OK, you caught us. The Christie Tracker Podcast actually wrapped up back in November of 2016 - after the Bridgegate trial of former Christie staffer, Bridget Anne Kelly and former Deputy Executive Director of the Port Authority, Bill Baroni.But because Tuesday, January 16th marks the last day in office for New Jersey ... more
The Bridgegate trial is done. Governor Christie is heading into his last year in office. And the Christie Tracker Podcast is closing up shop.Before we go, our resident Bridgegate-ologists, WNYC's Matt Katz and Andrea Bernstein, join us to answer your questions.Former Christie associates Bridget Kelly and Bill Baroni ... more
The Trial is done. The guilty verdicts are in. So in an effort to turn the page on this chaotic chapter in New Jersey's history, we present Bridgegatepalooza - - a wrap-up of the political retribution scheme that derailed the rising star of the national Republican party, and ended – we thought – the political future of... more
After seven weeks, the Bridgegate trial is done and the verdicts are in. Former Chris Christie staffer, Bridget Anne Kelly and Bill Baroni, the former Deputy Executive Director of the Port Authority, were found guilty on all counts. Both sides are vowing to appeal. And even though testimony during the trial indicated o... more
Now in week 7, the Bridgegate trial is in the hands of the jury. And so as we wait for verdicts for former Christie staffer Bridget Kelly and former Port Authority appointee Bill Baroni, WNYC's Andrea Bernstein and Matt Katz join us with a few closing arguments of their own.There were a lot of details and characters f... more
Former Christie staffer Bridget Kelly finally hit the stand in week 6 of the Bridgegate Trial. Governor Christie has always maintained that he had no knowledge about the plan - prior to or during the lane closures at the George Washington Bridge. Kelly testified that she told him once before and twice during the 5-day ... more
Bill Baroni, the former Deputy Executive Director of the Port Authority was on the stand this week in the Bridgegate trial. He, and former Christie staffer Bridget Kelly, are on trial for allegedly orchestrating the lane closures leading to the George Washington Bridge in a scheme to punish the Mayor of Fort Lee for no... more
We're only a third of the way through the Bridgegate trial.Testimony from the prosecution's star witness David Wildstein wrapped up last week. The former port authority official has implicated nearly everyone in Governor Christie's orbit – including Christie and Governor Cuomo.WNYC's Matt Katz and Andrea Bernstein jo... more
It was another busy week in Christie world.Over the past several days, Governor Christie announced a deal to allow a gas tax hike to pay for transportation projects in New Jersey... he called Donald Trump a genius on Fox News Sunday for losing nearly a billion dollars in 1995... and, after a long weekend, former port ... more
Week 2 of the Bridgegate trial featured more show-stopping testimony from David Wildstein.The former Port Authority official who has pleaded guilty in the lane closure scandal, said governor Chris Christie knew about the traffic at the George Washington Bridge while it was happening. And, according to Wildstein's test... more
The 'Bridgegate trial' has begun for former Christie staffer, Bridget Anne Kelly and Bill Baroni, the former Deputy Executive Director of the Port Authority. And Chris Christie's name has been coming up a lot in federal court in Newark.On the very first day, prosecutors came out and said the governor knew about the po... more
We've been on hiatus for a while.But summer break is over. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band wrapped up their tour. Beach season is done. And we got kicked out of the rental in Manasquan.Oh, and the Bridgegate trial is finally underway for former Governor Christie staffer, Bridget Anne Kelly and Bill Baroni, th... more
From Bridgegate to the Chairman’s Flight... and from the scuttling of the ARC Hudson River tunnel project to the precarious finances of state’s depleted transportation trust fund, the Christie administration has been defined by controversy related to travel and transportation. This week, it was revealed that New Jerse... more
Depending on who you were talking to, it was either the most shocking thing the governor has ever done or not surprising at all. But certainly everyone was talking about it.Chris Christie’s endorsement of Donald Trump sent the political world reeling and had New Jersey residents wondering when they might ever see thei... more
With Governor Christie out of the presidential race and his budget speech out of the way, the Christie Tracker Podcast is shifting to a bi-weekly schedule.But we've left you with a mashup of Christie-speak from the campaign trail. (See if you can guess which three-letter phrase seemed to pop up more than any other dur... more
It was the first sight most New Jerseyans had of Chris Christie since he dropped out of the presidential race. The governor was back behind a podium, addressing a joint session of the state legislature.Never one to do anything on a small scale, his annual budget speech provided the perfect vehicle for his return to Je... more
Chris Christie has suspended his campaign for the White House. In a statement he said, "I leave the race without an ounce of regret."This week, we look back on his quest to become the next president. And NJPR's Matt Katz explains what went wrong for the Gov in New Hampshire.Christie spent more than 70 days campaignin... more
After months of campaigning, primary season just got real.And real ugly for Team Christie.Iowa dealt a major blow to the guy hoping to be the top governor coming out of the caucuses. Instead, he came in 10th overall - and dead last in the governors sweepstakes, behind Bush, Kasich and, yes, Huckabee.Senior Editor fo... more
First, Governor Christie says he’s not coming back to New Jersey. Then, he arrives in time for the winter storm and says he was planning to all along – if the situation demanded his presence. He leaves after less than 40 hours and rushes back to New Hampshire for more campaigning (and a Patriots game). After the storm,... more
Wait no more, Gov.American Governor: Chris Christie’s Bridge to Redemption is officially on the shelves this week.Back when he inked a deal to write a book about New Jersey’s popular governor, Matt Katz didn't know – and therefore nobody knew – the word Bridgegate.Now, over two years later, Christie is running for ... more
He's fighting an uphill presidential campaign and still losing popularity at home, but Governor Christie reminded the state house – and a national audience – of his considerable gifts as a politician.In his annual State of the State speech, he brazenly took credit for saving New Jersey’s economy and railed against Dem... more
261.That’s how many days Governor Christie spent out of New Jersey in 2015.And according to New Jersey Public Radio’s Matt Katz, “There’s not much really happening in terms of the governance of New Jersey.” As state matters are squeezed between the governor's campaign stops and TV appearances, Matt says Trenton has “... more
Ah, schooldays. Things were different for Chris Christie back at the ol’ University of Delaware. The carefree scamp would spend his days building coalitions while running for president of the student body. He'd relax by fighting to secure an endorsement from the school newspaper.OK. So nothing has changed.By the time... more
In basketball, the head fake can be used to trick a defender. Essentially, you pretend like you're gonna go one way... and then you do something else.It can work in politics too. Like when Governor Christie said he was going to direct the New Jersey Department of Human Services not to participate in the settlement of ... more
GOP debate #5 is a wrap.Governor Christie was back on the main stage and needed to make the most of this moment. With less than two months to go before the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, it’s getting to be do-or-die time for all candidates not named Trump.Ted Cruz is surging in the polls and Governor Ch... more