We're still in the wait-and-see moment after the Christie-organized "internal inquiry" report, which — surprise! — found him innocent of all Bridgegate wrongdoing, was released to the public at large. While Christie and his team are clearly hoping to use the report as a talking point to "prove" his innocence and put Bridgegate behind him, the media thus far has been much more skeptical. Going by a new poll, it appears New Jersey residents aren't buying what Christie's selling, either.
Here's the latest happenings in the Christie saga:
- A new poll from Asbury Press shows 61 percent of respondents don't believe Christie is being totally honest about the Bridgegate affair, while 32 percent think he is. The poll also finds that 52 percent believe Christie's internal investigation was intended to make him look better rather than get to the truth, while 30 percent believe the opposite. As perhaps a testament to New Jerseyans' jaundiced view of politics, despite the clear majority's believing Christie to be lying about Bridgegate, his overall approval rating has leveled out at 51 percent.
- Matt Katz of WNYC has a new report on how Christie's administration blurred the lines separating his staff's work in service of the public and in service of Christie's 2013 reelection campaign. Katz finds some of the same officials who were responsible for handling state business were also tasked with seeking endorsements from Democratic mayors (whom Christie desperately wanted on his side in order to bolster his electability argument for 2016).
- In more possible corruption news, Reuters reports that the Hoboken City Council has overwhelmingly voted to allow the city attorney to work with investigators who are examining Mayor Dawn Zimmer's claim that the Christie administration demanded she approve a private real estate deal before it would give her the Superstorm Sandy aid she requested.
- Meanwhile, a new poll from Quinnipiac University’s National Thermometer finds that Christie is no longer the "hottest" politician in America, now trailing Sen. Elizabeth Warren and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, among others.
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