All roads leading to the 2016 Presidency seems to be stopping at 'Bridge-gate' for Governor Chris Christie. Republican politician and the 55th Governor of New Jersey, Christie might even face impeachment, if charges against him are proved.
The September lane closures was reportedly an effort from the Christie loyalists to tie up traffic in Fort Lee over four days to punish the town's Democratic mayor, Mark Sokolich.
The two lanes of George Washington Bridge that connects New Jersey to Manhattan, as a result was shut down by the port authority resulting in massive traffic jams. The traffic congestion kept commuters, students on school buses and even emergency responders stuck for hours.
The incident has sparked widespread disbelief among several in the country and his credibility has taken a severe beating that may even jeopardize his run for the 2016 presidency.
While the investigations into the George Washington Bridge closure incident are still on, the charges against him are serious, which will not only wipe his Whitehouse dream, but may potentially even make him the 14th Governor to be impeached in US. The last most scandalous exit among the US governor's was that of Rod Blagojevich in 2009.
A Democrat, Blagojevich,the 40th Governor of Illinois from 2003 to 2009, voted out 117-1 by the Illinois House on corruption charges. The former governor Blagojevich began a 14-year sentence in federal prison, following conviction for corruption including the soliciting of bribes for political appointments including the 2008 vacant U.S. Senate seat of then-President-Elect Barack Obama, while in public office starting March 2013.
The most recent impeachment is of Benigno Repeki Fitial, governor of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. He was first governor in any US commonwealth to be impeached and the 13th governor in the history of the United States. He was impeached in February 2013 on 18 different charges that include neglect of duties, commission of felonies and abuse of power. However, he decided to resign from office instead of facing the impeachment trial.
Will Christie's fate be any different? The State legislatures are endowed with the power to impeach state officials, including governors for crimes committed in office and the case against Christie seems to gaining much momentum. Subpoenaed documents show involvement of several key Christie aides, including Regina Egea, then director of the authorities unit, who was promoted last month to become Christie's chief of staff.
