How much is "enough"?

by: Adam L

Thu Sep 02, 2010 at 12:00:00 PM EDT

Chris Christie won the Governor election with less than 50% of the vote.  That means more than half of the voters wanted someone other than him to govern.

He has consistently abused his power.   He pulled rank as a US Attorney to get out of a ticket when he went the wrong way down a one way street, and also pulled rank when he got a speeding ticket in an unregistered car to avoid being towed.   He failed to disclose his close financial relationship with top assistant Michele Brown, a conflict of interest.  He gave huge no bid contracts to his boss (John Ashcroft) and the man who didn't prosecute his brother for securities fraud, while 19 others were prosecuted.  He governs with a personal vendetta to the detriment of New Jerseyans.

(more below the fold)

Corzine campaign files FOIA legal challenges

by: Rosi Efthim

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

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.
 

NJN reports a financial relationship between Chris Christie and Michelle Brown

by: Rosi Efthim

Mon Aug 17, 2009 at 07:30:52 PM EDT

At the time the loan was granted Brown was fourth in command at the office of the United States Attorney for New Jersey. She is now First Assistant US Attorney. To questions from NJN about the nature of the loan, Christie replied they were friends and he helped her out during a financial pinch.

But given the mileage Christie is positioning himself to get with an anti-corruption plan he proposes as the Republican candidate for Governor, the timing - coming conveniently right after the massive political corruption sweep in July. That's magical timing, the kind of advantageous happenstance that's a lot easier if you have a very close relationship with somebody still in a key position in your old office.

Christie says there's nothing improper in the loan.

Brown already pops up alongside Christie in settings that may be unacceptable in terms of the constraints of her job in the US Attorney's office, which requires top staffers to refrain from partisan settings, which Rep. Frank Pallone has asked the Justice Department to look into.