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Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman

(Ed Murray/The Star-Ledger)

Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, a 12th District congressional candidate and a member of the committee investigating the George Washington Bridge scandal, tonight called on the governor to consider resigning over his staff's role in the controversy.

Watson Coleman was discussing newly released text messages between former Port Authority of New York and New Jersey official David Wildstein and Bridget Kelly, former deputy chief of staff to Gov. Chris Christie, in which the pair disparage a rabbi and jokingly discuss creating traffic problems outside his house.

"And this really is what they're all about, transactional deals, dismissiveness, remarks that are totally, totally unacceptable in a civilized society," Watson Coleman said during an appearance on MSNBC. "And you know what? The governor needs to think about resigning, and he needs to take all his friends with him because this is sickening."

Asked by host Al Sharpton why the governor should go when there has so far been no smoking gun to implicate him in the scandal, Watson Coleman said the governor is responsible for the actions of his staff.

"Because he is responsible for everybody that is in the middle of all of this mess, not just this -- this is irrespective of just bridgegate," she said. "This is all the stuff that we're hearing about all the transactions that are taking place. This is abusiveness. This is bullying. This is disrespectfulness. That's the way he has been governing. And the one connecting theme here is that he has hired or caused the hiring of each and every one of them. I'm not saying he has done anything illegal. I'm saying it's unethical and it is not worthy of New Jersey's citizens."

Watson Coleman is the first member of the committee to call for the governor's resignation. Earlier this year, Assemblyman John Wisniewski openly discussed the possible impeachment of the governor during an MSNBC appearance, but later walked back the comments and acknowledged that no evidence as of yet points to the governor's direct involvement.

A spokesman for the governor could not immediately be reached for comment.

In addition to her role with the committee, Watson Coleman also is a candidate for Congress in the 12th district. She is vying to replace U.S. Rep. Rush Holt, who announced earlier this month he will not run for reelection.