Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said Jared Kushner’s father committed “one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes” that he ever prosecuted in the state.
Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and adviser, doesn’t appear ready to forgive and forget: Christie said it was Kushner who got him fired from his role as head of Trump’s transition team after the 2016 election.
But Christie expressed no regrets Tuesday about the prosecution, which led to a 2005 guilty plea and 14 months in prison for Kushner’s father.
“Mr. Kushner pled guilty, he admitted the crimes. So what am I supposed to do as a prosecutor?” Christie told “Firing Line” host Margaret Hoover, adding:
“I mean it’s one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes that I prosecuted when I was U.S. attorney,” he said. “And I was U.S. attorney in New Jersey, Margaret, so we had some loathsome, disgusting crime going on there.”
Christie is promoting a new book, Let Me Finish: Trump, the Kushners, Bannon, New Jersey, and the Power of In-Your-Face Politics.
In an interview with NPR, Christie said Kushner is the most influential member of Trump’s inner circle.
“There is simply no one more influential in the White House on the president than Jared Kushner,” Christie said. “He’s not the only person who he listens to, but I don’t think anyone has more influence than Jared has.”