Supporters of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie who paid $500 to attend his inaugural celebration might be in for a less triumphant event than they originally thought.
The Republican will mark his landslide re-election victory with a lavish inauguration Tuesday, which includes plans of a day-long affair ending in a party on Ellis Island. The celebration, originally billed as an event to honor the governor, is just the latest high-profile event for Christie timed as he attempts to divert attention away from his administration embroiled in scandal. Tuesday’s piece of political theater is unlikely include any nod to the ongoing investigation into whether members of Christie’s staff closed off one of the most trafficked bridges in the country as possible political retribution.
Now, in addition to beginning his second term under the cloud of 20 new subpoenas over “Bridgegate,” Christie must contend with allegations that he held hostage much-needed relief funding in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.
Hitting Christie while he was already down, Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer said in an exclusive interview Saturday on UP w/ Steve Kornacki that the Christie administration showed a history of political bullying tactics after two high-ranking officials tried to strong-arm her into approving a major redevelopment deal in exchange for Hurricane Sandy relief money. Zimmer confirmed she met with the U.S. attorney for the state of New Jersey on Sunday and offered to testify under oath that she was threatened by the governor’s staff.
Christie’s office hit back hard against Zimmer’s assertions, issuing a statement that decried the story as part of a partisan attack on the part of MSNBC. His office and a spokesperson for Richard Constable, Christie’s commissioner of community affairs and one of the officials Zimmer accused of threatening her, both categorically denied her allegations.









