As the saying goes, “birds of a feather flock together,” and that definitely rings true for Chris Christie and Donald Trump–particularly with their level of dishonesty.
In fact, Christie has a career of falsehoods. In 1994, he said it was “no secret” that he was pro-choice after donating to Planned Parenthood, only to deny it when he was a presidential candidate. Some of his claims are bizarre, too. As Governor, he said he wouldn’t harm the pensions of New Jersey police and firefighters. Two years later, that was proven false when he signed a bill that made public employees pay more for their pensions.
Have your facts ready when Christie speaks tonight–you’ll certainly need them. Here are a few to get you started.
Chris Christie lied about his comments on climate change
August 2015: Chris Christie on climate change: “By breathing we contribute to it.” “Republican presidential candidate and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie thinks that human exhalation is a cause of climate change. Or he thinks that statement is ‘ridiculous.’ Either might be true. ‘The climate’s been changing forever, and it will always continue to change,’ said Christie at an Aug. 4 event in Manchester, New Hampshire, which was captured on video. ‘Does human activity contribute to it? Of course it does. We all contribute to it in one way or the other. By breathing we contribute to it.’” [Huffington Post, 9/2/15]
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September 2015: Chris Christie: “I never said that humans contribute to climate change by breathing.” “‘I know you really care about this subject, but you know what, the first thing you need to do is not be wrong, and not quote me incorrectly. I never said that humans contribute to climate change by breathing,’ Christie said. ‘I never said it,’ he continued when she reminded him of the date and event. ‘Were you there?’ She confirmed that she was there and that she heard him say it. ‘Then you need to clean out your ears, young lady,’ the candidate replied. ‘I never said that humans contribute to climate by breathing. Ridiculous statement. I never said that.’” [Huffington Post, 9/2/15]
Chris Christie lied about his comments on Planned Parenthood
1994: Chris Christie: “I support Planned Parenthood privately with my personal contribution and that should be the goal of any such agency, to find private donations.” “While running to be a Morris County freeholder in 1994, Christie admitted that he donated money to Planned Parenthood. He made the comments while speaking out against restoring county funding for the organization. ‘I support Planned Parenthood privately with my personal contribution and that should be the goal of any such agency, to find private donations,’ Christie said, adding: ‘It’s also no secret that I am pro-choice.’” [Daily Caller, 5/21/12]
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2016: Chris Christie: “I never donated to Planned Parenthood.” DICKERSON: “The competition has gotten a little tougher between you and some of your rivals. You said Marco Rubio is trying to slime his way to the White House, when he — when a super PAC running an ad said that you supported Common Core, you once supported an assault weapons ban, and that you donated to Planned Parenthood. Why — which one of those is wrong?” CHRISTIE: “Well, I never donated to Planned Parenthood. So, that’s wrong.” […] DICKERSON: “So, just on the Planned Parenthood, never donated, never supported?” CHRISTIE: “No. No.” [CBS’ Face the Nation, 1/10/16]
Chris Christie lied about his record on gun control
Chris Christie: “No new [gun laws] have been made since I’ve been governor.” “The governor acknowledged gun rights could be a thorny issue for him among conservative voters if he decides to seek national office. But he told people here that his Democratic predecessors are to blame for any perception of his lack of support for gun rights. ‘I know there’s a lot of perception about my view on gun rights because I’m from New Jersey and because the laws are the way they are, but these laws were being made long before I was governor and no new ones have been made since I’ve been governor.’” [New Jersey Star-Ledger, 6/2/15]
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New York Times: “Actually, he signed three major pieces of gun-control legislation.” “Sometimes, Mr. Christie wants to make himself a strong, reliable right-winger. He told an anti-gun-control crowd in South Carolina in June, for example, that all of New Jersey’s gun laws preceded his tenure and ‘no new ones have been made since I’ve been governor.’ Actually, he signed three major pieces of gun-control legislation.” [New York Times, 6/30/15]
1994: Chris Christie: “The issue which has energized me to get into this race is the recent attempt by certain Republican legislators to repeal New Jersey’s ban on assault weapons.” “‘The issue which has energized me to get into this race is the recent attempt by certain Republican legislators to repeal New Jersey’s ban on assault weapons,’ Christie said in a statement released (on April 14, 1993). ‘In today’s society, no one needs a semi-automatic assault weapon.’” [New Jersey Star-Ledger, 4/15/93]
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Chris Christie on whether gun control inspired him to get into politics: “No. That’s not true. No…It doesn’t sound like me.” “‘Is it true that the issue of gun control inspired you to get into politics?’ Bret Baier asked Christie. (The exchange starts just after 9 minutes in this video.) ‘No. That’s not true. No,’ Christie said. ‘Well, in 1993, you said you were motivated to run for office by supporting, preserving New Jersey’s assault weapons ban,’ Baier said, adding, ‘it’s in the Star-Ledger.’ ‘I don’t remember saying that,’ Christie said. ‘So, you know.’ Baier then read a statement from Christie – who ran for the state Senate in 1993 – that was quoted by the Star-Ledger: ‘‘The issue which has motivated me to get into this race is the recent attempt by certain Republican legislators to repeal New Jersey’s ban on assault weapons.’ That was 1993.’ ‘That’s 22 years ago,’ Christie said. ‘Bret, I don’t remember. I could have. It doesn’t sound like me.’” [Philadelphia Inquirer, 11/25/15]
Chris Christie lied about his plan for public employees’ pensions
2009: Chris Christie to New Jersey police and firefighters: “The claim that any harm would come to your pension when I’m elected Governor is absolutely untrue. It is a 100% lie.” “‘The claim that any harm would come to your pension when I’m elected Governor is absolutely untrue. It is a 100% lie,’ Chris Christie wrote to New Jersey law enforcement officers during his campaign against Jon Corzine. The 2009 letter, and a near-carbon copy sent to firefighters, has resurfaced amid Christie’s bid to overhaul public servants’ pension system. ‘Nothing will change for the pensions of current officers, future officers or retirees in a Christie Administration,’ says the ‘Open Letter to Members of Our Law Enforcement Community,’ simply signed ‘Chris.’ ‘I have repeated time and time again that the pension agreement we made with our member our law enforcement community must be respected,’ the 2009 letter adds. ‘It is a sacred trust.’” [Chris Christie letter via PBA Local 334, 2/28/11]
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2011: Chris Christie signed into law legislation that forced New Jersey public employees to pay more for their pensions. “Gov. Chris Christie today signed into law controversial legislation that will force public employees to pay more for their pension and health insurance. Christie, who signed the bill flanked by a bipartisan cast of mayors, said passage of the bill is his biggest legislative victory since taking office. ‘It is important moment for the state of New Jersey, for its citizens, its taxpayers and New Jersey has once again become a model for America,’ Christie said at the bill signing. Starting on Friday, public employees across all levels of government will pay an additional percent of their pay into the pension system.” [New Jersey Star-Ledger, 6/28/11]