Thread: The Devolution of Chris Christie

The Devolution of Chris Christie

• 
• Katie Pavlich
  News Editor, Townhall

Feb 17, 2013 08:00 AM EST

In the past few months, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has allowed his mouth to get in front of his accomplishments.
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Excerpted from Townhall Magazine's March Pavlich Dispatch installment by columinst Katie Pavlich:
I’ve never been a fan of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, but I’ve always at least respected his ability to stand up for what he believes through hard talk and tough negotiating.
Christie has credibility in some circles for getting elected as a Republican in one of the bluest states in the country. He took on the teachers’ union as soon as he took office, got Democrats and Republicans on board to put kids first and reformed the system. Christie is also famous for standing up to what he calls “idiot” reporters asking stupid questions, which at the very least is entertaining.
But lately, Christie’s big mouth has caught up with him. We saw a preview of a coming shark jump in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Instead of partnering with President Obama as a strict professional trying to get a job done, Christy gloated over Obama and all of the socalled progress being made. He walked with Obama through destroyed neighborhoods, took a bunch of photos, made promises with Obama to victims that weren’t kept and helped to neutralize all the work he had done for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s campaign— while ensuring Obama’s re-election.
“The president has been all over this, and he deserves great credit,” Christie told NBC’s “TODAY” show. “I’ve been on the phone with him, like I said, yesterday, personally three times. He gave me his number at the White House, told me to call him if I needed anything. And he absolutely means it.”
When Christie was asked on “Fox & Friends” what Romney’s plans were to visit New Jersey to see the hurricane damage, Christie responded by saying, “I have no idea, nor am I the least bit concerned or interested. I’ve got a job to do here in New Jersey that’s much bigger than presidential politics, and I could care less about any of that stuff.”
This left the impression that Romney just didn’t care, when, in reality, the former Massachusetts governor had actually been gathering hurricane relief supplies for Sandy victims on his campaign bus, supplies FEMA had already run out of.
Sixty-six days after Sandy made landfall, New Jersey and the rest of the states affected by the storm were still waiting on a relief package from Washington, which is when we saw Christie officially jump the shark. The socalled relief bill Christie wanted failed in the House, not because Republicans hate Hurricane victims, but because the relief package was stuffed full of pork and pet projects by overzealous senators—such as millions of dollars for Alaska fisheries and a new Smithsonian roof.
Christie called a special press conference—not to call out Senate Democrats for stuffing unnecessary pork, but to slam House Republicans.
“There’s only one group to blame for the continued suffering of these victims: the House majority and their speaker,” Christie sniped. “Sixty-six days and counting—shame on you. Shame on Congress. Despite my anger and disappointment, my hope is that the good people in Congress—and there are good people in Congress—will prevail upon their colleagues to finally, finally put aside the politics and help our people now.”
Christie also took to Twitter and buddied up with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has become a raging Big Government maniac.
To read the rest of Katie's column, and to get each month's installment of The Pavlich Dispatch, subscribe to Townhall Magazine today!

The Devolution of Chris Christie - Katie Pavlich




Perfect example of what a sleaze is and looks like...Also what is "bought and sold" Chris Christy is!!!!

Get Real: Chris Christie Will Barely Be a Blip in the GOP Primaries in 2016

Posted on November 9, 2013 by Mark Horne

Newser summarizes some tardy but clear thinking about Christie’s popularity:

Sure, Chris Christie's pugnacity has served him well on the statewide stage—but will it continue to work on the national one? He'd better not assume anything: Winning "fosters hubris and often reinforces the wrong lessons," writes Matt Lewis in the Week. "So far, Christie's confrontational style has mostly come across as refreshing." But "what happens when MSNBC plays video of him yelling at someone for the millionth time, and after George Will or Charles Krauthammer writes the column about the danger of an angry man having his finger on the button?"

But none of that goes far enough. Christie’s only shot at the Presidency would be to join the Democratic Party and get Hillary to cooperate with his ambition. Assuming she wants to be President in 2016 then there is no way Christie gets the White House.

