Christie's Probe of Katz May Cause Him More Harm than Good

Cristie Should Recuse Himself and His Office... (0.00 / 0)

....in any investigation/prosecution of Katz.

It all stinks of self serving politics.

It's so effing telling that Christie was able to mobilize this investigation in a few weeks; but hasn't been able/willing to go after massive entrenched systemic corruption throughout the whole state and in both parties for years.

The man is a pathetic self serving creep.

If the Republicans could actually find a candidate who truly was honorable and radically committed to cleaning up NJ politics; she/he might actually win against Corzine.

Is there anyone like that (frankly, in either party?) that is willing to run for Governor?

Meanwhile, we're stuck voting for the lesser of the two evils.   And in the case of Corzine vs Christie; it ain't even close.

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by: Nick Lento @ Wed Jul 23, 2008 at 16:04:57 PM UTC

Christie/CWA Leadership/Perfect Together? (0.00 / 0)

Would Christie have taken this step if the National Union had not first pulled off their " coup" at Katz's Local?  

Did the National Union leak internal union documents and try to force Christies hand? He certainly seemed to have no interest in CWA or any of its problems even after the Coup. What or Who forced him to change his mind?

Supposedly a CWA lawyer did the original investigation and reported to the National Union that 1034 had violated Union rules. Did this lawyer independently report any broken laws to Christie's Office?  

Is Christie only investigating CWA 1034 or is he going to investigate all 7 of the CWA state wide locals?  If he does not pull the records of the other six then all he is performing is a witch hunt, or worse yet, maybe he is operating at the advice of the National CWA union .

Lets face it , when you or I are privy to a law being broken it is our obligation to report that to the proper authorites.  The National CWA Union reported violations to the Press first and in original press reports stated that they never contacted Christie's office despite insinuating that federal laws may have been broken.

This whole thing smells and the National CWA Union should come clean as to their involvment with Christie. The National Union should also make available all CWA New Jersey records. If he is going to do an investigation on a Union, do a complete investigation.

The National CWA Union  will go to any lengths to discredit Katz. If they did not contact and ask Christie to investigate then they should come out publicly and state that as fact.

Katz' guilt or innocence will eventually be known. But the tactics of the National CWA Union must also be scruntinized.

Katz was supposed to have an internal CWA trial on July 22 . Was that held or was it cancelled so Christie can do his witch hunt.

Lots of questions.......    

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by: firstamend07 @ Wed Jul 23, 2008 at 23:45:02 PM UTC

Um, ah.... what ? (4.00 / 1)

Christie.... is operating at the advice of the National CWA union .

Neo Con Christie taking orders from a liberal labor union.... something quite wrong with that picture.

DO you have proof, or are you blowing smoke up somebodies.....@@@@@@@.

Check out my 3 paragraph primer on Polywell Fusion.

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by: FogerRox @ Thu Jul 24, 2008 at 05:02:11 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Coincidence? (0.00 / 0)

I just believe that where there is smoke there is fire.

In press reports only 24 hours after the National Union took over Katz's local the political director of CWA emphatically stated that there was no contact with Christies office despite a very clear insinuiation that laws may have been broken. Strange? BUt I will give them the benefit of the doubt.

The National Union should come clean and tell both the press ( since that is where they like to leak anti-Katz material anyway) and the members  if and when they turned over evidence to Chrisites Office. Did they volunteer evidence or did Christie subpeona evidence?

According to the press reports the National Union's lawyer finished his investigation around July 3 . It was stated by political director Bob Masters on the day of the coup, which was a few days later that Christies office had not been contacted. Yet within days of the coup and after some poor publicity as Katz began to fight back  Christie suddenly appears and announces an investigation? Based on what? Unfounded news reports of internal union violations?

If there were laws broken and the National union's lawyer knew of laws being broken on July 3 why did they not contact Chrisite that day?

Like I said before this whole thing stinks and it stinks of a witch hunt.

If Christie comes up with no violations of the law then he must tell us why and under what pretense he started this investigation.

At what point did the National Union call his office or at what point did Chrisites office call the National Union. It had to happen either way days after the coup.

The answer to that question will tell you whether you have a National CWA union running wild or you have the law enforcement wing of the  Federal government playing politics and using publicilty stunts.

 

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by: firstamend07 @ Thu Jul 24, 2008 at 10:45:52 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

It is said that when you are in trouble, (4.00 / 1)

you should first argue the facts, but if the facts don't work for you, then argue the law.  Finally, if neither the facts nor the law work for you, then throw in the kitchen sink and argue every emotional thing you can come up with.  

It is rather obvious where we are, especially from a guy who claims to have no dog in this fight except his deep concern for public sector unionism in New Jersey despite supposedly not being a player of any type.

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by: Creed Pogue @ Thu Jul 24, 2008 at 14:30:50 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Kudos (0.00 / 0)

Check out my 3 paragraph primer on Polywell Fusion.

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by: FogerRox @ Thu Jul 24, 2008 at 18:22:29 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Withholding evidence (0.00 / 0)

On July 3 the National Union lawyers concluded their investigation.

On July 7 the National Union released a press statement stating that Katz misappropriated union funds and violated Federal Labor law. On that same day CWA political Director Bob Masters stated that Christie was not contacted.

If they had proof of illegal activities why didn't they contact the authorities ?

Christies Office also stated that they were not involved at that time.

Did the National Union purposely withold evidence of illegal activities ?

It seemed that the National CWA Union was more concerned about making headlines then about reporting illegal activities.

Why?

Then  on July 17 Chrisite decides to get involved?  

It appears that both the National CWA Union and Christie are more concerned with headlines than about due process and justice.

Too many games being played by too many people with " agendas" .

...and Katz is the villian?    

 

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by: firstamend07 @ Fri Jul 25, 2008 at 03:24:57 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Maybe totally unrelated... (0.00 / 0)

But the Fed's have been pretty active in NJ with the private unions. They just nailed the buisiness manager of the operating engineers local and have been nosing around in couple other private locals.
Maybe they had their eye on the CWA for longer than we think?

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

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by: William Weber (WjcW) @ Thu Jul 24, 2008 at 13:34:34 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

William you point to a larger issue (4.00 / 1)

Many of the Bush appointed US AG's have been acting as an extension of the Republican party for nearly 8 years.

firstamend07  says:

I just believe that where there is smoke there is fire.

While William Weber says"

Maybe they had their eye on the CWA for longer than we think?

The Bush US AG's have not operated in a vacuum for 8 years, they have moved against democratic interests, in an effort to reduce voting and to handicapp organizatoins that perform GOTV to help democratic candidates.

As William correctly points out, the Bush US AG's might have had their eye on Unions for some time.

The CWA is the largest union in the communications industry, CWA members vote 80% Democratic.

http://blog.aflcio.org/2007/11...

When it comes to Bush's US AG's, where there is smoke, there is fire.

Check out my 3 paragraph primer on Polywell Fusion.

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by: FogerRox @ Thu Jul 24, 2008 at 16:03:57 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Katz isn't a sympathetic figure (0.00 / 0)

so, it is going to be near-impossible to make her the "victim."  Let's see what Christie comes up with.  If it is like the Menendez "investigation," then Christie will again have gone a step too far.  If he has some fertile ground to work (which appears to be the case), then the Governor may suddenly have a lot more problems.

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by: Creed Pogue @ Thu Jul 24, 2008 at 04:58:12 AM UTC