Gov. Chris Christie and his former press secretary Michael Drewniak

Star-Ledger editorial writer Tom Moran couldn’t wait to get a seat Monday morning for the opening day of the Bridgegate trial in federal court in Newark, NJ.  


He was convinced that Gov. Chris Christie had lied when he told the world that he was unaware of the politically inspired closing of traffic lanes at the George Washington Bridge until months after the event. Moran was delighted to hear the federal prosecutor state that, indeed, the governor knew much sooner than that.


What Moran did not expect to hear (read aloud into the record) was an email written at the time by the governor’s press secretary Michael Drewniak that said of Moran:

“I hate that fucker. I want to beat him with a lead pipe…That would put everyone on notice.”


Moran writes today in Christie’s pal wants to kill me. What bully culture? that the message “explains the Bridgegate scandal in a nutshell.”

They went nuts when the mayor of Fort Lee, Mark Sokolich, refused to endorse the governor, as if he had an obligation to obey their imperial commands. 

Keep in mind that the gridlock they created came after he refused to endorse. This wasn’t an attempt to pressure him; it was punishment. And it was standard practice. 

That’s why defense attorney Michael Critchley read Drewniak’s e-mail. He wanted to the jury to know about the sick culture of this administration, to spread the blame. And he had about 100 examples like this. 

If you think what Drewniak wrote about Moran was harsh, read his column to learn what the governor’s wordsmith said about Bridgegate chief conspirator David Wildstein. Smokin!


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