Bridgegate hits Ward E; Christie's minions approached Candice Osborne for support

We'll end any and all speculation -- she told them NO.

The best political reporter anywhere, Terrence T. McDonald points out Osborne's name came up when Christie operative Matt Mowers asked to meet with Osborne around the same time Christie was trying to get Mayor Fulop's support (Which Fulop did not give) to see who in a big city like Jersey City they could get support from:

Mowers said he and Christie campaign staffer Pete Sheridan sat down with the Downtown councilwoman in August 2013 on the recommendation of Fulop and the mayor's political advisers.

"They believed she was going to endorse Gov. Christie's re-election campaign," Mowers testified. "And they thought Mayor Fulop wanted to be helpful towards the governor's campaign, or seem helpful while also not endorsing himself."

Johnny wonders why the hell they'd think that, as Osborne herself pointed out to them but you'll have to click this handy link to see her response to Mowers and Sheridan. Couple questions do arise, why Fulop would send them to Osborne if he wasn't planning on endorsing or supporting Christie, the Candice Osborne Johnny knows would have no interest in helping Chris Christie. Also, did Osborne know her name had the possibility of popping up in Bridgegate at any point? Inquiring minds and all. If so that info is best gotten out ahead of moments like this.

The real story here though, and as usual in this story, is just how bad Christie's people were at reading people.

Did Mayor Fulop help broker a possible Candice Osborne endorsement of Chris Christie?

If Chris Christie campaign operative Matt Mowers is to be believed while Fulop declined to endorse Governor Christie in his reelection campaign Fulop did tell Mowers and other Christie campaign aides that some on the Jersey City Council might be willing to endorse Christie.

According to "The Auditor" section in the Star-Ledger here's what happened:

"Mayor Fulop’s political team recommended that we sit down with Councilwoman Osborne because they had mentioned that a number of members of council may be interested in endorsing the Governor’s reelection campaign, and mentioned her specifically," Mowers said. "So after Mayor Fulop’s political team had mentioned that we scheduled a meeting and sat down with the councilwoman."

Ultimately Osborne gave no endorsement to Christie. It is odd that Mayor Fulop would think she'd be interested in endorsing him to begin with unless there is a Candice Osborne doppleganger running around Ward E. In Johnny's dealings with the Councilwoman she doesn't come across as any kind of Christie supporter. Maybe Fulop knows something we don't. Time will certainly tell.

Back to your regularly scheduled weekend...