Chris Christie - Page 8 of 11 - THE RIDGEWOOD BLOG.

Posted on May 12, 2015 May 12, 2015

Make it Up as You Go Along : U.S. attorney had to get creative in GWB lane-closure case

abc_cc_hacking_paul_fisherman_kb_130725_16x9_992

MAY 11, 2015, 10:01 PM LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, MAY 12, 2015, 8:51 AM
BY HERB JACKSON
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT |
THE RECORD

The crime of using a traffic jam for political retribution was never something Congress explicitly put in the federal statute books.

So U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman had to rely on laws Congress did pass as he built a criminal case in the George Washington Bridge lane closure scandal against three of Governor Christie’s former appointees.

Fishman relied on Section 666 of Chapter 18 of the United States code, a law sometimes called a national ban on corruption that is intended to punish fraud, bribery, theft and embezzlement from agencies that receive federal funds. The law also makes it is a crime to “misapply” property of federal aid recipients.

“That’s what gives us a federal hook in this case over that crime,” Fishman said at a news conference May 1. “Congress decided it was important to make it a crime of federal jurisdiction if people take resources – money, bribes, things for their benefit or for the benefit of other people – from state and local agencies that get federal money.”

But whether that is a legitimate use of the statute is very much open to debate in the legal community. One law professor, who has called Section 666 a “stealth statute,” questioned whether Fishman stretched the law too far to fit the bridge scandal. A Washington, D.C., defense lawyer also warned Fishman’s interpretation could face a challenge in appeals courts. And a researcher at a centrist think tank said the charges are the equivalent of making politics a crime.

Fishman said the law had been used in many past corruption cases, including the convictions of former Newark Mayor Sharpe James, former Perth Amboy Mayor Joe Vas, and even former Passaic Mayor Joseph Lipari back in 1992.

Former federal prosecutors said Fishman did what the Justice Department has done for years: He applied laws that Congress intentionally left vague to the facts of the case before him.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/analysis-u-s-attorney-had-to-get-creative-in-gwb-lane-closure-case-1.1331806

Posted on May 12, 2015 May 12, 2015

Ouch ! Christie spent $82K on concessions at Giants, Jets games

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Mitt Romney and Jets Flight Crew Cheerleaders watch a Jets game from owner Woody Johnson’s private box in December 2014.Photo: Michael Simon/startraksphoto.com

Sorry I missed the party !

By Chris Perez

May 11, 2015 | 12:16pm
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Mitt Romney and Jets Flight Crew Cheerleaders watch a Jets game from owner Woody Johnson’s private box in December 2014.Photo: Michael Simon/startraksphoto.com

Chris Christie shelled out $300,000 on food, alcohol and desserts during his five years as New Jersey governor — more than 80 percent of his state allowance, a report said.

The 52-year-old’s most noteworthy spending sprees came during Giants and Jets games at MetLife Stadium in 2010 and 2011, according to a New Jersey Watchdog analysis of records released by the governor’s office on Monday.

Christie racked up $82,594 in concessions, which were paid for by debit card to Delaware North Sportservice. But the menu remains a mystery because the governor’s office did not provide any receipts, business reasons or names of individuals who were joining in on the feast, Watchdog reports.

“The official nature and business purpose of the event remains the case regardless of whether the event is at the State House, Drumthwacket or a sporting venue,” Christie press secretary Kevin Roberts explained in a prepared statement.

In the attempt to avoid a potential scandal which could shatter Christie’s dreams of becoming president, the New Jersey Republican State Committee chose to reimburse purchases from “DNS Sports” to the state Treasury in March 2012. The governor has stopped using his expense account at MetLife ever since.

