GOP presidential contender Donald J. Trump said Monday that Chris Christie had to know about plans to close the George Washington Bridge.
Mr. Trump has taken pride in his political counter punching on the campaign trail, and took aim at Mr. Christie at a rally in South Carolina after the tough-talking governor criticized Mr. Trump’s plan to put a moratorium on Muslims coming into the United States.
“Here is the story, the George Washington Bridge, he knew about it,” Mr. Trump said, drawing laughter from the crowd. “They were with him all the time, the people that did it. They never said, ’Boss we are closing up the George Washington bridge tonight?’ No they never said that. They are talking about the weather.”
Mr. Christie has denied any knowledge of the lane closures on the George Washington Bridge and has not been charged with any wrongdoing — though a former ally pleaded guilty and a member of his inner circle has been indicted, along with a Christie appointee to the Port Authority on charges related to shutting down the lanes on the bridge in an act of political retribution against a mayor who refused to endorse Mr. Christie’s re-election campaign in 2013.
The Trump attack came hours after the real estate magnate released a plan that said the United States should stop allowing Muslims into the country until the nation has a better handle on international terrorism and stopping an attack against the U.S.
Mr. Christie, in a radio interview with Michael Medved that his campaign blasted out via email, suggested the plan underscored Mr. Trump lack of governing experience.
Mr. Trump also said that New Jersey has had nine credit downgrades during Mr. Christie’s time in office, and highlighted Mr. Christie’s embrace of President Obama in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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