TRENTON (The Borowitz Report)—If Chris Christie faces prosecution for an alleged role in the so-called Bridgegate scandal, his endorsement of Donald Trump could play a crucial role in an insanity defense, legal experts believe.
Harland Dorrinson, a defense attorney who has represented many politicians in high-profile criminal cases, believes that Christie’s endorsement of Trump earlier this year could persuade a jury that the New Jersey Governor is “completely incapable of rational thought.”
“An insanity defense is always a long shot, because the bar for insanity is set very high,” Dorrinson said. “Having said that, I believe that Christie’s endorsement of Trump easily meets that standard.”
If Christie is prosecuted, his defense team is likely to show the jury footage of Trump routinely humiliating the New Jersey Governor on the campaign trail. “It will become abundantly clear that Christie endorsed Trump and received absolutely no conceivable benefit for doing so,” Dorrinson said. “Legally speaking, the only word for that is insane.”
Additionally, Christie’s lawyers can argue that he begged Trump to name him his Vice-Presidential nominee, even after it was painfully obvious that the billionaire had no intention of doing so. “Seriously, that was crazy,” Dorrinson said.
If Christie’s legal team succeeds with an insanity defense, the New Jersey Governor could avoid prison and be sent to a psychiatric facility instead, Dorrinson believes. “As long as he’s being held someplace where he can do no harm, the people of New Jersey should be happy,” he said.
