Former Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie attempted to fact-check a journalist Friday about comments he made regarding whether the Southern District of New York is building a case against President Trump.
However, video shows NBC reporter Ken Dilanian had it right.
In a tweet Thursday evening, Dilanian said: “Chris Christie, Trump supporter, says he believes the Southern District is building a case to indict the president when he leaves office.”
Christie shot back, calling the tweet misleading.
“Absolutely UNTRUE! What I said was, IF they are trying to build a case, they cannot bring a case until after he left office because DOJ policy prohibits indictment of a sitting President,” Christie tweeted to NBC investigative reporter Ken Dilanian Friday morning. “C’mon @KenDilanianNBC be accurate. I see no case against POTUS based on what we know.”
[Also read: Chris Christie: GOP ‘dropped the ball’ in Michael Cohen hearing]
Absolutely UNTRUE! What I said was, IF they are trying to build a case, they cannot bring a case until after he left office because DOJ policy prohibits indictment of a sitting President. C’mon @KenDilanianNBC be accurate. I see no case against POTUS based on what we know. https://t.co/vWQsf0eJZ3
— Governor Christie (@GovChristie) March 1, 2019
The Washington Examiner went back and checked the tape.
Dilanian’s tweet referenced a segment on CNN’s “Cuomo Prime Time,” during which Christie defended the work of FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr., with whom he used to work and who is now a key player in the investigation that led to a guilty plea from former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen for financial crimes.
Christie, who said the Southern District of New York now poses more of a “threat” to Trump than special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, was asked by host Chris Cuomo if Sweeney was “burning” taxpayers’ dollars as Justice Department guidance rejects the possibility of indicting a sitting president
“What they’re doing — I’m confident — is building a case for two things,” he said. “One to go after those around the president who may have committed crimes. And two: to build a case if they have one — I don’t think they have one at the moment — but if they — if they were trying — they’re trying to build one against the president when he leaves office.”
Christie also said he thinks the statute of limitations on any of Trump’s alleged crimes “would not run.”
“Hi, governor! Let’s check the video: ‘What they’re doing, I’m confident, is…to build a case if they have one–I don’t think they have one at the moment but if they’re trying…they’re trying to build one against the president for when he leaves office,’” Dilanian tweeted back at Christie, who has yet to respond.
Hi, governor! Let’s check the video: “What they’re doing, I’m confident, is…to build a case if they have one–I don’t think they have one at the moment but if they’re trying…they’re trying to build one against the president for when he leaves office.” https://t.co/4iJlLhuGsr
— Ken Dilanian (@KenDilanianNBC) March 1, 2019
Earlier in the interview, Christie pointed to Cohen telling the House Oversight Committee, under oath, that he knows about potential crimes committed by Trump that are under federal investigation — but that he cannot comment on them at the request of prosecutors.
Christie said it doesn’t mean that the SDNY has a case against Cohen, but it does show that “they’re trying to build a case.”
Asked by Cuomo if he really believes that, Christie answered, “I do.”
