Feds investigating Chris Christie's use of Hurricane Sandy relief funds

I don't think Chris Christie has a snowball's chance in hades of becoming the GOP nominee. If he does, I think it's about 85% certain that he'll be trounced in the general election. So far, the idea that he's the Republican frontrunner relies on a couple of very early polls and a narrative that's been a staple of the mainstream media. Democrats (and establishment Republicans) are quick to tell us that "he's the only man who can beat Hillary."

That assumption has taken a hit this week. First we had the local news story national scandal known as "bridgegate." Via CNN:

CNN has learned that federal officials are investigating whether Christie improperly used those relief funds to produce tourism ads that starred him and his family.

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The news couldn't come at a worse time for the scandal-plagued Republican, who is facing two probes into whether his staff tied up traffic near the country's busiest bridge to punish a Democratic mayor who refused to endorse his successful re-election bid. If the Sandy inquiry finds any wrongdoing, it could prove even more damaging to Christie's national ambitions. His performance during and after the superstorm has been widely praised and is a fundamental part of his straight-shooting political brand.

You may recall that Christie went to war with his own party when GOP Congressmen balked at the amount of pork that the Sandy relief bill contained. The Governor started slinging insults at House Republicans - John Boehner in particular - and the whole thing seemed to escalate when Christie took his famous "stroll along the shore" with Barack Obama. In the end, when the bill finally passed, about 25% of it was pork barrel spending - most of which was directed at Amtrak, or pet projects in states other than New Jersey. The current inquiry is looking into how Chris Christie spent the actual relief money - much of which still hasn't gotten to the people who need it most.

In the new probe, federal auditors will examine New Jersey’s use of $25 million in Sandy relief funds for a marketing campaign to promote tourism at the Jersey Shore after Sandy decimated the state’s coastline in late 2012, New Jersey Democratic Rep. Frank Pallone told CNN. In an August letter, Pallone asked the Department of Housing and Urban Development inspector general to look into how Christie chose to spend the marketing money approved by the department. … Pallone wrote that he was concerned about the bidding process for the firm awarded the marketing plan; the winning firm is charging the state about $2 million more than the next lowest bidder. The winning $4.7 million bid featured Christie and his family in the advertisements while the losing $2.5 million proposal did not feature the Christies.

Pallone has been in the House of Representatives for 25 years. He's a staunch lefty and a regular, outspoken, critic of Christie. Despite his ideological handicap, he may also have a point. Yes, I know what you're thinking, and I agree. The feds should be investigating about a dozen Obama scandals, all of which are worse than this. However, that doesn't mean there's nothing here worth examining. At best, Christie has given his enemies a talking point that they're eager to exploit. At worst, he squandered relief money on a series of self-aggrandizing ads in an effort to promote his own image - all while folks who could actually use the cash are still waiting. That's a scandal that would make the non-story of "bridgegate" look like child's play. The good news in all of this is that the focus on Christie will keep Dem-controlled press outlets busy while conservatives settle on a candidate that can actually win. Just like Mitt Romney and John McCain were both touted as "the only man who could beat Obama," Chris Christie has emerged as the party elite's pre-chosen favorite. He's the guy that the GOP analysts think they can "sell to the middle." Never mind that he's pro-gun control, pro-immigration reform, and has a history of cozying up to the current White House occupant. Listen closely, and you can tell that the people in charge are salivating over the prospect of candidate Christie. They've decided - once again - to simply assume that the base will lap up whatever is placed in front of it - no matter how unpalatable. If they honestly believe that's going to happen, they've learned nothing from 2008 and 2012. Mark my words: if Chris Christie is somehow the eventual Republican nominee, he'll fare about as well as his two predecessors.