Old New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie responded Sunday to forgive Donald Trump for Charles Kushner, the wealthy real estate developer who helped imprison him a decade and a half ago.
Christie, a longtime friend and ally of Trump who was known for his brash personality, did not utter a few words on the move during this week’s appearance on ABC, only confirming that he believed that he further confirmed his ‘remarkable’ work as a U.S. lawyer.
Trump announced that his sentence would be sent to Charles Kushner – the father of Trump’s son-in-law, Jared – on Dec. 22. He was sentenced in 2005 to two years in prison for tax fraud and witness retaliation.
‘The thing is it doesn’t overshadow the amazing work my office did 16 years ago,’ Christie said in response Sunday.
‘Remember, the case was not tried. Mr. Kushner pleaded guilty. So we will stand on the record of our accusation at that time and of the conduct involved in the case, ‘said Christie.
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Christie, a longtime friend and ally of Trump who was known for his brash personality, insisted he had little to say about the move at the time of his appearance this week at ABC.
Charles Kushner (left, pictured with his son Jared Kushner) was pardoned by the Trump administration on Tuesday last week, 15 years after he was convicted of tax fraud and other charges
.@GovChristie to @JonKarl on Kushner Pardon: “What it doesn’t overdo is the amazing work that my office has done for 16 years. Remember, the case was not tried. It promised guilt. The responsibility I had at the time to prosecute federal crimes without fear or favor. ” pic.twitter.com/iS25KGkI6e
– This Week (@ThisWeekABC) 27 December 2020
Kushner was pardoned by the president last week along with former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and longtime political partner Roger Stone, as well as several others.
Christie ‘s comments on Sunday mark a remarkable departure from his predecessors on the issue.
He once cited the accusation of elder Kushner as’ one of the most heinous, heinous crimes I have ever committed. ‘
Kushner, a multi-millionaire property developer in New Jersey and a major Democratic donor, pleaded guilty to 18 counts in 2004, including tax evasion and illegal campaign donations. He was sentenced to two years in a 2005 Alabama low-security prison.
The claim came after Kushner admitted he came up with an unsuccessful plan to hire a prostitute to deceive his brother-in-law and former business partner, William Schulder, after he found out he was supporting federal authorities in an audit of its finances.
He recorded the services of the sex worker for $ 10,000 to throw Schulder at a motel in New Jersey, and arranged for the incident to be filmed with a hidden camera so that he could get black on it.
Kushner then showed the pictures to Schulder’s wife – Kushner’s sister, Esther.
Kushner, a multi-millionaire real estate developer in New Jersey and a major Democratic donor, pleaded guilty to 18 counts in 2004, including tax evasion and illegal campaign donations.
The case would be one of Christie’s highest images. He became the leader of the Trump campaign movement team in 2016, before being overthrown by Jared Kushner
After receiving Kushner’s accusation, Chris Christie would go on to become Trump’s prominent replacement and leader of his transition team.
His history with the Kushner family would be closely linked to his ties to the Trump administration, in which Jared Kushner and his wife Ivanka Trump serve as top White House advisers.
Christie was finally removed from Trump’s 2016 campaign, with Jared Kushner largely to blame for his firing.
However, Christie has consistently defended Charles Kushner ‘s accusation, authorizing a book based in part on the case, entitled Let Me Finish: Trump, the Kushners, Bannon, New Jersey, and The Power of In-Your-Face Politics.
In his memoir, Christie said Jared Kushner forced his exit from the Trump administration in retaliation.
In an interview with PBS last year, Christie said: ‘Mr. Kushner pleaded guilty. He was wounded by the crimes. So what should I do as a prosecutor? I mean, if a man hires a prostitute to deceive his brother-in-law, and put on videotapes, and then sends the whistle to his sister to try to scare her from doing evidence before a grand jury, do I need more justification than that? ‘
He continued: ‘I mean, this is one of the most heinous, heinous crimes I have ever committed. And I was a U.S. lawyer in New Jersey, so we had a heinous and heinous crime going on there. ‘
In an interview with PBS last year, Christie called the elder Kushner’s accusation ‘one of the most heinous, heinous crimes I have ever committed’
Charles Kushner’s family ties to the White House were not mentioned in his statement announcing his enlightenment Tuesday, but his philanthropic work was widely praised.
‘Since completing his sentence in 2006, Mr. Kushner has been dedicated to important philanthropic organizations and causes, such as Saint Barnabas Medical Center and United Cerebral Palsy, ‘according to the statement.
This record of reform and charity goes beyond Mr. Kushner was convicted and sentenced to 2 years for false charges, revenge of witnesses, and making false statements to the FEC. ‘
Unlike Christie, several officials have exploded Trump’s forgiveness spree, including Republican Senator Ben Sasse whom he called ‘rotten to the core’.
Meanwhile, political adviser David Axelrod said the amnesty was nothing short of amazing.
‘Everyone saw this raw sewage waste of forgiveness and potential for @realDonaldTrump apparatchiks coming,’ he tweeted. ‘The least surprising news is. But the scene is still awful. And it’s not over! ‘