On Monday, Christie’s camp was quick to explain the alleged spending — claiming he never made any purchases for his own use.

https://nypost.com/2015/05/11/christie-spent-82k-on-booze-food-at-giants-jets-games/?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=NYPFacebook&utm_medium=SocialFlow

Posted on May 10, 2015 May 10, 2015

Reader says , With Bridgegate ; The Record continues to beat this dead non-story.

photo by Boyd Loving

Meanwhile they take the “what Difference Does it Make” approach to truly troubling stories… like presidential abuse of power in the Menendez and Tea Party cases or the Hillary Email-gate and FoundationFunding-gate national security issues.

That paper is not even fit for bird cages…

It is remarkable just how the media basically destroyed Christie with this relentless story, despite there being no evidence that Christie had any involvement in it. On the other hand, we have the leading contender to become the next President, and a far stronger set of circumstances that possibly involve all kinds of conflicts of interest and huge money, and the mainstream media are nowhere to be seen.

Our mainstream media is beyond corrupt.

That’s easy to explain. They would do it because they thought it would be what Christie wanted. They did it because it was punishment to “the other side”. Political campaign people get a little drunk on power and this is what appears to have happened. It’s no mystery when you want to come up with motives.

Posted on May 8, 2015 May 8, 2015

Yudin slams Doherty for Christie criticisms

In the wake of state Senator Mike Doherty’s (R-23) scorching criticisms of Governor Chris Christie following the guilty plea and nine-count indictments of three former members of Christie’s inner circle in connection with the closing of access lanes at the George Washington Bridge in 2013, Bergen County Republican Organization (BCRO) Chairman Bob Yudin denigrated Doherty and defended Christie.

“[Doherty] made some charges about what he felt was the Governor’s lack of support for county and local Republican party organizations in 2013,” said Yudin, who declined to comment further on disparaging statements Doherty made about Christie’s 2013 strategy leading to what has become known as the Bridgegate scandal. “I couldn’t disagree more with the senator. My experience is exactly the opposite.” (Bonamo/PolitickerNJ)

Yudin slams Doherty for Christie criticisms | New Jersey News, Politics, Opinion, and Analysis

Posted on April 26, 2015 April 26, 2015

Chris Christie risks a generational debate on entitlements

Chris Christie risks a generational debate on entitlements: Robert Samuelson

on April 24, 2015 at 12:00 PM, updated April 24, 2015 at 12:01 PM

By Robert J. Samuelson

WASHINGTON — If New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has his way, the unfolding presidential campaign will focus on generational fairness. It will seek to curb spending on the elderly — mainly Social Security and Medicare — without putting the elderly at risk. This debate would be good for the country, but whether the country can conduct it without an orgy of bombast and distortion is an open question.

In case you missed it, Christie gave a speech in New Hampshire in mid-April proposing the following:

–Social Security benefits would be gradually reduced for those with non-Social Security incomes above $80,000 and ended at incomes exceeding $200,000, a plan Christie said would affect less than 2 percent of beneficiaries.

–Social Security’s eligibility age would slowly be raised (2 months a year, beginning in 2022) to 69 for full benefits and 64 for early retirement (from the present 62); Medicare’s eligibility age would be raised from today’s 65 to 67 in 2040 and 69 in 2064.

–Wealthier retirees with incomes above $85,000, who already pay higher Medicare premiums, would have their premiums raised on a sliding scale so that beneficiaries with incomes above $196,000 would pay 90 percent of the premiums for Medicare Part B (doctors’ bills) and Part D (drug coverage). Presumably, this also would be phased in, though Christie gave no details.

–Medicaid — the federal-state health insurance program for the poor — would be cut by putting a ceiling on federal payments to states.

Let’s concede that Christie’s gambit is self-serving. His presidential prospects are said to lag. He strives to differentiate himself from the herd of Republican contenders. What better way to demonstrate “leadership” qualities than to tackle an issue that, according to conventional wisdom, is political suicide. It’s a high-risk/high-reward strategy.

https://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/04/chris_christie_risks_a_generat.html

Posted on April 21, 2015 April 21, 2015

The time bombs blowing up New Jersey’s taxpayers and its budget

Today, let’s talk about what I have decided to call time-bomb bonds: securities that blow up in the issuer’s face years or decades after being sold to investors.

