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Video: Chris Christie Yells At Protester To "Sit Down And Shut Up"
By
Jen Chung
Published Oct 30, 2014
Modified Oct 30, 2014
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By
Jen Chung
Published Oct 30, 2014
Modified Oct 30, 2014
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If you thought Bridgegate might have softened NJ Governor Chris Christie's reputation for being a bullying dick, you thought wrong: At a Hurricane Sandy anniversary event in Belmar, he unloaded on a protester, telling him to "Sit down and shut up."
The demonstrator, Jim Keady, had interrupted Christie's speech to protest the slow pace of rebuilding and recovery from the hurricane. According to the Star-Ledger, he "interrupted Gov. Chris Christie's speech to Belmar residents several times," prompting Christie's retort.
As Christie began to speak, Keady, who runs an advocacy organization called Finish the Job, held a sign and shouted: “Do your job!"
"Yeah, you do yours, too, buddy,” Chrisite shot back, and continued speaking.
But the heckler wasn't standing down, and continued his tirade.
"Now, you all know me," said Christie. “So if we're going to get into a debate here today, it's going to get very interesting and very fun."
He wasn't kidding.
“I'll be more than happy to have a debate with you anytime you like, guy, because somebody like you doesn’t know a damn thing about what you're talking about except to stand up and show off when the cameras are here. I've been here when the cameras aren't here, buddy, and done the work. ... Turn around, get your fifteen minutes of fame, and then, maybe, take your jacket off, roll up your sleeves, and do something for the people of this state."
Keady, who said he is a lifelong resident, continued, "I was here for a month after Sandy, and ..."
Christie finished Keady's sentence for him.
" ... and there's been 23 months since then, when all you've been doing is flapping your mouth and not doing anything. So listen, you want to have the conversation later? I'm happy to have it, buddy. But until that time, sit down and shut up."
Keady did invite Christie for dinner, but Christie said, "There's about a thousand things I'll do tonight. Going to dinner with you is about number 1,001," and later said, "You see, that's why I love this state: The reason I love this state is because you got characters who are willing to do that kind of thing. Good; I'm thrilled for him. Stand up, yell and scream, do your thing. But here's the bottom line. You gotta do work."
Christie has blamed the slow disbursement of recovery funds on the feds. 2016, everyone!
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Chris Christie
heckler
hurricane sandy
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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