“Bridgegate” and Christie’s Aspirations to National Office

In June of 2013, in the midst of his battle with Barbara Buono to capture a second term as New Jersey governor, one poll had Chris Christie leading by 30 points (61 to 31).  It looked like nothing could slow him down, let alone that anything negative could be pinned on him – surely not a scandal. 
 

Christie at a Town Meeting, Raritan Valley Community College, April 2013

Yet, for a long time, his foes – including some within the press – had been looking for ways to knock him off his game:  Their opportunity would come when, in the fall of 2013, the so-called “Bridgegate” affair would provide Christie’s opponents with the impetus to begin pummeling him for months on end.

ONSET OF THE INVESTIGATIONS:
 
Paul Fishman, U.S. Attorney for the State of New Jersey, headed up one of the key investigative agencies that entered the fray.  Yet, as of this writing, his office has yet to produce any evidentiary reports that Governor Christie acted in an unlawful manner, or even knew anything about the oblique “Bridgegate” incident.