Political Hacks Shouldn’t Be In Charge of Bridges

Jan. 15 (Bloomberg) -- Of the scandal threatening NewJersey Governor Chris Christie, the aspect that struck me mostforcibly had nothing to do with the governor’s prospects in2016. I suppose I reacted as a foreigner and a former civilservant: Putting aside the details of who knew what and when,how could an instruction to create a four-day traffic jam for noreason but partisan spite ever come to be issued, let alonecarried out? That it was tells you something about politics andpublic administration in the U.S.

Investigations are under way, and Christie has deniedknowing anything about what happened. He’s an impressivepolitician, and heaven knows the Republican Party could use aninjection of the common sense moderation and pragmatism he’sstood for, so I’d like to believe him. But if he was in any wayinvolved in deciding it was “time for some traffic problems inFort Lee,” and his denials turn out to be brazen lies, thenthat will probably be that. Let’s hope so anyway.