Idaho GOP Gov. Butch Otter, who held a December campaign fundraiser with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie as the headliner, says he has no reason to believe Christie knew about his staff”s traffic jam plans and that if Christie is cleared of foreknowledge of the payback scheme his stock as a 2016 presidential candidate may rise. “I think there’s probably going to be some help if he comes out of this without any knowledge of the bridge closure,” Otter said Wednesday. “So far, I haven’t seen anything that would suggest to me that he did have any knowledge”/Dan Popkey, Idaho Statesman. More here.

Question: Let's have a show of hands. Anyone out there agree that Bridgegate could help Christie in the long run, if it's proven that he didn't know about staff shenanigans?