Pining for LBJ, We Got Christie

Jan. 22 (Bloomberg) -- New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’srecent scandals won’t impress anyone who has read Robert Caro’sbiography of Lyndon Baines Johnson.

In the fourth volume of Caro’s biography, he tells thestory of Margaret Mayer, a Dallas Times Herald reporter who wasinvestigating the television station LBJ owned. Johnson had hisaides call Mayer’s bosses and let slip that if Mayer keptinvestigating Johnson’s business, Johnson might sic the FederalCommunications Commission on the Dallas Times Herald’sbusinesses -- which included TV and radio stations. Mayer’sbosses got the message. Her investigation was quicklyterminated.