Christie's Oversight

I wonder if this is why Dan Damon is sick today (see article below)

August 20, 2009


And Christie too? The sad reality of N.J. politics


Chris Christie came across many a wrongdoer in his years as New Jersey's U.S. attorney, including a fair number of tax cheats. In fact, he once boasted in a 2005 press release that his office had prosecuted "every variation of tax fraud and method of evasion." And we'd bet Christie heard — and scoffed at — more than a few claims of innocence and ignorance through all those years, criminals insisting that it was all a big mistake.

Now Christie is the one accused of some questionable tax affairs — failing to report on federal tax returns and financial disclosure forms a $46,000 loan he gave to a subordinate. His excuse? It was an oversight. And as for why he's different from all of those tax cheaters he caught, Christie said that in his case it really was unintentional.

Isn't that what they all say?

This is, at best, an egregious blunder on Christie's part. It would be bad enough for any citizen or candidate, but Christie's a former U.S. attorney who should certainly know better. His gubernatorial candidacy has been built primarily on his reputation as a political corruption-buster. He is being presented to the voters as the pristine candidate, the one untainted by political machinations and poised to clean up New Jersey government.

And now this?

Gov. Jon S. Corzine's campaign will have some fun with the news, and some of their criticisms are certainly justified. But they'd best be careful, because there would be an unmistakable hypocrisy to any hint of moralizing.

Christie may have chosen poorly in giving the loan to Michele Brown, an assistant prosecutor who is also a friend and neighbor of Christie's. But remember that Corzine himself faced plenty of campaign questions during his first gubernatorial run regarding a loan that he gave — and failed to properly disclose — to ex-girlfriend and former union head Carla Katz. And that relationship presented a far more troubling conflict, considering Katz represented a Communications Workers of America union local that is the largest of the state workers' unions. Corzine and Katz even exchanged e-mails during contract talks between the state and the union, a clear ethical breach that may have compromised the discussions. Corzine, however, waged a lengthy, and ultimately successful battle to keep the e-mails secret, under the dubious claim of executive privilege. If he wants to blast Christie, he might consider releasing those e-mails first.

Still, there's no way for Christie to spin this other than to concede a spectacular lapse in judgment that puts a major dent in that corruption-busting armor. And that's the best-case scenario for him, since his mistake could also have legal implications.

On the bright side for Christie, however, Corzine has more than a few ethical lapses on his resume already. And Corzine has also done a miserable job running the state the last 3 1/2 years.

But for those who believed that Christie might be genuinely different from our typical New Jersey politicians, the bloom has now fallen off that particular rose.

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http://www.mycentraljersey.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009908200313

Should Christie Be Indicted?

It’s very odd the last two days that the blogging community has not reported on Chris Christie in terms of owning up to the fact that he made a mistake by not reporting information, the last week or so Chris Christie and his campaign are showing the public that they have not been totally honest so far in their campaign. And if any other elected official would’ve made the same mistake, they would be in front of a federal judge in handcuffs. Today in the Courier News Chris Christie admits to making a mistake on the loan but nobody in the Plainfield area mentioned this on their blog, they spent the last two days trying to embarrass Mr. Green to take away from the Christie story. For example, Bernice Paglia, who everyday not only embarrasses the city but is beginning to embarrass other people. When I say other people it was Eric Watson and Malcolm Dunn who asked the Assemblyman to set up a meeting with the people in charge of the tunnel to see whether or not the services of the PMUA could be used, but also some of the other services that could be available. So this wasn’t something that was done solely by Assemblyman Green, he was just doing his job by following through on their request.

The Assemblyman is busy trying to help different companies to participate in this project and someone like Bernice Paglia, who doesn’t have a clue, tries to embarrass him rather than talk about the fact that Christie has become an embarrassment to her, as well as Maria, Doc Potpourri, and the New Democrats (who I was told are going to do a write-in campaign for Adrian Mapp, another joke). My question now is, “are they going to ask Christie to step aside? Maybe the two Republican candidates that are running for the Assembly seats in the 22nd District can convince Mapp to run for Governor, he runs for everything else.

Also, one of Bernice’s supporters recommended that the people in Plainfield vote the Republican line. These are the same Republicans who voted against women’s rights and the gay community rights, and basically is now accusing the Assemblyman of causing the city not be able to build a middle school, when it was their Bush friends on the Plainfield Board of Education who dropped the ball, not the Assemblyman. In fact it was the Assemblyman who was able to get $17 million to rehab two elementary schools in the 2nd ward, Woodland and Cook. Again, these are the lies that Bernice and her Republican friends would like for you to believe. They are becoming a joke and a complete embarrassment to this city. I can’t believe the gay community is going to allow these Republicans to use them in the November election to gain control of Trenton. If that happens, the gay community can kiss gay marriages goodbye.

Questions to Consider, AND We Want Some Answers!

I have a few more issues Maria Pellum should add to her list of concerns. Maria should be asking about these issues:

1. Whether the candidate supports gay marriage; Yes or No?

2. Would the candidate continuously support Abbott District Funding?

3. Would the candidate support President Obama’s Healthcare Plan?

4. Would the candidate support Republican towns like Watchung in terms of low-income housing, and halfway houses like those that we have here in Plainfield? (Watchung being a town that does NOT cater to low-income/affordable housing)

5. Would the candidate support the Voucher Program for schools?

6. Would the candidate support women’s rights and their right to choose?

Part of President Obama’s plan is to bring funding in so that hospitals like Muhlenberg can re-open. With this health plan, it will not only help individuals, but will also help urban hospitals, like Muhlenberg, re-open, and prevents others from closing.

In fact Maria, the blogging community would like to see where you stand on these issues. Please, indulge us.