September 24, 2016
Key New Jersey legislators have preliminarily discussed moving to impeach Gov. Chris Christie, NBC4 New York reports.
Sources told NBC the possibility is 50/50.
A spokesman for Christie dismissed it as “ridiculous.”
Christie is seen as vulnerable, emboldening the discussion among legislative Democrats who would need to initiate the steps to begin impeachment.
Christie is a lame duck nearing the end of his second term with his lowest approval ratings ever and damning testimony last week that he knew about Bridgegate.
That was a political payback scheme meant to punish the mayor of Fort Lee, a Democrat, for not crossing over to endorse him on his second run for governor. Christie is a Republican.
At a trial for two of Christie’s former allies, there was testimony last week showing Christie was not honest when he denied knowing about the plan to snarl traffic from New Jersey heading into Manhattan.
NBC reported that Assembly members are researching the possibility of removing the governor.
A committee chairman, who did not want to be named, told NBC that "clearly obstruction of justice" would be a likely charge against the governor.
The decision on going forward with impeachment is up to Democratic Speaker Vincent Prieto, who has often clashed with the governor.
If Prieto gives the go-ahead, the Assembly Judiciary Committee would begin the process.
A successful move to impeach requires a majority of the 80-member Assembly to vote for articles of impeachment.
If it passes the Democrat-controlled Assembly, the trial would be in the Senate where two-thirds of senators would be needed to convict.
Democrats hold a majority in the Senate, but they would need three Republican senators to join them if all Democrats vote to convict.
Once a bright star in his party and a presidential candidate, Christie has previously said the blowback from the Bridgegate scandal may have killed his chance to become Donald Trump’s running mate on the Republican presidential ticket.
To read the complete NBC account, click here.
