Chris Christie's office is calling it "the bombshell that's not a bombshell."
Look at this email Politico obtained from the New Jersey governor's office. It attacks a former political appointee and The New York Times.
So that obviously needs a little context. Remember the allegations the governor's aides shut down the nation's busiest bridge in apparent political retaliation against a Democratic mayor? (Via ABC)
The governor has repeatedly denied having personal knowledge of the bridge closure:
CHRISTIE: "I really yesterday was blindsided by this." (Via NJTV)
And aside from sparking a couple investigations, the whole thing was just starting to lose the breathless national public attention it started with.
Until this Friday from The New York Times: "Christie linked to knowledge of shut lanes."
With the piece, the Times published this letter from a lawyer of former Port Authority official David Wildstein, who was believed to be at the center of the scandal and personally oversaw the lane closures.
Basically the letter included a reference to unspecified "evidence" that Christie in fact did know about the lane closings at George Washington Bridge. Mind you — unspecified evidence — which nonetheless sparked this:
"Christie's political hot water is on a high simmer..." (Via CBS)
"A bombshell of an accusation, in the Chris Christie bridgegate scandal." (Via WJLA)
"Another bombshell in the New Jersey bridge scandal." (Via WVIT)
So back to the latest — that email from the governor's office attacking The Times and David Wildstein:
It accused The Times of "sloppy reporting," reiterated the governor's denial of involvement or knowledge, and even attacked Wildstein's character as "tumultuous."
We should note The Times did come under scrutiny over the weekend for changing the lede to its story.
The original said Wildstein "had the evidence to prove" Christie knew.
While a later version read that Wildstein said "evidence exists" that the governor knew.
In any case — Governor Christie continues to deny any involvement. (Via WTNH)
But that's not stopping op-eds like this — suggesting the rumored White House hopeful can start kissing Oval Office dreams goodbye. (Via The Boston Herald)
And the same New Jersey Star-Ledger that endorsed his last reelection bid is now saying Christie should resign if Wildstein's claims are true.
In the meantime, several investigations into the scandal are sure to reveal more in the coming weeks to either support or disprove Christie's denials.
