Washington bridge. That is the story we are going to start off with. We take you to christies comments yesterday and reports on the bridge gate scandal that has taken a toll on his president ial prospects, we are asking whether he can turn the moveon that incident and on. Our phone lines are open. Can call republicans democrats can call republicans a special lineup for new jersey residents. That number is you can also catch up with us on our favorites on your favorite social media pages to get up media pages. Morning tod saturday you. We wanted to start off by showing you some headlines. I will show you some papers from new jersey. Heres the front page of the starledger today. Below that other new jersey papers, the record close quote reports record reports we will take you to the front page of the New York Times this morning. And then some of the papers here in washington. The capitol hill newspaper is also doing a story. And from the hill here on capitol hill out talking about Chris Christies press conference from yesterday. To start off we want to bring in ledger the stars the starledger. State reporter there. We want to start with a press conference. This was Chris ChristiesFirst Press Conference and 76 days. Why did he decide to hold a press conference . It clear he was not going to talk to any of us until the report was done. He said i dont care what you think you are entitled to, you are entitled to the answers when i get them. About thedy to talk report and how it exonerated him. Some of the news coming out at the top of that press was the resignation of david samson. Who is he . Guest he is the top official on the jersey side. He is a former state attorney general. It is the head of a prominent law firm. Will we have learned throughout this controversy on the bridge wasdal is that his firm involved with some contractors that were doing business with the port authorities. Samson, who found himself in the middle of this controversy, for a couple of. Ifferent reasons because of his role as chairman and there were times in the many emails and documents released over the last couple of months that there were references to his socalled esch to him socalled retaliating on behalf of new jersey. To him socalled retaliating on behalf of new jersey. Christie accepted that resignation. Christie made very clear to say that samson was not implicated in any way, that samsung doesnt. Ecall was not part of this it just wasnt true. Host as we talk about this ort, you wrote lead story wrote the lead story about a sex is view from tell me the story. When i asked the question about Bridget Kelly, keep in mind there has been criticism in the tone of the report that asojected at Bridget Kelly s suite b. Who is Bridget Kelly . Guest Bridget Kelly is the former deputy chief of staff for governor christie. Because he said on january 9 that she had lied to or about having no goal involvement or knowledge about the lane closures. Figure,been a central someone who has declined to participate in the federal inquiries into the matter. We you able to ask the governor about the tone of the report, some of the language you are asking just now . Guest i did. It was interesting. He was very conversational and at times combative. When i asked about tones in the report and if he thought it was everything sher has brought upon the was one ofion, she his closest allies and advisers. I asked what to think about this . She made a comment about, that is where the facts lead and it is open to people to interpret them. There was no attempt to address the issue. This was a report commissioned by the governors office. Theres also a state and federal investigation ongoing. Is that correct . Guest correct. We have not heard from paul fishman et al. But we believe he is continuing , seeing if people there was any criminal activity involved with the lane realignment. The state legislature, controlled by democrats, has also created a panel to examine this. They have been poring over tens of thousands of pages of documents that they have subpoenaed from various people. The point of their investigation is to perhaps make reforms to make sure that Something Like this does not happen again. Oft is more along the lines a civil case. Host before we let you go, we you able to talk to anybody yesterday and what they think this will mean down the road for potential Chris Christie president ial run . Guest certainly Chris Christie orngs that people in iowa elsewhere the further you get anybody who might be a small part in whether they want to support him and his future political ambitions spoke science professor at mom fair who said there of staying power in terms of the report. Of there was a stent there was a sense from the cochairwoman of the legislative Panel Investigating this matter that this was not going away and he cannot escape it. He would be reminding the public of but of what went on here. Livio with the statehouse reporter. We appreciate you getting up with us on washington journal. Can governor Chris Christie move past bridge gate . Chance to see his press conference yesterday, we are looking for your thoughts and comments. Willll start from we start with jayna from philadelphia on our line for republicans. I did see the briefing he gave yesterday. I thought it was very onesided. I dont think he really explained why he spent a Million Dollars of the taxpayers money when the guy had no subpoena powers. Think he is just trying to push this through on the people and not answering any questions. Host as a republican are you a supporter of Chris Christie or do you have a favorite for 2016 . Was. i host diane is waiting from livingston new jersey on our line for democrats and special line for new jersey