Photo: Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images

According to Chris Christie, the entire bridge scandal happened because “completely inappropriate and unsanctioned conduct was made without my knowledge.” In the course of damage control, however, his staff continues to make ill-advised decisions without his knowledge. From Politico’s check-in this afternoon with Christie’s “mood”:

The memo from Gov. Chris Christie’s office attacking former appointee David Wildstein’s credibility landed with a thud. It was a striking and deeply personal broadside coming from a chief executive of a state, and even his allies called it a mistake. But one important person hadn’t seen the missive ahead of time: the governor himself.

The letter, literally called “5 Things You Should Know About The Bombshell That’s Not A Bombshell,” lashed out at Wildstein, Christie high school classmate (but not friend), for his behavior as a teenager, despite the fact that Christie later signed off on his appointment to the Port Authority.

And yet, Politico reports, “Christie’s aides did not run the document … by the governor before they sent it out, according to two people familiar with the matter. Instead, someone tucked the high school lines into a daily briefing email to the governor’s supporters, and blasted it out earlier than planned. Another round of unflattering news coverage ensued.” Why are Christie’s people so intent on continuing to make him look bad? If only the governor could get his rogue staff under control enough to ask.