Back in May when Governor Christie hijacked and derailed the Race to the Top application process, he said the following:"This is my administration, I'm responsible for it, and I make the decisions,"
Other than that being a laughable statement, given the fact that Christie has shown a remarkable ability to pass the buck over and over and over, it shows that there are more questions that, for some reason, I haven't seen asked and would really start to get to the bottom of just what happened with the application.
When the NJEA and Bret Schundler reached an agreement on May 27, the question in, um, question was answered correctly. Then, between May 27th and June 1, when the application was revised and submitted, that answer was changed - and not in a cosmetic way that would be a "clerical error". Somebody had to have come up with the narrative. Someone had to have reviewed it. And someone had to have known about it. Quite frankly, while I don't like Schundler's politics or views, I find it hard to believe that someone like him with his attention to detail would (1) have the correct answer, (2) change the answer without Christie knowing but not remember doing so after being publically humiliated by Christie (3) act shocked when that answer is called into question on video and (4) lie about his role.
While New Jerseyans have been "treated" to a whole slew of "he said/he said" stories that are great for the gossip pages, the real questions haven't been asked - at least anywhere that I have seen (and my apologies if they have been). What I want to know is the following:
- Why was a simple question that was answered correctly changed after Christie took over to revise the application?
- Who came up with the revised information and narrative for that question?
- Why was information clearly irrelevant to the question asked inserted instead of the factual data requested?
- Who actually made the change to that question?
- Who directed that response to be changed over Memorial Day weekend?
- Did Bret Schundler review the changed application?
- If not Schundler, who did review the changed application?
- Did Schundler (or whoever reviewed the changed application) have a summary of those items which were changed?
- If Schundler really knew about this, why did he look stunned when he was advised that the correct information was not in the application?
This really stinks in many ways. The children - students - the future - all lose as a result of this. And Christie's ever changing shifting of the blame indicates that he isn't acting on the up and up. His declaration that "it is time to move on" is nothing short of preposterous in light of his background as a US Attorney that would never let something like this go if he thought there was funny business going on.
His blame shifting, rush to "move along" and lack of accountability for $400,000,000 in funds that New Jersey won't get as a direct result of his administration makes it pretty clear that this is something he is uncomfortable with. Far from the façade that he puts up when pointing the finger at others or giving himself credit. |
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