Politics

Candy Crowley asks Christie-accuser: Why did you continue to praise him? [VIDEO]

Jamie Weinstein Senior Writer
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Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer has come forward with new bullying allegations against New Jersey Republican Gov. Chris Christie’s administration, but CNN’s Candy Crowley wanted to know Sunday why the mayor continued to praise Christie after the incidents in question.

In the aftermath of the Christie Bridge-gate scandal, Zimmer alleged that two top officials in Christie’s administration — Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno and cabinet member Richard Constable — told her that if she did not support a re-development project the governor supported, the state would withhold Hurricane Sandy recovery aid from her city. But even after she alleges these conversations took place, Zimmer continued to praise Christie.

“But we have seen since this happened in May, which you recorded in your diary, we have seen you compliment the mayor, we have seen you several months later say in a tweet, ‘I’m so glad that Chris Christie is our governor,'” Crowley said to Zimmer on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “So can you square that for me? Because as you know, coming at this point, what the Chris Christie office says is this is just politics? Why can this not be seen through a political lens?”

“That’s part of the reason that this was so hard because I did have a really good relationship,” Zimmer responded. “And so I couldn’t believe that they were doing this. The bottom line is the Christie administration’s response is, one, deflection. I mean, the major question is did they connect [Hurricane] Sandy funding — Hoboken Sandy funding — to the Rockefeller Project? The fact is that is what they did. I’m coming forward. I’m sharing my story directly. I’m here talking to you. I’m, you know, I’m sharing my journal. I’m offering to testify under oath. What are they doing? They’re hiding behind spokespeople. And in fact the lieutenant governor was reached directly by the Bergen Record and she declined to comment. And I believe if and when she is asked to testify under oath the truth will come out, because I believe she will be truthful and she will tell the truth.”

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