memeorandum: Christie Fires Aide in Bridge Scandal as U.S. Opens Inquiry (New York Times)

5:50 PM ET, January 9, 2014

Top Items:

Christie Fires Aide in Bridge Scandal as U.S. Opens Inquiry — Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey apologized to the people of New Jersey on Thursday, saying that he was “embarrassed and humiliated” by revelations that one of his top aides and close associates ordered lane closings …

Josh Barro / Business Insider:

Four Uncomfortable Questions From Chris Christie's Bridgegate Press Conference — The thrust of Gov. Chris Christie's (R-N.J.) Bridgegate press conference this morning has been: I didn't know, my staff lied to me, I'm so embarrassed, I'm sorry. — Let's say he's telling the truth.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Hullabaloo, The Dish and Hot Air

James Taranto / Wall Street Journal:

Chris Christie, the George Washington Bridge and the IRS. — New Jersey's Gov. Chris Christie has been tagged as a favorite, if not the favorite, for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. His landslide re-election victory in 2013, a quarter-century after the Garden State last voted …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, No More Mister Nice Blog, Hit & Run, Erik Wemple, New York Times, alicublog, The PJ Tatler, The Lede, The Week, Betsy's Page, The Raw Story, Taking Note and Da Tech Guy On DaRadio Blog

New York Post:

Staffer's head rolls as Christie looks to save neck over Bridgegate — Heads are rolling over Bridgegate. — Gov. Chris Christie on Thursday fired the top aide who brazenly plotted the crippling lane closures on the George Washington Bridge, multiple sources told The Post.

Discussion: Washington Post, neo-neocon, Taylor Marsh, Right Wing News and Daily Kos

Leigh Ann Caldwell / CNN:

Christie drops swagger amid heat of scandal — (CNN) — The usual swagger and bluster were gone. Chris Christie stood contrite and humiliated as he told reporters on Thursday that he knew nothing about an unfolding political scandal that has upended his administration and could mean bigger problems if he runs for President.

Discussion: BuzzFeed, The Moderate Voice, Talking Points Memo, The Democratic Daily, Los Angeles Times, Politico, The Week, Post Politics, Slate, Washington Post, The Lead with Jake Tapper, Mediaite, New Jersey Online and The Reaction

Andrew C. McCarthy / National Review:

Over Two Weeks Ago, Christie Claimed His Staff Gave Him a ‘Full Briefing’ on Bridgegate — Governor Christie's problems are even worse than Eliana's grim post suggests — and I don't say that just because the press coverage here in Jersey, where Democrats are turning up the heat, is now unrelenting.

Discussion: Hot Air, Daily Kos, Talking Points Memo and The Federalist

Nate Schweber / New York Times:
Woman Says Lane Closings Were Not to Blame for Her Mother's Death

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and Mediaite

Eric Lach / Talking Points Memo:
Christie Pal Pleads The Fifth At Bridge Scandal Hearing

Discussion: National Review and AMERICAblog News

Eric Lach / Talking Points Memo: WATCH LIVE: Christie Pal Testifies On Bridge Scandal

Washington Post:
Full transcript: N.J. Gov. Chris Christie's Jan. 9 news conference on George Washington Bridge scandal

Discussion: Bloomberg, NBCNews, Business Insider, PostPartisan, The Fix, The Star-Ledger Editorial Page, TalkLeft, The Rude Pundit and Post Politics

Todd Starnes / Fox News:
Is Chris Christie political road kill?

Discussion: Fox News Insider and Hullabaloo

Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
Chris Christie Live Blog

Discussion: Balloon Juice

CNN:
Christie won Fort Lee

Discussion: Politico, Hot Air and Taylor Marsh

New York Times:
The Bully Was a Dupe — Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey …

Discussion: NY Daily News, susiemadrak.com, theGrio, BizPac Review, The Daily Caller and Daily Kos

Mollie Hemingway / The Federalist:
Chris Christie's Accidental Argument For Limited Government (And Against Himself)

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Washington Wire, Gothamist and DownWithTyranny!

Tal Kopan / Politico:
Chris Christie announces 11 a.m. presser

Discussion: CNN, ABC News, The Moderate Voice, ABC News, Washington Monthly, Booman Tribune and The New Republic

Igor Bobic / Talking Points Memo:
Christie Fires Top Aide ‘Because She Lied To Me’

Discussion: CNBC, Washington Monthly and The Hinterland Gazette

Maggie Haberman / Politico:
Chris Christie's critics savor his misfortune

Discussion: American Spectator, New York Times, NorthJersey.com, Mediaite, First Read, The Hill, CNN and Talking Points Memo

Maggie Haberman / Politico:
Chris Christie: ‘I am embarrassed’

Discussion: BuzzFeed, CNN and Little Green Footballs

Associated Press:
Christie fires aide, apologizes for traffic jams

Discussion: Hot Air

Complete Colorado / Page Two:

Udall's office pushed back hard on number of health care cancellations — At the height of controversy surrounding President Obama's promises on the federal health care overhaul, U.S. Senator Mark Udall's office worked assiduously to revise press accounts that 249,000 Coloradans received health care cancellation notices.

