Christie to reporter: You’re ‘making up’ snowstorm criticism

Gov. Chris Christie (R-N.J.) lashed out at a journalist early Monday for suggesting some critics don’t think he should leave New Jersey so quickly after the massive blizzard that hit the East Coast.

Christie, who is in the midst of a presidential campaign, told Huffington Post senior political editor Sam Stein during an exchange on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” that he hadn’t heard any criticism about his decision to head back to New Hampshire.

{mosads}“I don’t know what critics you’re talking about,” he told Stein.

“There is no residual damage [and] there is no residual flooding damage,” Christie continued. “All the flooding receded yesterday morning and there was no other damage.

“This is just what they wish would have happened,” he added of detractors. “Unfortunately for them, we know how to do this.

“I have not heard any of that criticism, I haven’t seen any of that criticism, and I think you are just making it up.”

Christie argued that he ensured the Garden State’s safety before rejoining the campaign trail on Monday morning.

“We managed the storm extraordinarily well,” the governor continued. “New Jersey transit was back at noon yesterday after the storm, our roads were open as of 7 a.m. yesterday.

“I think that’s just folks who want to criticize me for anything that I do,” he added of pundits skeptical of his response.

Christie exited New Hampshire on Friday so he could oversee New Jersey’s handling of Winter Storm Jonas firsthand. The gigantic blizzard pummeled the East Coast all weekend long, stranding citizens and eliminating power in many areas.

He’s battling for momentum in New Hampshire before the early-voting state conducts its primary on Feb. 9. Christie currently trails GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump by nearly 25 points there, according to the latest RealClearPolitics average of polls.