Claiming that Christie has a shot is a mistake much like the error of worrying about the unpopularity of Congress. Congress isn’t trying to win a national election. Each member of Congress only needs to win the voters in his district. And voters are notorious for believing that “their” Representative or Senator is better than the rest.

Likewise, Christie is popular in New Jersey. The Republicans who may still admire him (outside of the RINOs who really want him) only admire his work in New Jersey. That doesn’t make him nationally popular enough to win the Presidency. The base won’t support him and no Republican candidate wins without the base. The Democrats outside New Jersey (and inside it) will never vote for Christie over a Democratic candidate.

When 2016 comes around, all this Christie hype will sound silly. People will feel about it the way they feel watching Rick Perry endorse Rudy Giuliani.

So how well did that turn out?

Giuliani couldn’t even beat Ron Paul back in 2008 before the financial crisis made Ron Paul more credible.
Every election cycle the liberals and RINO Republicans pretend their preferred champion has a real chance to win. Every time it is proven to have been wishful thinking.

Christie won’t be any different.

Read more at http://politicaloutcast.com/2013/11/get-real-chris-christie-will-barely-blip-gop-primaries-2016/#wXzM1dkVoFAbZcCO.99


Out of the frying pan into the fire...the RINO"S just keep pusing don't they? I think this says it all don't you, what ever they can try they will??

Court orders Christie administration to reveal New Jersey pension probe secrets

By Mark Lagerkvist / December 2, 2013

AP file photo

LET’S HEAR IT FOR TRANSPARENCY?: Gov. Chris Christie, left, and Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno may have to reveal records related to a pension scheme.


By Mark Lagerkvist | New Jersey Watchdog


A New Jersey court may force Gov. Chris Christie’s administration to reveal information about a hush-hush state pension probe involving Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno and a quarter-million dollar double-dipping scheme.


Superior Court Judge Mary C. Jacobson ordered the attorney general’s Division of Criminal Justice to submit an index of its investigatory records for release to a New Jersey Watchdog reporter.


The stakes are high for Christie, who eyes a 2016 presidential campaign, and Guadagno, who could become governor if her boss quits to run for the White House.
Jacobson’s decision was a stunning setback for the state, which sought an order entirely dismissing the reporter’s public records lawsuit. The attorney general argued that all of its 770-plus pages of records should be exempt from disclosure.


Instead, the judge will require DCJ to argue its need for secrecy on a document-by-document basis.


Release of the index opens the door for specific arguments on whether the public interest in release of the records outweighs the state’s interest in keeping the information confidential.


“The public has an indisputable and overriding interest in knowing about the integrity of government and the conduct of elected officials in their governance,” stated the reporter in a certification filed with the court.


DCJ began its criminal investigation in May 2011 at the behest of a pension board, according to a certification by a state pension official. Christie, Guadagno and DCJ officials have declined comment. In court papers, the state refused to acknowledge whether the case is open or closed.


Christie faces political consequences for his judgment in handling the Guadagno controversy. Rather than use his constitutional power to appoint an independent prosecutor or special investigator, the governor allowed DCJ to run the case.


It was an obvious conflict-of-interest. Guadagno is a former DCJ deputy director and now Christie’s second-in-command. She sits in the governor’s cabinet with the attorney general, who is in charge of DCJ.


The controversy began with an investigative report by New Jersey Watchdog in 2010 detailing how statements by Guadagno enabled one of her top aides to improperly collect $227,000 in pension checks from the Police and Firemen’s Retirement System.