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Mediaite, Weasel Zippers, The PJ Tatler and American Spectator

Eli Stokols / KDVR.com:
GOP blasts Udall for ‘bullying’ Dept. of Insurance over Obamacare cancellations

Discussion: The Daily Caller

Ezra Klein / Wonkblog:

A health industry expert on ‘the fundamental problem with Obamacare’ — Robert Laszewski is president of Health Policy and Strategy Associates, a policy and marketplace consulting firm where he works closely with many in the heath industry as they try to navigate the Affordable Care Act.

Discussion: AEIdeas, Politico and Marginal Revolution

Erik Wemple:

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow hunkers down on Koch Bros. claim — Mark V. Holden is general counsel at Koch Industries Inc., and he has a big file relating to MSNBC. The progressive cable network tends to make frequent references to Koch Industries and its politically active, free-market major shareholders Charles and David Koch.

Discussion: Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, JustOneMinute and The Gateway Pundit

John P / Pew Research Center:

Who is this man? Many Americans don't recognize top news anchor — Nightly News is now the nightly White House propaganda , it's talking points , personal attacks and lies. They don't even give reeivent news. I stopped watching the communist run media when I got my first computer.

Discussion: Poynter, TVNewser, Mediaite and Business Insider, more at Mediagazer »

Matthew Yglesias / Slate:

How Marriage Fights Poverty — Marco Rubio delivered a speech on poverty today where he observed: — Marriage is great. And it is true that a household with two adult members in it is much less likely to be poor than a household with one adult member. But even though conservatives say this a lot …

Discussion: American Prospect, Washington Monthly, The Democratic Daily, PolicyShop, The Heritage Foundation and BillMoyers.com

Jeremy Herb / The Hill:

Intel panel: DOD report finds Snowden leaks helped terrorists — Edward Snowden's leaks about National Security Agency programs have put U.S. troops at risk and prompted terrorists to change their tactics, according to a classified Pentagon report. — House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers …

Discussion: Politico, The Moderate Voice, Freedom of the Press …, Hit & Run and emptywheel

Jethro Mullen / CNN:

Dennis Rodman apologizes for North Korea outburst, says he'd been drinking — Rodman, ex-NBAers play North Korea — (CNN) — Former NBA star Dennis Rodman apologized Thursday for his much-criticized outburst about an American citizen imprisoned in North Korea, saying he was stressed …

Discussion: Politico, SI Wire, Global Grind, The Hinterland Gazette, Talking Points Memo, News One, Towleroad News #gay, Post Politics, Outside the Beltway, National Review, The Reaction and Hot Air

David Giambusso / New Jersey Online:

Amiri Baraka, former N.J. poet laureate and prolific author, dead at 79 — Amiri Baraka, the state's former poet laureate and a revered author, poet and activist, has died. He was 79. Baraka is shown in this 2009 file photo. (Star-Ledger file photo) — David Giambusso/The Star-Ledger By David Giambusso/The Star-Ledger

Discussion: Liberaland, Mediaite and News One

Eleanor Barkhorn / The Atlantic Online:

School Wasn't Canceled for Bad Weather in 1882 — Record-low temperatures caused by the Polar Vortex have forced schools across the country to close this week. Weather-related school cancellations tend to raise anxieties about whether we're a nation of wimps.

Discussion: American Spectator

Reid J. Epstein / Politico:

Obama optimistic on unemployment benefits — President Barack Obama said Thursday he's glad that Senate negotiations to extend federal unemployment benefits are advancing, and for the second time this week called on the House to do the same. — “It's one thing to say we should help more Americans get ahead.

Discussion: CNN

Stephanie Condon / CBS News:
Obama to unveil “promise zone” economic initiative

Discussion: Rush Limbaugh and Hot Air

Stephen Dinan / Washington Times:

JUSTICE: Feds pick Obama supporter to lead probe into IRS tea party targeting — The Justice Department selected an avowed political supporter of President Obama to lead the criminal probe into the IRS targeting of tea party groups, according to top Republicans who said Wednesday that the move has ruined the entire investigation.