residents. Caller good morning. People outside in new jersey dont care. We do very much care. A we see how the political favorites, they point their friends and colleagues in these they appoint their friends and colleagues in these positions and later on they exonerate them. Saying samson had nothing to do with it when we have a \n email ash and email clearly stating he health with the retaliation. The least of it is he hired these people that he now discredits and has thrown under the bus. I would love to have more coverage on this. The only station that is giving us the tail coverage is msnbc. If anyone is interested in the nittygritty of this is of this investigation they can to win. Him and Rachel Maddow are in this are on this. Host, diana on our line for democrats. We are asking our viewers if Chris Christie can move past this socalled bridgegate scandal. That conversation is ongoing on our Facebook Page. Lidia writes you can see the conversation continuing. One comment on our Facebook Page senator rand paul is a senator who is seen as a potential contender for the 2016 president ial nomination of the Republican Party and a competitor in that race if Chris Christie were to run for that. Susan livio from the starledger talked about what this press conference might mean down the road for a president ial run. Heres Chris Christie who was asked that question by a reporter at a press conference yesterday. [video clip] is ie fact of the matter had nothing to do with it. Supportedt has exactly what i said. I got the feeling it would be a very small it is simply not the way i would make a decision. Is way i will make decisions what i think will be best for me if iy family, and secondly believe i have something unique and particular to offer that particular office at that particular time. Of if the answer to those two questions is yes, then i will seek that office. To either of those questions is no, then i wont. If its a fools errand. Chris christie talking about that report came out on the internal investigation with the socalled bridgegate scandal. On our twitter page page r facebook the conversation happening on our twitter and Facebook Page. Here with our collar as well, including neil from and which, connecticut from greenwich connecticut. I have been following this story pretty closely and one of the things that strikes me is the abuse of power from the Port Authority and the. Mount of money apparently the use of the Port Authority police force as part of the whole bridgegate , the lack of and reporting speaks for itself. I think there is much more to the story and obviously we are very struck by the use of the Port Authority police force in the matter. I dont think that has been truly investigated yet. I think there is a lot more to the story. Its still just at the beginning of the investigation. We will go to our republican line in tennessee. Frances is waiting. Thank you for calling the washington journal. Caller i think this is a new jersey story that mostly people were inconvenienced than anyone else. Able have been fired. I have been waiting for you all to cover harry reid and his having to pay back money that he has given to his granddaughter. And the mayor of North Carolina, charlotte, North Carolina, i keep winning for you to cover that. I am waiting for the state senator in california to be covered. There have been plenty of scandals around the country. It seems like there is one story and one story only. That seems to be mr. Christie in new jersey. Host thanks for the recommendations and suggestions. We are covering this this morning because of the report that came out this week that is making a whole lot of headlines, including the editorial pages. Heres the wall street journal talking about christie. Here is a little bit more of Chris Christie when he was asked when he will be able to put this socalled bridgegate scandal he hired him. [video clip] i have no estimates on when this will be you that, as i think you have seen over the course of the last six or seven weeks, im back to work. Im out there meeting with the public. Im working with the legislature on important pieces of legislation that they are dealing with. I can control everything. I cant control everything. The judgment of one this will be left behind me is not purely to me. When this will be left behind he is not purely to me. What i can do is do my job. As it doesnt shake your confidence, you are arrogant. Some people i trusted and relied upon let me down. Let down thee people of the state of new jersey. Of coarse that shakes your confidence. What it resulted to do is get better. I have said any number of times for those who have covered the that i do notings have a perfect administration. There will be mistakes made by human beings. What matters is how you respond to those mistakes. I hope as we go forward we can rule we can hill here is how the close quote newspaper described that rest conference the republicans seemed at home, smirking from the press behind his podium. The president ial run frontrunner was largely silent with his head down. He conducted only necessary business of the head of the governors association. Politico notes he has impact we can schedule. He is to to speak at the Republican Jewish Coalition this weekend in las vegas. Following that he is going to the republican governors association. Certainly plenty of events for the governor. Jerome is up next. Caller good morning. Christie has not been with any integrity. Electedwas about to be the new jersey local public article lished an when he got in he confronted a local tv station. New jersey was overshadowed by the Constant Media coverage. We can only get local news, which is a commercial station. Host having a little trouble