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September 2013 New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, A republican who was respected by both left and right wing politicians was on the verge of being the GOP nominee for the presidential ticket, However it became complicated for Gov. Christie between September 9 to September 13, Two out of three lanes on the Famous George Washington Bridge connecting Fort Lee a neighborhood in New Jersey to New York city was suddenly closed down causing major traffic congestion. The George Washington Bridge or the GWB is a double decked suspension bridge that expands to the Hudson River connecting the NYC Neighborhoods Washington Heights and Manhattan to NJ Neighborhoods Fort Lee and Bergen County.
Today the bridge has 14 lanes and carries 102 million vehicles a year, in 2013 GWB was considered the world’s busiest motor vehicle bridge. According to the NJ Port authority who oversees all transportation and bridges between NYC and NJ the lanes on the GWB were closed due to a “ Traffic Study” However NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo who is the Authority Chief over the Port Authority said that there were no traffic studies planned for September 9- September 13. Shortly after Christie began to go under fire after emails pertaining to the Traffic Jams began to surface, emails that possibly connected him to the lanes closing on the GWB. Once the public and media obtained these emails many people believed the Christie closed the 14 lane bridge as an act of “Political Retaliation” against all of the NJ residents who voted for Barbara Buono the Democratic Candidate in the NJ Governor 2013 election.
Due to the GWB closing Many NJ residents missed work, Many NJ students were late or missed school. Even though Christie exclaimed to the English speaking world that he was unaware of the closings and had nothing to do with them, emails and texts messages from his former Chief of Staff Bridget Ann Kelly, Former Port Authority Official David Wildstein and Christies Top advisor Bill Baroni said otherwise. Still at the top of 2014 Christie is in the public eye trying to save his name and reputation. Despite all the GWB controversy and Christie’s questionable character surrounding it many people still believe he has a chance to run on the Presidential ticket for 2016. ( WHAT !!!!!!!).
Being the History junkie that I am I can’t help but to connect this political scandal to another one Watergate. In 1972 Former president Richard Nixon went under fire for breaking into the Democratic National Committee’s office at the Watergate Plaza in Washington D.C. In the Aftermath of Watergate many people went under fire including the conviction and incarnation of 43 people many of them were members of Nixon’s Administration. However after Nixon Resigned in August 1973 his Successor President Gerald Ford issued a pardon to Nixon September 8, 1974 excusing him from any activities pertaining to Watergate.
I am so tired of Politicians who are caught in Scandals like Richard Nixon, Gov. Chris Christie, Anthony Weiner and others who commit scandals for the sake of their Self- Gratification and the many people that are quick to forgive them and campaign on their behalf for a higher office. As a politician you are a servant for the people, you have to be responsible you have to be a leader not only in Politics but in Morality