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Christie calls Trump's 9/11 claims 'factually wrong'

The New Jersey governor took a firmer stance after previously saying he could not remember whether or not "thousands" of people celebrated in New Jersey following the 9/11 attacks.

By Ann Marie Awad
Republican Candidate for President of the United States Donald Trump speaks at a press conference after a meeting with a group of African-American pastors at Trump Tower in New York City on November 30, 2015. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
1 of 2 | Republican Candidate for President of the United States Donald Trump speaks at a press conference after a meeting with a group of African-American pastors at Trump Tower in New York City on November 30, 2015. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

PORTSMOUTH, N.H., Dec. 1 (UPI) -- New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie told reporters at a campaign stop Monday that no one celebrated the 9/11 attacks in New Jersey in 2001, and no one has since.

Christie told ABC News last week that he didn't remember whether or not people celebrated the 9/11 attacks in Jersey City. His position firmed up since, and he denied accusations that he was trying to "hedge." He reminded reporters that on the day of the attacks, he was trying to determine whether his wife and brother were safe. They were both in lower Manhattan at the time of the attacks.

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Christie also told CNN: "Everybody else can figure out what they think is outrageous or not outrageous -- in the context of Donald, outrageous is a high bar."

Trump responded swiftly Monday evening telling ABC News Christie should be "careful with what he says."

At a rally in Birmingham, Ala. earlier this month, Donald Trump told supporters: "And I watched in Jersey City, New Jersey, where thousands and thousands of people were cheering as that building was coming down." Since then, Trump has repeatedly doubled down on his claims, despite a lack of evidence to support the tale.

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Speaking to The New York Times last week, John J. Farmer Jr., who served as New Jersey's attorney general at the time of the attacks, said the story began as a rumor that law enforcement was dispatched to investigate.

"The word came back quickly from Jersey City, later from Paterson," Farmer told The Times. "False report. Never happened."

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