with your connection. We will go to liz waiting on our live for democrats also in new jersey. Good morning. Caller good morning. What the public saw yesterday was the governor attempting to resurrect his combative style with the press. I dont think it is going to longmuch difference in the run. These investigations are not suppressed. They did get to the bottom of what happened with much of the sandy money. I dont think its going to make my own state look too good, or the governor. It we have been paying a lot of money out for foolish things, like 1 million for this report to a private law firm that he picked. Thepent 24 million so that governor could have a separate election or a replacement election that put cory booker in. You have 25 million out the window. Extra 5purely spent an forion dollars of money that commercial during the election where he sat with his family on the beach. The competitor didnt have the , put it at 5d million cheaper. In the last nine months or so we have thrown a 30 Million Dollars out the window. It did not need to be spent. The spending is also the subject of the Editorial Board of the New York Times. The topic they brought up in they note l, lets go to our republican line, bill is waiting in georgia. Good morning, you are on washington journal. Governor christie is doing no more than the Democratic Party is doing. The man who investigated governor christie was a registered them the crack. Was a registered democrat. How Many Democrats will have a republican investigated their stuff . Everybody should be blamed for what has been done. Thank you. In fromll calling georgia. Roger wrightson on our twitter page if you have other headlines a few other headlines the lead story in todays the New York Times the Washington Post gives a wrapup of that phone call. The white house description stated in related news that is the story in the wall. Reet journal we wanted to talk about Chris Christie, the report that came out earlier this week. We will go to linda on our on ourdent go to lynn independent line in new york. Caller i wanted to point out something that the press never really picked up on. In one of christies first responses to this whole issue, he said he has never seen never even heard of this. As a governor, i would expect that he would know every mayor in his state because he wants the whole state to succeed. It seems like as an executive he has failed that state. He even went to the presidency. He know . Senators would how many governors wouldnt he know. That is really inappropriate management. That is a failure of management. Millions of dollars through mismanagement. I think people should try and wake up to that. It is going to be a fiscal conservative and you have to take it into account that this guy is wasting money in the millions. Host from twitter line. Go to our republican thomas is waiting from granite falls, North Carolina. Thank you for calling. An old democrat trick. They did it with sarah palin and john mccain. They did it with herman cain, mitt romney. They tried to destroy someone. Up the lady from new york is talking about him wasting money, fromabout the president the United States the president of the United States . Has people to cover up for him. Host richard is up next in florida on our line for democrats. Governor sopranos attack on kelly as an adulterous political strategy. Its called blame the underlings yuriko blame the blame theiko underlings. I also wanted to point out weekly addresses are out from the white house and republicans on capitol hill. We will start from the weekly address from the white house. Jill biden talked about the need to raise the minimum wage in the first weekly address he has been on. [video clip] the minimum wage will help people rise outofpocket you. It is good for business and helpful for the overall economy. Up morew women make than half of workers who would benefit from increasing the minimum wage. A low minimum wage is reason why women in america make only . 77 on the dollar that every man makes. I raising the minimum wage we can close that gap by five percent, and it matters. Particularly moms raising families on middle wage. Its what the American People want to do. Three out of four americans support raising the minimum wage. They know this is a right and fair thing to do. Its time for congress to get andnd the minimum wage congressman George Miller of california. Host joe biden and his first weekly in aquatic address on the democratic weekly address. John boehner is expected to give republican address later this week. Boehner did talk about this on the house this thursday. We will play you a bit of that now. [video clip] house shares my deep concern over the backlog of benefit claims from the department of Veterans Affairs. This country has made promises that it is our duty to compete duty to keep reform will get far if it is carried out by managers who prove they are not up for the job. Introduced hr 41, the ba management accountability act this gives that the a secretary the authority to fire and the mode officials who were not performing. Done,ent getting a job you have to go. There is been no accountability. Only half measures and slaps on the wrist. This would be at any agency that has fallen down the job. This would be unacceptable. It is time we hold these people accountable and get in there. Who can fix this backlog once and for all . We are going to be talking about some of the issues that he brings up later and todays show in the 9 00 hour. We will be joined by peter gayton to talk through some of these issues in the wake of the American Legions washington week. Yesterday the surprise announcement, the head of the House Intelligence Panel is retiring. He is taking a j