Corzine campaign files FOIA legal challenges

by: Rosi Efthim

Thu Aug 20, 2009 at 07:30:13 PM EDT

If there's nothing to all this, then it's to the US Attorney's Office's benefit to release these documents. It's to Christie's benefit. He talks a lot about ethics. Let's see if that talk extends to action. Let's see if Christie comes out in favor of transparency.

The cascading stories of questionable conduct inside the United States Attorney's Office - both during Chris Christie's tenure, and now following it - are reason enough for the Corzine campaign, and anyone valuing ethical conduct, to want to get at the truth. Jon Corzine knows that without facts, Christie's story of his own success there goes unchallenged. And the facts, once they come to light, may reveal a more complicated story.

Today, the Corzine '09 campaign filed legal challenges under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to break what they call five months of stonewalling that have kept basic public records of Christie's actions as US Attorney from light.

Eight adminstrative challenges - representing 18 separate requests - were filed with the United States Department of Justice's Office of Information and Privacy. The campaign's sought these records - budgets, travel expenses, schedules - since March, each attempt met with a logjam originating in the USAO here in NJ.

In fact, in a Corzine ad running on another site, a countdown clock registers the "stonewall" time at 155 days: 19 hrs: 21 min: 49 seconds - as I write this.

They also seek details of no-bid contracts Christie awarded, including one worth $52 million to his former boss - and fellow Bush crony - John Ashcroft. His communications with Karl Rove - the "architect" of George Bush's political career (now also the subject of separate investigation by a watchdog group) and between Christie and those who succeeded him in the US Attorney's Office, are also sought.

Corzine '09 campaign strategist Tom Shea:

The United States Attorney's office has many fine, dedicated, professional lawyers. But, in light of recent reports that Acting U.S. Attorney Ralph Marra is under investigation to determine if he has used the office to help further the Christie campaign, Second Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Brown has an ongoing financial relationship with Christie and Christie was communicating with Karl Rove about his run for governor from that office, we feel it is even more important we receive the information requested.

If Christie has nothing to hide, if the US Attorney's Office doesn't, then let's see those records.

Rosi Efthim :: Corzine campaign files FOIA legal challenges