(Update) Conservative mag suing Cory Booker

National Review, a conservative magazine, is suing Newark Mayor Cory Booker (D), according to a column by the magazine's editor Rich Lowry:

Enough is enough. Yesterday we filed suit against the Newark Police Department, the City of Newark, and Mayor Booker to obtain the records in keeping with New Jersey law. This suit shouldn’t be necessary, but the official obstruction in Newark has made it so. In such an instance, everyone should favor openness.

Lowry claims National Review has requested records related to one Wazn Miller, a person Booker often refers to in speeches. Booker claims that Miller was gunned down in Booker's neighborhood in 2004 and died in Booker's arms.

Booker fell under scrutiny in late August for another person he often references in speeches, a supposed drug dealer named "T-Bone." After questions were raised as to the authenticity of Booker's "T-Bone" stories, Booker admitted that the person was made up.

Booker's office did not immediately respond to request for comment but we'll update if and when it does.

Update: A spokesman for Booker emails TheBlaze:

Here’s a statementfrom James Allen, spokesman for Mayor Booker:

"The request in question was filed with Office of the City Clerk, the custodian of records that operates independently of the Office of the Mayor. Because no electronic police records exist for this time period and the Clerk’s search of microfilm records did not produce any results, the Clerk directed the Police Department to perform a manual search of hard copy archives. The Clerk notified the National Review that they anticipated a response on or before September 13th and did not receive an objection. Officials at the Police Department searched extensively and located hard copies of the incident report. The Clerk has indicated that the National Review will receive the records on Thursday, prior to the deadline.”

Here is another statement from Anthony Ambrose, Essex County Chief of Detectives and former Newark Police Director:

“I was Director of the Newark Police at the time of the Miller case in April 2004 and I responded to the scene where Wazn Miller was shot. When I arrived, I found first responders as well as Cory Booker. I remember that Cory was wearing jogging pants and a sweatshirt, and that he had blood all over his hand and on his arm. The people at the scene said he rendered aid to the victim, and I recall him staying by the victim’s side until he was transported to the hospital. Unfortunately, the individual did not survive.”

h/t Politico

@eScarry