Christie Says, “I Am Not a Bully.” Here Are 8 Videos of Him Yelling, Name-Calling, and Belittling People.


On Thursday, New Jersey GOP Gov. Chris Christie held a press conference to address allegations that his appointees orchestrated a dangerous traffic jam for political revenge. Christie maintained that he was deceived by a member of his “circle of trust” and noted that he had fired his deputy chief of staff, Bridget Anne Kelly, who was implicated in the scandal. He insisted that he had not known that Kelly ordered the traffic problems until the news broke on Wednesday. But many commentators have wondered if this whole episode—whether Christie was in the know or not—has bolstered the view that Christie is a bully.

Christie took issue with this characterization at the press conference. He asserted, “I am who I am. But I am not a bully…The tone that we’ve set here [is] that I’m willing to compromise.” But those who have been the targets of Christie’s wrath disagree. And here are 8 videos of Christie yelling, belittling people, and name-calling—and most of the clips are promoted by Christie himself on his popular YouTube page:

1. Christie to a teacher: “If what you want to do is put on a show and giggle every time I talk, well then I have no interest in answering your question.”

?2. Christie to a former Navy SEAL: “Your rear end’s going to get thrown in jail, idiot.”

3. Christie to a reporter: “You know Tom, you must be the thinnest-skinned guy in America…you should really see me when I’m pissed.”

?

?4. Christie to a constituent: “Hey Gail, you know what, first off it’s none of your business.” 

?5. Christie to a former White House doctor: “This is just another hack who wants five minutes on TV…she should shut up.” 

?6. Christie to an Occupy Wall Street protester: “Something may be going down tonight, but it ain’t going to be jobs, sweetheart.”

7. Christie to a reporter: “Are you stupid?…I’m sorry for the idiot over there.” 

8. Christie to a person on the street: “You’re a real big shot. You’re a real big shot. Just keep walking away. Keep walking.” 

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WHO DOESN’T LOVE A POSITIVE STORY—OR TWO?

“Great journalism really does make a difference in this world: it can even save kids.”

That’s what a civil rights lawyer wrote to Julia Lurie, the day after her major investigation into a psychiatric hospital chain that uses foster children as “cash cows” published, letting her know he was using her findings that same day in a hearing to keep a child out of one of the facilities we investigated.

That’s awesome. As is the fact that Julia, who spent a full year reporting this challenging story, promptly heard from a Senate committee that will use her work in their own investigation of Universal Health Services. There’s no doubt her revelations will continue to have a big impact in the months and years to come.

Like another story about Mother Jones’ real-world impact.

This one, a multiyear investigation, published in 2021, exposed conditions in sugar work camps in the Dominican Republic owned by Central Romana—the conglomerate behind brands like C&H and Domino, whose product ends up in our Hershey bars and other sweets. A year ago, the Biden administration banned sugar imports from Central Romana. And just recently, we learned of a previously undisclosed investigation from the Department of Homeland Security, looking into working conditions at Central Romana. How big of a deal is this?

“This could be the first time a corporation would be held criminally liable for forced labor in their own supply chains,” according to a retired special agent we talked to.

Wow.

And it is only because Mother Jones is funded primarily by donations from readers that we can mount ambitious, yearlong—or more—investigations like these two stories that are making waves.

About that: It’s unfathomably hard in the news business right now, and we came up about $28,000 short during our recent fall fundraising campaign. We simply have to make that up soon to avoid falling further behind than can be made up for, or needing to somehow trim $1 million from our budget, like happened last year.

If you can, please support the reporting you get from Mother Jones—that exists to make a difference, not a profit—with a donation of any amount today. We need more donations than normal to come in from this specific blurb to help close our funding gap before it gets any bigger.

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