JANUARY 8, 2016, 1:33 PM LAST UPDATED: SATURDAY, JANUARY 9, 2016, 9:12 AM
BY JOHN BRENNAN AND JOHN C. ENSSLIN
STAFF WRITERS |
THE RECORD
Governor Christie on Friday waded into an increasingly inflammatory battle over how to extend casino gambling to North Jersey, siding with state Senate President Steven Sweeney in his escalating war of words with Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto.
Christie, who has been campaigning for the Republican presidential nomination, blamed “infighting” between the two legislative leaders, both of whom are Democrats, for the fact that a push for a statewide referendum on the matter appears to have stalled in the waning days of the legislative session, which ends Tuesday.
The governor endorsed Sweeney’s proposal, which would restrict bidding for two North Jersey casino licenses to companies with a majority interest in an Atlantic City casino. Christie echoed the assertion that Sweeney made earlier in the day that Prieto’s competing plan, which would allow one of the licenses to be issued to a newcomer, does not have enough support to clear the Assembly before the new session starts.
