Fans Boo Governor Christie At Super Bowl Event
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was greeted with a scattering of boos and some cheers during a visit to a Super Bowl ceremony in New York City Saturday.
But the good-natured crowd was focused on football and largely left him alone during the NFL's Hand Off Ceremony in Times Square.
Fans Boo Governor Christie At Super Bowl Event
Christie is a big football fan and the event would have seemed to be an opportunity he would relish, WCBS 880's Peter Haskell reported. However, with fresh accusations regarding the George Washington Bridge scandal, the governor only spoke briefly.
"Congratulations to the NFL and to the host committee. Thank you all very much," Christie said to the crowd.
Christie has been under fire since it was revealed that one of his top aides was involved in causing traffic gridlock on the George Washington Bridge connecting New York and New Jersey in a possible act of political retaliation.
Fans Boo Governor Christie At Super Bowl Event
Christie has denied knowledge of any plot, even as the attorney for the former Port Authority executive David Wildstein, who resigned amid the bridge scandal, claims that the governor knew of the lane closures as they happened.
Christie looked uneasy at the event and wordlessly walked by reporters who were asking questions, Haskell reported.
1010 WINS' Gary Baumgarten spoke with some of the residents in the crowd following the event.
One woman from Bridgewater, N.J. told Baumgarten that she's disappointed in her governor. "Originally we did admire him but with the scandal and everything going on right now, we are very disappointed."
Others in the crowd said Christie is doing a good job as governor, and while there's a lot of innuendo, there's no proof he knew anything about the lane closures, Baumgarten reported.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio also appeared at the event, where Super Bowl organizing responsibilities were handed off to Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer.
Next year's big game will be held in Glendale, Ariz.
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