved Christie are convicted criminals. I think it could have an impact on Christie in terms of probabilities though. Filtered through the less than even chance Trump wins, I wouldn’t assume Trump would reflexively defy this court finding in deciding what if any permanent appointment to give Christie (besides transition team). If Trump doesn’t win Christie has and had no future in elected politics, no change there. But it’s not good news for Christie contingent on Trump pulling off an upset. Again I agree though it doesn’t mean a much increased chance of Christie himself being convicted of a crime. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/1269 "2016-11-04T19:05:59Z")
This is how the world works. The people in power maintain plausible deniability, and throw their underlings under the bus. Maybe we need some laws making office holders criminally responsible for the official actions of their staffs. That’ll never happen, of course, because the office holders make the laws. ---
**Author:** ![brazil84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@brazil84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brazil84)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2017, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/1270 "2017-01-29T20:13:28Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > You might wait till the game is over before you start uncorking the champagne. There are plenty of shoes left to drop and hopefully they’ve got time to find an orange jumpsuit in Christie’s size. An update: [Prosecutor Will Not Seek Charges vs. Christie Over Lane Closings](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/27/nyregion/christie-bridgegate.html) So is the fat lady singing yet? By the way, the only reason I am happy about the situation is that I enjoy seeing partisan hacking get blown out. As mentioned earlier, I would guess Christie was probably complicit in the lane closure scandal. ---
**Author:** ![brazil84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@brazil84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brazil84)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2017, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/1271 "2017-09-16T22:55:18Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > You might wait till the game is over before you start uncorking the champagne… Still confident that Christie is going to resign over Bridgegate? ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2017, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/1272 "2017-09-17T03:36:13Z")
> [@brazil84](#): > > [Prosecutor Will Not Seek Charges vs. Christie Over Lane Closings](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/27/nyregion/christie-bridgegate.html) > > So is the fat lady singing yet? > > By the way, the only reason I am happy about the situation is that I enjoy seeing partisan hacking get blown out. As mentioned earlier, I would guess Christie was probably complicit in the lane closure scandal. Which partisan hacking? What does “get blown out” mean? ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2017, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/1273 "2017-09-17T14:39:55Z")
> [@brazil84](#): > > Still confident that Christie is going to resign over Bridgegate? Christie has completely given up on having a political career, at this point not quitting has a lot more to do with his lack of fucks than anything else. ---
**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:** [September 18, 2017, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/1274 "2017-09-18T01:10:18Z")
> [@brazil84](#): > > Still confident that Christie is going to resign over Bridgegate? I am hopeful that at some point he will be prosecuted for something and spend the final years of his life in prison. We can rest assured that he will no longer hold elective office. ---
**Author:** ![brazil84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@brazil84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brazil84)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/1275 "2017-09-19T14:15:39Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I am hopeful that at some point he will be prosecuted for something and spend the final years of his life in prison. We can rest assured that he will no longer hold elective office. Is it really so hard to admit that it looks like your prediction was wrong? The sky won’t fall, you know. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/1276 "2017-09-19T14:26:29Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I am hopeful that at some point he will be prosecuted for something and spend the final years of his life in prison. We can rest assured that he will no longer hold elective office. For what though? He probably did not order the lane closures. He made the mistake of having idiots in his inner circle, but what else has he done. The guys an ass so in many ways but is he actually a criminal? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/1277 "2017-09-19T15:59:25Z")
> [@brazil84](#): > > Is it really so hard to admit that it looks like your prediction was wrong? The sky won’t fall, you know. When someone is deliberately antagonizing him? Of course it is. When it clearly gnaws at you that you come back to a board you left a long time ago? And you’re still being an asshole about it? Why would anyone give you the satisfaction? He’s under no moral obligation to do it for you. I wouldn’t do it either. Giving assholes what they want only encourages them to continue being assholes. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/1278 "2017-09-19T16:00:29Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > For what though? He probably did not order the lane closures. He made the mistake of having idiots in his inner circle, but what else has he done. The guys an ass so in many ways but is he actually a criminal? It’s naive to think that they would do it and not have his blessing. That’s just plausible deniability. He also violated his own eviction order by being on that beach. I see no reason he wouldn’t do criminal stuff he thinks he could get away with. Under what principle would he not? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/1279 "2017-09-19T16:10:01Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > For what though? He probably did not order the lane closures. He made the mistake of having idiots in his inner circle, but what else has he done. The guys an ass so in many ways but is he actually a criminal? I think he probably did order the lane closures, but got away with it. Unfortunately (for him) he decided to suck up to Trump, and ruined what little was left of his reputation. Trump, of course, thought Christie was guilty: > [@](#): > > ‘He totally knew about it’ > > Last December, Trump claimed the governor knew about the lane closings at the center of the George Washington Bridge scandal before they happened. The issue dogged Christie throughout his campaign, though investigators have yet to implicate the governor directly in the scandal. > > “He knew about it,” Trump told supporters at a campaign rally in South Carolina. “He totally knew about it.” Christie, of course, thought Trump would be a disaster before endorsing him: > [@](#): > > “Showtime is over. We are not electing an entertainer-in-chief. Showmanship is fun, but it is not the kind of leadership that will truly change America.” ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2017, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351/1280 "2017-09-19T16:21:20Z")
The very least you can say is that he hired people profoundly assholish enough to even think of the scheme. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351.md?page=63) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-christie-or-his-staff-intentionally-cause-the-fort-lee-traffic-jam/678351.md?page=65)