| There's been a lot of supposition over the years that the US Attorney's office under Chris Christie leaked like a sieve, slipping information damaging to Democrats to the press while holding tight to information that could hurt Republicans.
The evidence was largely circumstantial. How did the press find out about the subpoena to Bob Menendez just weeks before the Senatorial election? Why was Brian Thompson standing around as subpoenas were served on Democrats in the Christmas Tree investigation?
Back on March 1, 2007 we wrote:
There is surely no fire here, and maybe only a scent of smoke from far away. But the actions and subpoenas of the past seven months are exactly what a US Attorney who was told to put pressure on the Democrats would start doing. Every time a Democrat starts gaining points, hit them with a subpoena. Every time a Republican needs to score points, make an announcement.
Well, now there's fire to go with the smoke. The Corzine FOIA requests for Christie's communications have unearthed actual phone slips of calls from the media to Christie late on the afternoon of February 27th, 2007 -- the day before subpoenas were dropped on three Democratic legislators.
Here's Brian Thompson of television's NBC News, talking with Christie the afternoon before the subpoenas dropped: 
And here's Michael Gartland of The Record talking the same afternoon: 
Both Thompson was hanging out at the statehouse just in time for the subpoenas on February 28th, 2007 ensuring quick coverage on television and the Internet.
It's no stretch to think that Christie was the leak, telling reporters about secret Grand Jury actions -- which is, by the way, a crime. Christie has to answer for this, and either reveal what he talked about with Thompson and Gartland that day or tacitly admit that he personally was the leak.
Before today it was easy to believe Christie used leaks from his office to aid in his political goals. After today it is hard to refute. |
