What do bullies (GOPers) always do? Overreach. Bridgegate was an overreach. [View all]

[deminks]

http://www.businessinsider.com/chris-christies-people-wouldve-gotten-away-with-bridgegate-if-they-hadnt-been-so-greedy-2014-1

Chris Christie's People Would've Gotten Away With Bridgegate If They Had Gone With Their Original Plan

Here's one interesting fact that's emerged in the Bridgegate documents released today: The first plans drawn up for changing the traffic pattern at the George Washington Bridge toll plaza contemplated reducing the number of local access lanes from three to two — not to the single lane that was ultimately implemented.

That little overreach turned a petty act of political retribution into a national scandal.

In a press conference on Thursday, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie denied any knowledge or involvement in the issue. But some of his top aides and political appointees participated heavily in the decisions to close the lanes.

Taking away one of Fort Lee's toll lanes would have worsened traffic in the city, and sped traffic arriving on Interstate 95 by adding one extra toll lane for highway drivers. But it likely would not have led to the four-hour traffic nightmare that inspired editors at the Wall Street Journal and the Bergen Record to figure out what the hell was going on.