New Jersey legislature's Bridgeghazi investigation is "stuck"

[Mr. Morden]

Here's a summary of where things stand on the New Jersey legislature's investigation of Bridgeghazi:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/07/18/how-the-bridgegate-investigation-ground-to-a-halt-and-let-chris-christie-zoom-off-to-iowa.html

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Now, that doesn't mean that nothing will come of this.  The "real" investigation is being done by US Attorney Paul Fishman.  But the thing is that his office doesn't seem to be leaking to the media, so no one really knows what they've got, or what his timeline is for the investigation.  In lieu of any imminent indictment, Christie seems be going full speed ahead in Iowa, which he's currently visiting, and of which he says "I will be back a lot":

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/18/us/politics/christie-in-iowa-i-will-be-back-a-lot.html?_r=0

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Why do people think the NJ Democratic establishment wants Christie out of office?

[Rockefeller GOP]

Why do people think the NJ Democratic establishment wants Christie out of office?

...  Why wouldn't they?  They could be just as corrupt with a member of their own party in office if not more.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Why do people think the NJ Democratic establishment wants Christie out of office?

...  Why wouldn't they?  They could be just as corrupt with a member of their own party in office if not more.

Because the NJ Democratic establishment were the ones who supported Christie over Corzine in the first place.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Why do people think the NJ Democratic establishment wants Christie out of office?

...  Why wouldn't they?  They could be just as corrupt with a member of their own party in office if not more.

Because the NJ Democratic establishment were the ones who supported Christie over Corzine in the first place.

There needs to be a bloodbath of primaries.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Why do people think the NJ Democratic establishment wants Christie out of office?

...  Why wouldn't they?  They could be just as corrupt with a member of their own party in office if not more.

Because the NJ Democratic establishment were the ones who supported Christie over Corzine in the first place.

There needs to be a bloodbath of primaries.

Christie's biggest backers aren't necessarily office holders, they're the unelected party bosses like Newark North Ward's Steve Adubato, Sr. who pull the levers behind the scenes.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Why do people think the NJ Democratic establishment wants Christie out of office?

...  Why wouldn't they?  They could be just as corrupt with a member of their own party in office if not more.

Because the NJ Democratic establishment were the ones who supported Christie over Corzine in the first place.

There needs to be a bloodbath of primaries.

Christie's biggest backers aren't necessarily office holders, they're the unelected party bosses like Newark North Ward's Steve Adubato, Sr. who pull the levers behind the scenes.

Indeed

[Mister Mets]

Why do people think the NJ Democratic establishment wants Christie out of office?

It seems plausible to outsiders.

The situation is complex in that there's a division among New Jersey Democrats. Some are happy with Christie as Governor (offers them bipartisan credentials, and excuses for why the base can't get everything they want) while others prefer unilateral control.

[henster]

NJ's economic situation will hurt Christie more than anything else.

[The Mikado]

I am so down for sticking Ghazi at the end of every scandal.

[NHLiberal]

I am so down for sticking Ghazi at the end of every scandal.

Well it makes sense in this one since someone died

[Free Bird]

Of course it is. He didn't do anything

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

I suspect the scandal may cross the Hudson. Of course Cuomo doesn't care that Christie is corrupt, since he's just as corrupt.

[Badger]

Why do people think the NJ Democratic establishment wants Christie out of office?

But wouldn't they want Christie wounded, but not impeached? If he runs for the White House and wins they lose him as gov, but if he's kept from running and made damaged goods it gives more power to the Dem bosses in and out of the Legislature.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Why do people think the NJ Democratic establishment wants Christie out of office?

But wouldn't they want Christie wounded, but not impeached? If he runs for the White House and wins they lose him as gov, but if he's kept from running and made damaged goods it gives more power to the Dem bosses in and out of the Legislature.

The Dem bosses are Christie's most important allies in the state.  It's just like NY state politics: no one cares what party you are or what your ideology is as long as everyone makes money working together.  The whole thing is a cesspool of corruption and both state parties in NJ and especially in NY are down with that

[Mr. Morden]

According to this Politico story, numerous GOP politicos are now doubting that any kind of "smoking gun" will ever emerge from Bridgeghazi, as they figure that anything like that would have leaked by now:

http://www.politico.com/story/2014/07/2016-elections-chris-christie-109524.html?hp=f2

This is one factor that may be fuelling a resurgence of elite GOP interest in Christie, along with the fact that many of them are eager to find a champion who will stop Paul:

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[cbannon5]

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[/quote]

I'm pretty sure the GOP could nominate a cardboard cutout of Ronald Reagan and still win more than one state.  Rand Paul, like just about any other Republican, would start out with Oklahoma, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, Kansas, North and South Dakota, Montana, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, South Carolina and Nebraska as a floor.  

[Maistre]

The GOP establishment is turning out to be as incompetent in the 2016 cycle as the 'grassroots' were in 2012.

[Rockefeller GOP]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

I'm pretty sure the GOP could nominate a cardboard cutout of Ronald Reagan and still win more than one state.  Rand Paul, like just about any other Republican, would start out with Oklahoma, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, Kansas, North and South Dakota, Montana, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, South Carolina and Nebraska as a floor.  
[/quote]

Agree on every state except for WV.  Obama was a TERRIBLE fit for a state that was otherwise open to voting for Democrats.  Hillary almost certainly would have won it in '08 had she been the nominee.  You can choose to believe that '08-'14 in WV have constituted "trends," but I see more of an exception.  A nominee like Clinton would make it close vs. more than a few Republicans.

[cbannon5]

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I'm pretty sure the GOP could nominate a cardboard cutout of Ronald Reagan and still win more than one state.  Rand Paul, like just about any other Republican, would start out with Oklahoma, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, Kansas, North and South Dakota, Montana, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, South Carolina and Nebraska as a floor. 

Agree on every state except for WV.  Obama was a TERRIBLE fit for a state that was otherwise open to voting for Democrats.  Hillary almost certainly would have won it in '08 had she been the nominee.  You can choose to believe that '08-'14 in WV have constituted "trends," but I see more of an exception.  A nominee like Clinton would make it close vs. more than a few Republicans.
[/quote]


I agree that I should have excluded West Virginia.  West Virginia coud probably be put in play if Hillary invested some time and money in the state.  Bill Clinton could probably be a powerful campaign surrogate in the state (if his '92 and '96 performances are any indication).  That said, I do believe the state is, at least at the Presidential level, trending GOP.  Democrats haven't won the state since 1996.  The "War on Coal" narrative will be a very difficult stumbling block for any Democrat to overcome.