Michael Goodwin

Michael Goodwin

US News

Gotcha? When there’s no smoking gun?

Attention, football fans and political junkies: Chris Christie’s hanging will be the halftime entertainment at tonight’s Super Bowl. Imagine the ratings!

If you’re shocked at my scoop, that means you missed the Jersey Gov’s indictment, trial and sentencing. In other words, you missed Saturday’s news cycle.

The latest Gotcha! moment was set off by a lawyer’s letter to the Port Authority that claims “evidence exists” showing Christie knew about the lane closures earlier than he claimed.

The immediate reaction by most referees was that Christie is toast. But after further review, the call is reversed. He’s not toast–yet.

For one thing, Christie’s now throwing punches as well as taking them, a sign he’s abandoned hope he could ride out the storm quietly. He knows he’s in a fight for his career.

For another, consider the accusations. The purpose of the lawyer’s letter was to get the Port Authority to pay his legal fees for representing David Wildstein in the case. A key Christie appointee to the authority, Wildstein was responsible for the abusive lane closings on the George Washington Bridge and later resigned.

In addition to legal fees, lawyer Alan Zegas wants Wildstein to get immunity from prosecution. That’s not mentioned in the letter, but its tone reads like a ransom note.

Zegas warns darkly that authority officials are “connected” to “land deals” and that money was used to reward Christie’s friends. The clear suggestion is that his client could tell all—so don’t make him mad.

It’s intriguing but vague and very strange. If the authority reverses itself after what sounds like threats and agrees to pay Wildstein’s fees, it would be accused of paying hush money. That won’t help Wildstein.

None of this means Christie is innocent and there may yet be a smoking gun that nails him. But until there is, there isn’t, so talk of his demise remains premature.