Christie’s response was uncharacteristically slow on Wednesday. He canceled a planned public appearance, and his aides and advisers made no public comments. The governor waited eight hours before issuing a brief statement.
Steve Schmidt, a GOP presidential strategist, said Christie’s statement did not solve his political quandary. “Eventually, the hammer is going to need to be swung by his own hand for the outrageous abuse of power,” Schmidt said.
Tom Kean Sr., a former Republican New Jersey governor and longtime Christie associate, said, “If mistakes were made, admit it. If he doesn’t, it’s going to be like water torture.”
Within Christie’s political organization, donors and other allies privately fretted that his team stayed quiet as the uproar made national news. Unlike during past controversies, Kean said, Christie’s team did not distribute any talking points to supporters.
Fred Malek, the Republican Governors Association’s finance chairman and a Christie intimate, said in an interview that the bridge incident was “totally bush-league.”
“If true, this is a rookie mistake that has far more risk than reward and would never be considered by a political leader of Chris Christie’s sophistication and character,” Malek said.
In the state capital,Trenton, leaders of the Democratic-controlled Senate and Assembly pledged to continue their investigations. Wildstein has been subpoenaed to testify at a legislative hearing at noon Thursday, although a legislative source said Wildstein filed suit in an attempt to cancel or postpone the hearing.