As Monmouth County sheriff in 2008, Guadagno hired Michael W. Donovan Jr. as “chief of law enforcement division” at a $87,500 annual salary. She announced the appointment in a memo to her staff. The sheriff’s official website identified Donovan as “sheriff’s officer chief,” supervising 115 subordinate officers and 30 civilian employees.
Donovan faced a legal problem. He already was collecting an $85,000 a year state pension as a retired investigator for the county prosecutor. While double-dipping is often legal in New Jersey, this case was different.
Since the position of sheriff’s officer chief is covered by the pension system, Donovan should have been required to stop receiving pension benefits, re-enroll in the retirement plan and resume contributions to the pension fund.
Instead, Guadagno changed Donovan’s job title in several documents so her aide could get two checks, not just one, totaling $172,500 a year.
In county payroll records, the oath of office and a news release, Donovan was listed as the sheriff’s “chief warrant officer” — a similar sounding, but low-ranking position that’s not in the pension system. A chief warrant officer is responsible for serving warrants and other legal documents.
However, on Guadagno’s organizational chart, Donovan was listed as chief of law enforcement. The position of chief warrant officer was not on the chart.
While sheriff’s chief, Donovan pocketed $227,000 in checks from PFRS. Since he did not re-enroll in the pension plan, he avoided another $18,000 in contributions. If the state decides Donovan violated pension law, he could be forced to repay $245,000.
Guadagno also could pay a price for her role in the double-dipping scheme.
Under state law, “Any person who shall knowingly make any false statement or shall falsify or permit to be falsified any record or records of this retirement system … shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.”
Meanwhile, a lengthy war over similar records is being waged in a case before the Office of Administrative Law. That conflict centers on records of the state Treasury’s review of the Guadagno-Donovan matter — a precursor to the DCJ investigation.
When Treasury denied that OPRA request in March 2011, the reporter appealed to the Government Records Council. GRC is a panel comprised of gubernatorial appointees and Christie cabinet officials.
After deliberating for 18 months, GRC decided not to decide the case. After another five-month delay, GRC referred the matter to the Office of Administrative law.
Administrative Law Judge Linda M. Kassekert ordered Treasury officials to turn over 26 documents for in-camera inspection. After review, Kassekert will determine which records, if any, the state should release.
DISCLOSURE: Investigative reporter Mark Lagerkvist is the plaintiff in public records cases against DCJ (Mercer Co. Superior Court, MER-L-464-13) and Treasury (OAL GRC 6985-13 & GRC 2011-110).

Please, feel free to "steal our stuff"! Just remember to credit Watchdog.org. Find out more

Mark Lagerkvist



http://watchdog.org/118379/christie-pension-secrets/

MAN, I HOPE SO: Christie’s ‘Bizarre Behavior’ Could Undermine Presidential Chances

By Clash Daily / 2 December 2013





Gov. Chris Christie’s “bizarre behavior’’ in refusing to say he’ll support a possible GOP challenger to Gov. Cuomo next year could derail his chances to become president, state and national GOP insiders have told The Post.

“Christie already has a problem with many Republicans refusing to forgive him because of his embrace of [President] Obama and his socially liberal policies,’’ said a nationally prominent GOP operative. “But this bizarre behavior in suggesting he won’t help a Republican defeat a Democratic governor, and a Cuomo no less, could finish off his chances of becoming his party’s nominee for president in 2016,’’ the operative continued.

Cuomo claimed last week that Christie, the new head of the Republican Governors Association — an organization whose purpose is to elect GOP governors — had quickly called him to say The Post was wrong in reporting the New Jersey governor was ready to back Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, should he become the Republican nominee for governor next year.

“I spoke to Gov. Christie this morning, who told me the exact opposite,’’ Cuomo contended in reference to last week’s “Inside Albany” column.
But Christie spokesman Colin Reed refused to confirm Cuomo’s claim, referring questions to Christie political consultant and longtime GOP operative Mike DuHaime, who likewise refused to comment.

Some close to Astorino said they would be dumbfounded by Cuomo’s claim, since not only is Christie responsible for trying to elect GOP governors, he’s also had longstanding friendly relations with Astorino.

Other Republicans, meanwhile, said they were surprised that Cuomo would disclose what presumably was a private personal phone call from Christie.
Read more: NYPost.com

Read more at http://clashdaily.com/2013/12/man-ho...oFDW3L0BXuW.99