NBC News Was Wrong: Chris Christie Bridgegate Federal Investigation Still Active [Video]
In the video above, NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams said anonymous sources had told NBC News that the federal investigation into political corruption by Gov. Chris Christ, a New Jersey Republican, had been closed, though a separate grand jury was still investigating whether the governor abused his powers and ordered the closure of lanes on the George Washington Bridge to get back at a local mayor for not supporting his gubernatorial re-election.
The only problem with NBC News’ Chris Christie Bridgegate report was the fact that the feds are saying it is not true.
According to the Asbury Park Press, federal sources are saying that the investigation into political corruption by Chris Christie connected to Bridgegate is still ongoing.
“The investigation is continuing.”
Those four words are from Rebekah Carmichael, a spokeswoman for United States Attorney for New Jersey Paul Fishman.
In response to the United States attorney’s office calling the report factually inaccurate, NBC News has walked back its report, even though the video still appears online in its full and unedited form from the night of its original broadcast, September 18.
Williams was quoted on Friday’s (September 19) broadcast as clarifying the remarks he had made the night before regarding Christ Christie’s Bridgegate investigation by the feds, again per the Asbury Park Press.
“We may have added confusion to some complex reporting last night and it has to do with New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and the multiple investigations underway into so-called ‘Bridgegate,’ when Christie surrogates allegedly ordered politically-motivated lane closures on the busiest bridge in the world. The state of play is this: the Feds have so far found no grounds for charges, no involvement of the Governor himself. Both the Federal and State investigations continue.”
While Williams will be the face of what could be one of the biggest blunders on a major evening news broadcast in recent memory, the Asbury Park Press is reporting that it was actually a reporter with WNBC-TV 4 in New York that first reported what Williams took the time to clarify Friday night.
As for what is going on with the grand jury investigation, no one but members of the grand jury know since proceedings are closed to the public and witnesses are only aware of what questions they have been asked or what documents they have been told to hand over. And even then, it could result in nothing.
[Image via Flickr Creative Commons]