The case in point: $1.14 billion of pension bonds that my home state of New Jersey sold in 1997, securities that I came across while working with Cezary Podkul of ProPublica for anarticle about New Jersey’s finances that was published Saturday by The Washington Post. (Sloan/Washington Post)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/the-time-bombs-blowing-up-new-jerseys-taxpayers-and-its-budget/2015/04/20/0c82038a-e798-11e4-9a6a-c1ab95a0600b_story.html

Posted on April 16, 2015 April 16, 2015

More Media Contrived fake Attacks on Christie

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New Hampshire man who confronted Chris Christie on ‘Bridgegate’ changes story

A New Hampshire man who confronted Chris Christie about his role in the Bridgegate traffic scandal on Wednesday was mistaken about being stuck in the paralyzing September 2013 traffic jam in Fort Lee, New Jersey, he told POLITICO.

At a restaurant in Manchester, New Hampshire, where Christie was greeting potential voters on his tour of the Granite State, Richard Moquin claimed to have sat in the infamous traffic jam with his wife as they traveled to Manhattan to celebrate their wedding anniversary.

Turns out that wasn’t true. (Martel/Politico)

https://www.politico.com/story/2015/04/man-who-confronted-chris-christie-on-bridgegate-changes-story-117007.html#ixzz3XTH0FIDN

Posted on April 14, 2015 April 14, 2015

Christie Urges Benefit Cuts as New Jersey Retiree Rush Strains Pension

Chris Christie is promoting his tell-it-like-it-is style of governing with town-hall meetings in New Hampshire before a possible White House run. Back home, attendees of such forums haven’t heard the whole story of the pension mess throwing New Jersey’s budget into disarray.

What’s missing from the Republican’s weekly narrative, during which he blames Democrats and public unions for the employee costs crowding out other spending, is that he shares the culpability. Record retirements in response to his first-term benefit reductions contributed to the state’s $83 billion pension-funding shortfall; Another wave of departures looms as Christie seeks a second round of cutbacks. (Young/Bloomberg)

https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-04-14/christie-urges-benefit-cuts-as-n-j-retiree-rush-strains-pension

Posted on April 12, 2015 June 27, 2021

Chris Christie not so available to the New Jersey press

by Chris Thompson Published Apr. 10, 2015 4:40 pm Updated Apr. 10, 2015 5:05 pm

New Jersey governor Chris Christie has failed to hold an open-ended press conference since November 12, mostly restricting his public presence to town hall meetings and prepackaged videos sent out by his media relations team, The Associated Press writer Jill Colvin reports.

“The access has just been minimal at best,” New Jersey Press Association executive director George White told The Associated Press.

Christie’s office responded that his numerous town hall meetings with constituents, as well as his monthly hour-long radio appearance on NJ 101.5 and interviews with individual reporters, prove that the governor is still accessible and answerable to the public. “The governor believes it’s just as important, if not more important, to communicate directly with his constituents as it is to communicate with the media,” Christie spokesperson Kevin Roberts told the AP.

https://www.poynter.org/news/mediawire/334795/is-chris-christie-hiding-from-new-jerseys-press/

Posted on April 10, 2015 April 10, 2015

Court: Christie can’t use towns’ affordable housing trust fund

APRIL 9, 2015, 1:30 PM LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2015, 11:55 PM
BY SALVADOR RIZZO
STATE HOUSE BUREAU |
THE RECORD

A state appeals court on Thursday blocked Governor Christie’s efforts to take $160 million out of trust funds that towns use to build low-cost housing units for poor, disabled and elderly residents.

It was the latest setback for Christie in a legal battle brewing for years over New Jersey’s troubled housing program for poor residents. Last month, the state Supreme Court ruled that Christie’s inaction on affordable-housing matters had gone on too long and required an urgent fix.

