That’s Chris Christie, the former US Attorney and GOP candidate for Governor in New Jersey, explaining that he raised money for George W. Bush (over $350,000, to be exact) and that he was appointed USA in New Jersey “because, in part, I had a relationship with the President of the United States.”

Obviously loyalty meant a lot to George Bush. Now we know it means a lot to Chris Christie as well. Because his aide Michele Brown, to whom he lent $46,000, intervened on his behalf on at least two separate occasions, according to the New York Times.

In March, when Gov. Jon S. Corzine’s campaign requested public records about Mr. Christie’s tenure as prosecutor, Ms. Brown interceded to oversee the responses to the inquiries, taking over for the staff member who normally oversaw Freedom of Information Act requests, according to federal law enforcement officials in Newark and Washington. The requested information included records about Mr. Christie’s travel and expenses, along with Ms. Brown’s travel records.

In mid-June, when F.B.I. agents and prosecutors gathered to set a date for the arrests of more than 40 targets of a corruption and money-laundering probe, Ms. Brown alone argued for the arrests to be made before July 1. She later told colleagues that she wanted to ensure that the arrests occurred before Mr. Christie’s permanent successor took office, according to three federal law enforcement officials briefed on the conversation, presumably so that Mr. Christie would be given credit for the roundup.

These tactics, politicizing investigations, using the prosecutorial arm to favor political candidates and denying legal requests for documents, mirror what the Bush Justice Department did throughout their tenure. There’s almost no difference whatsoever. Christie learned well at the foot of his masters.

Expect the Corzine campaign to run hard with this story throughout the day.

…Marcy Wheeler thinks this is just the beginning.