Chris Christie attacks Rand Paul for supporting 'criminal' Edward Snowden
Olivier Douliery/Getty Images
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) continues to trade barbs with Republican Senators over the National Security Agency's data collection program.
Christie, who is among the presumed 2016 presidential contenders who support the Patriot Act, attacked Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Rand Paul (R-Kentucky), for their 0pposition to the legislation that authorizes the controversial NSA surveillance programs.
Christie took on Lee and Paul, who launched his 2016 campaign last month, for defending NSA leaker Edward Snowden.
"He's a criminal, he's a criminal and he's hiding in Russia, and he's lecturing to us about the evils of authoritarian government, while he lives under the protective umbrella of Vladimir Putin," Christie said of Snowden in a Fox News appearance on Wednesday.
"That's who Mike Lee and Rand Paul are siding with - with Edward Snowden? Come on," he added.
Christie's comments came in response to Lee, who told CNN on May 22 that the Garden State governor "should be ashamed of himself" for suggesting Americans have to choose between privacy protections guaranteed in the 4th Amendment and death.
Lee was referring to Christie's comment at a May 18 Town Hall meeting in Hudson, New Hampshire that "you can't enjoy our civil liberties if you're in a coffin."
In his criticism of Christie, Lee added that "if Mr. Christie wants to play a part in the national discussion ... he should choose his words more carefully."
In response to Lee's advice, Christie said on Wednesday that he didn't feel the need to choose his words more carefully and added that Lee was "dead wrong" on the issue.
"Nobody else that's in this national conversation right now has the practical experience that I've had," he said, touting his past years as U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey from 2002 to 2008.
- TTS: Clot in blood vessels occurs in rare cases with certain vaccines, says medical expert amid reports over AstraZeneca
- Indian economy likely to grow over 7% in 2024-25: Economic think tank NCAER
- Upcoming cars and two-wheelers launching in India in May 2024
- Sebi asks NSE to asses Linde India's related party transactions
- India's oil import bill could swell to $101-104 billion in FY25: ICRA
- Nothing Phone (2a) blue edition launched
- JNK India IPO allotment date
- JioCinema New Plans
- Realme Narzo 70 Launched
- Apple Let Loose event
- Elon Musk Apology
- RIL cash flows
- Charlie Munger
- Feedbank IPO allotment
- Tata IPO allotment
- Most generous retirement plans
- Broadcom lays off
- Cibil Score vs Cibil Report
- Birla and Bajaj in top Richest
- Nestle Sept 2023 report
- India Equity Market