As an end run around the Christie administration, the high court put judges in charge of setting rules and giving guidance to towns on how many low-cost housing units they should be building. With Thursday’s ruling by the appeals court, the judiciary is now set to take control of millions of dollars in housing funds to implement those plans.

Christie, a Republican, in 2012 tried to take the housing funds to help balance the state budget. The appeals court rejected his position and faulted his administration for ignoring previous court orders, declining to write statewide housing regulations and leaving New Jersey towns in the dark as to how many homes should be built for their lowest-income residents.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/court-christie-can-t-use-towns-affordable-housing-trust-funds-1.1306007

Posted on April 9, 2015 April 9, 2015

Chris Christie Cooking up Presidential Ambitions

On NJTV cooking show, New Jersey governor keeps presidential plans to himself

By HEATHER HADDON
April 7, 2015 9:36 p.m. ET

Gov. Chris Christie calls his pasta sauce “gravy,” once cooked many of his family’s meals, and believes garlic should be browned before being tossed into the skillet.

These tidbits were revealed in a new show marrying cooking and politics that debuts on New Jersey public television Wednesday. Whether the New Jersey Republican will run for president, however, wasn’t disclosed.

“Good try, though,” Mr. Christie quipped at host Nick Acocella when he tried to get the governor to divulge if he’s running for higher office.

A longtime New Jersey political analyst, Mr. Acocella featured Mr. Christie as his first guest on the “Pasta & Politics” show, to air on NJTV. The men converse about state politics as they cook a meal together, and then sit down to clink wine glasses and have a taste.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/chris-christie-spills-nothing-in-the-kitchen-1428457017

Posted on April 8, 2015 April 7, 2015

How states got into such a pension fix

JOEL L. NAROFF

POSTED: Sunday, April 5, 2015, 1:09 AM

Pension reform is like the weather: Everybody talks about it, but nobody does anything about it.

Despite years of dire warnings that pension shortfalls could become the monster that ate state budgets, little progress has been made to reduce the gap. Since changes must occur, it’s time to understand the causes of the crisis so past mistakes will not be repeated.

Pensions in Pennsylvania and New Jersey are staggeringly underfunded. This misery, though, has lots of company. Recently, the Dallas Morning News wrote an editorial about the looming crisis in Texas, which it called “an embarrassment.”

Not being alone is no excuse. Public-sector pensions are promissory notes between the public, through their elected representatives and government workers, for future payments. Unfortunately, politicians have been very willing to fail their fiduciary responsibilities.

Pension plans are underfunded because governing bodies have underfunded them. Contractually agreed-to plan payments have been diverted to other uses, and the trend continues. In New Jersey, a state court recently ruled the Christie administration violated a 2011 pension-reform law by not making this year’s required pension payment.

Let’s be clear: The failure to make necessary pension payments was not because of an inability to pay. The funds that should have gone to the pension plan went, instead, to fund other programs and to keep taxes from rising. The fiscal capacity to fund the pensions was there. The political will was not.

Who got the billions of dollars that didn’t go into the pension plans? The beneficiaries were individuals and businesses who paid lower taxes, and programs that received extra funding. In other words, everyone, which is why this is a politically feasible transfer of income.

Posted on April 2, 2015 April 1, 2015

Christie pushes for teachers to sign on to pension, health benefit changes in town hall meeting

Governor Christie pushed teachers — a union key to his pension reform plan — to agree to benefits changes Tuesday as his administration argued in a court filing that a judge “fabricated a constitutional right to pension funding.”

Christie is working to overturn a Superior Court ruling that requires the state to adhere to a law he signed four years ago requiring increasing payments to the pension fund.

At the same time, Christie is pushing the public to back his plan to overhaul retirement benefits for all public employees, a plan that requires changes not only to pensions but to medical benefits. Changes in health care benefits will mean savings that can be applied to pensions, Christie has argued. (Hayes/The Record)

https://www.northjersey.com/news/christie-pushes-for-teachers-to-sign-on-to-pension-health-benefit-changes-in-town-hall-meeting-1.1299625

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