I still watch MTP (Meet the Press) -- so you don't have to. You're welcome.
New Jersey State Senator Loretta Weinberg (D-NJ, Majority Leader/Co-Chair, Legislative Select Committee on Investigation) was interview by Chuck Todd about 30 minutes into the show. (Thankfully, David Gregory had some other commitment, or something.)
Here's my brief summary of her critique of the "exhaustive" Christie Report, provided by Christie's Interview Review team of attorneys. Many are saying this for-hire Report was designed to cast Christie in the best light possible, while at the same time, take a pre-emptive character strike, at those former staffers who have yet to have their say in court (or in this self-serving Report either).
Here's my brief summary of Senator Loretta Weinberg's critiques of the Report, gleaned from her answers to Todd's questions:
1) Missing List of 70 Witnesses.
2) Missing Transcript of the 70 Witnesses' Interviews.
3) Its "gratuitous, sexist language" with regards to witness Kelly.
4) Its intentional omissions to disclose: that both Christie and Samson were copied on her letter of 09/19/2013, concerned the GWB Traffic problems.
5) Its use of euphemisms like "The Lane Realignment" to give a false impression about the intentional nature Traffic Gridlock situation in Fort Lee.
MEET THE PRESS TRANSCRIPT: March 30, 2014
by David Gregory -- (Chuck Todd, sitting for Gregory)
{My attempt to link that Segment Clip was here.}
Here's the link to the entire Show. The Loretta Weinberg starts around 30 minutes in. Good luck with the New MTP Media format.
Highlights from today MTP Transcript:
[...]
SEN. WEINBERG: Well, first of all, we're missing the list of 70 people that were interviewed in this so-called report.
SEN. WEINBERG: We're missing all the transcripts; not only of this interview with the governor, but his interview with all 70 of the so-called witnesses. And I'd like to know for a report -- first of all, I'm glad to hear that Mr. Giuliani said it wasn't conclusive. It's the governor who's saying it's conclusive. And for a report that was supposed to be so conclusive… footnoted, et cetera -- how did they know who broke up a personal relationship? That gratuitous, sexist language… in that report is infuriating, and anybody who put their name on that report should be ashamed of themselves.
[...]
SEN. WEINBERG: [...] Mr. Mastro depicts that in the report as Senator Weinberg wrote a letter to the Port Authority. Completely omits the fact that very plainly on the letter says, a copy to the -- to Governor Christie.
[...]
SEN. WEINBERG: Well, he mentions it in the report. So apparently, it's part of the file. But these are the kinds of omissions, even just calling what really happened as a lane realignment. That's how he refers to it. It's a choice of words that were meant to give a -- an impression that I think is inappropriate. And I would hope that we get a list of all 70 witnesses and all the transcripts, and present that to our committee.
[...]
I hope they bring Chuck Todd back, he did a decent job. He asked some tough questions of both sides,
a la Tim Russert. Just one person's opinion of course, but the bar's been set pretty low ...
And of course, I had to wonder if Chuck Todd -- or someone on his staff -- had read my post of yesterday?
The one where I went to some length to explain, how the Loretta Weinberg Letter of 09/19/2013, the one discussing the GWB Traffic problems, which had been offically copied to Chris Christie and David Samson, on official New Jersey Legislature letterhead -- how that letter IS a solid piece of hard evidence, that shows both these participants knew of the Traffic Problems, long long before they ever let on in public.
The mere existence of this Official Correspondence, makes all Christie denials of the GWB Traffic situation, after that date, so many obvious indicators of the Governor's intentional and on-going coverup efforts, regarding the events in Sept 2013, gridlocking the Borough of Fort Lee.
This Loretta Weinberg Letter put the whole gridlock situation on the Governor's Internal Radar -- VERY EARLY ON in this drawn-out timeline. To say otherwise, is to say he really believes the unsubstantiated, undocumented, unproven Report to the Governor -- that he really thinks it is more than just a public relations trick, but also a grand search for the truth. (Based on Statements of 70 Witnesses, that apparently don't exist.)
For a look at that "Hard Evidence," now on placed onto national news discussion table, check out my post of yesterday -- in which go to the second section of the post.
And thanks for your support. Watching MTP is not exactly fun anymore, you know. Not for a long long time.