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Tuesday morning: First hearing on Race to the Top education mistakes

by: Rosi Efthim

Fri Sep 03, 2010 at 06:19:10 PM EDT



Well, we now know the "guest list" for the first formal legislative inquiry, by the NJ Assembly Appropriations Committee, on the Race to the Top education that cost New Jersey school kids $400 million in resources and Bret Schundler his job. The big name here, of course, is Schundler, who's already made it clear he has a story to tell.

Hearing will take place Tuesday at 10 am in Committee Room 11, State House Annex 4th Floor.

  • Bret Schundler, former NJ Education Commissioner
  • Richard Bagger, Governor's Chief of Staff
  • All members of the administration's Race to the Top team who presented before the US Dept. of Education.
  • Any staff from the administration involved in the preparation of the state's Race to the Top Application.
  • Gregg Edwards, Gov. Christie's Dir. of Policy
  • Maria Comella, Gov. Christie's Communications Director
  • Michael Drewniak, Gov. Christie's Press Secretary
  • Department of Treasury officials with knowledge of the contract awarded to Wireless Generation
  • Any members of the administration that worked with the US Dept. of Education in the preparation of the Race to the Top application
  • The individual(s) who delivered the application from NJ to Washington, D.C.
  • Representatives of Wireless Generation (consultants)

    This is the list to date of those invited to appear before the committee, which appears to leave room for the possibility the list may grow. Either way, it's going to be a long Labor Day weekend for a lot of people doing prep, both for those doing the questioning and those expected to answer for the governor's administration. Big Tuesday.  

  • Rosi Efthim :: Tuesday morning: First hearing on Race to the Top education mistakes
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    If Christie wanted to (0.00 / 0)
    avoid getting funds from the Federal Government with Dems in charge, he should have just done it by executive order, like Tom Pawlenty who doesn't hide his political game plans.  
    http://www.governor.state.mn.u...

    The scorched earth games being played these days make the Republicans look desperate to avoid ANY progress before 2012.  No wonder many folks see politics in the Race to the Top "blunder".  


    One Vote.  Yours.  It really does matter.


    Effective or Not,Hearings Must go on (0.00 / 0)
    Christie and his people now have their chance to clear the air. They simply have to answer the questions that are asked. I am sure the Republican members of that committee will treat them with kid gloves.

    But everyone knows no one of importance will show up at these Hearings.  

    If Schundler wants to clear his name then he should show up.If not, then he should just shut up and go find a new job. This will be his chance to prove he is not a liar.

    But no matter what happens this is the way government should work. One Branch should " check" on another Branch.No free rides. That was a lot of money lost and the complete story must be told.

    Do not doubt for a second that if Corzine was Governor and the Republicans controlled the Legislature, that Hearings would be held.

    How much money was wasted by the Republicans on those stupid Katz/Corzine issues?

    If Christie stonewalls the hearings by not allowing certain people to speak freely then he will find out that the story will not go away.  


    Um... (0.00 / 0)
    Corzine was governor when the same amount of funds were lost.

    But I see you don't care about those funds.


    "Where ever you go, there you are." - Buckaroo Bonzai


    [ Parent ]
    So much for transparency (0.00 / 0)
    PolitickerNJ is reporting that several key figures in the Christie administration (Bagger, Drewniak, and two staffers) will not cooperate and will not testify.  The consulting firm, Wireless Generation, has retained an attorney and will also resist in getting to the bottom of this.  So much for Christie's promise of "transparency."

    Blog: http://www.deciminyan.org

    Christie admin Transparency (0.00 / 0)
    Here is that link.

    I draw very negative conclusions from this. It does not look good.  

    It's not a particularly snappy signature, but here's what I think we need in the next NJ Democratic State Chair.  


    [ Parent ]
    Cardboard cutouts (0.00 / 0)
    The Committee should submit a list of questions to all of those people who are being silenced by the Governor.

    The Legislature has a right AND AN OBLIGATION  to question the Executive Branch. Make all of the questions known to the public and present them to all of those officials. Hand deliver them if necessary.  

    Let the public know that this Governor does not want them to know the complete truth.

    Also, if Schundler does not show up he loses all credibility.  


    I was glad to see (0.00 / 0)
    your entire blog was all about Christie and our state loss of funds ...which the NJEA never sanctioned or wanted But Christie Forced them to apply for but they never approved of ...this will only help the other 33%   realize it was not he that  lost the funds but the refusal of the NJEA to fully sanction the application . The public is fed up with how beholden Democrats are  to unions. They are fed up with sacrifices they have to make that government workers don't. They are fed up with how well the political class has fared in this election vs. how well they have fared in this election. They are fed up with never-ending political games that are played these hearings couldn't come at a better time ...just before mid-terms .

    No one is " beholden" to Unions (0.00 / 0)
    The idea that Democrats are beholden to unions is passe. Private sector unions only represent 10 % of the workforce. Public sector unions have been at odds with the Democratic leadership for the past 4 years in trenton.

    If the Democratic Party is beholden to Unions they will go the way of the Whigs.

    These hearings are about clearing the air and moving on. Christie polluted these waters with his arrogance and cover up.

    That $ 400 million could have done a lot.

    If the Republicans wanted hearings on the Katz/Corzine e-mails then they should not stand in the way of hearings that involve $400 million.  


    [ Parent ]
    Well now you have what you want (0.00 / 0)
    the state lost out on 400 million.  Happy?  But you guys whined so bad about for years about the unions having all the power that now you have the Citizens United decision.  The problem for you now is that cuts BOTH ways.  

    Unions  are still the average guy's ONLY way of standing up to corporate bullies and modern day Robber Barons.  But you can't cry about the strength of all unions now that corporations have unchecked $$$$ power to weld in this election.  You guys asked for this fight.  Too bad you just remembered, average workers OUTNUMBER you and this is all about every vote.

    We'll see who wins this fight. $$$ for lies in ads or real folks with boots on the ground.

    One Vote.  Yours.  It really does matter.


    [ Parent ]
    Ongoing discussion (0.00 / 0)
    carolh:  I'm in the midst of an ongoing discussion of just this topic with a conservative friend of mine.  Feel free to go here and go to the comments section to join the discussion.

    Blog: http://www.deciminyan.org

    [ Parent ]
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