contentious edit per WP:BLP requires consensus FOR inclusion which is still being discussed -- edit war for insertion is contrary to policy - wait until the discussion ends please |
Contrary to claims, there is consensus to keep this extensively verifiable material. Please validate your statements and do not remove material until discussion is over |
||
Line 227: | Line 227: | ||
Investigations were initiated by the New Jersey Assembly Transportation Committee, the New Jersey Legislative Select Committee, the Port Authority, the U.S. Attorney, the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, special legislative investigative committees, and the Governor’s office itself.<ref name="NJ Transportation Committee, Nov. 25, 2013">{{cite web|title=Assembly Transportation, Public Works and Independent Authorities Committee (List of Hearings)|date=November 25, 2013|url=http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/media/archive_audio2.asp?KEY=ATR&SESSION=2012|publisher=New Jersey Legislature|accessdate=January 12, 2014}}</ref><ref name="Broader investigation">{{cite news|first=Robert|last=Costa|title=Broader investigation of N.J. bridge closures launched|date=January 13, 2014|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/01/13/special-investigation-of-n-j-bridge-closures-launched|work=The Washington Post|accessdate=January 13, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Linhorst|first=Michael|title=N.J. Assembly, Senate merge panels investigating GWB scandal|url=http://www.northjersey.com/news/Assembly_Senate_merge_panels_investigating_GWB_scandal.html|accessdate=January 22, 2014|work=The Record |location= Woodland Park, NJ |date=January 21, 2014}}</ref><ref name="PA internal 2013-12-10">{{cite news|last=Strunsky|first=Steve|title=Port Authority's inspector general launches probe of GWB lane closures|url=http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2013/12/port_authority_inspector_general_gwb.html|accessdate=April 3, 2014|newspaper=The Star-Ledger|date=December 10, 2013}}</ref><ref name="U.S. Attorney Now Investigating">{{cite news|first=Jen|last=Chung|title=U.S. Attorney Now Investigating Bridgegate|date=January 9, 2014|url=http://gothamist.com/2014/01/09/us_attorney_investigating_bridgegat.php|work=Gothamist|accessdate=January 10, 2014}}</ref> <ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/01/gwb_samson_responds_senate_inquiry.html|title=Port Authority answers questions posed by U.S. Senate committee|last=Strunsky|first=Steve|work=The Star-Ledger |location= Newark, NJ |date=January 16, 2014}}</ref><ref name="Christie cleared">{{cite news|title=UPDATE 6-NJ governor's internal investigation clears him in 'Bridgegate'|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/27/usa-politics-christie-idUSL1N0MO12Y20140327|accessdate=March 27, 2014|publisher=Reuters|date=March 27, 2014}}</ref> |
Investigations were initiated by the New Jersey Assembly Transportation Committee, the New Jersey Legislative Select Committee, the Port Authority, the U.S. Attorney, the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, special legislative investigative committees, and the Governor’s office itself.<ref name="NJ Transportation Committee, Nov. 25, 2013">{{cite web|title=Assembly Transportation, Public Works and Independent Authorities Committee (List of Hearings)|date=November 25, 2013|url=http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/media/archive_audio2.asp?KEY=ATR&SESSION=2012|publisher=New Jersey Legislature|accessdate=January 12, 2014}}</ref><ref name="Broader investigation">{{cite news|first=Robert|last=Costa|title=Broader investigation of N.J. bridge closures launched|date=January 13, 2014|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/01/13/special-investigation-of-n-j-bridge-closures-launched|work=The Washington Post|accessdate=January 13, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Linhorst|first=Michael|title=N.J. Assembly, Senate merge panels investigating GWB scandal|url=http://www.northjersey.com/news/Assembly_Senate_merge_panels_investigating_GWB_scandal.html|accessdate=January 22, 2014|work=The Record |location= Woodland Park, NJ |date=January 21, 2014}}</ref><ref name="PA internal 2013-12-10">{{cite news|last=Strunsky|first=Steve|title=Port Authority's inspector general launches probe of GWB lane closures|url=http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2013/12/port_authority_inspector_general_gwb.html|accessdate=April 3, 2014|newspaper=The Star-Ledger|date=December 10, 2013}}</ref><ref name="U.S. Attorney Now Investigating">{{cite news|first=Jen|last=Chung|title=U.S. Attorney Now Investigating Bridgegate|date=January 9, 2014|url=http://gothamist.com/2014/01/09/us_attorney_investigating_bridgegat.php|work=Gothamist|accessdate=January 10, 2014}}</ref> <ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/01/gwb_samson_responds_senate_inquiry.html|title=Port Authority answers questions posed by U.S. Senate committee|last=Strunsky|first=Steve|work=The Star-Ledger |location= Newark, NJ |date=January 16, 2014}}</ref><ref name="Christie cleared">{{cite news|title=UPDATE 6-NJ governor's internal investigation clears him in 'Bridgegate'|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/27/usa-politics-christie-idUSL1N0MO12Y20140327|accessdate=March 27, 2014|publisher=Reuters|date=March 27, 2014}}</ref> |
||
===New Jersey Transit equipment damage=== |
|||
[[Hurricane Sandy]], which made landfall on October 29, 2012, caused a 13-foot tidal surge that inundated many coastal areas including the [[Jersey Shore]], the [[Hudson Waterfront]], and the [[New Jersey Meadowlands|Meadowlands]]. [[New Jersey Transit Rail Operations]] (NJT) suffered $120 million in damage for 261 train cars and 62 locomotives left at rail yards at [[Hoboken Terminal]] and the Meadows Maintenance Complex in the [[Kearny Meadows]]. The executive director of NJT, [[James Weinstein (New Jersey)|James Weinstein]] defended the decision to leave trains in rail yards that ended up under water saying those locations had no history of flooding. and that no one could have predicted the extent of the storm surges. "We stored it where it should be. Unfortunately, it’s the worst storm we’ve ever had in New Jersey."<ref>{{cite news | last = Frassinelli | first = Mike | title = NJ Transit boss defends decision to leave trains in area hit hard by Sandy flooding | publisher = The Star-Ledger | date = November 21, 2012 | url = http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/11/flooded_nj_transit_trains_defe.html | accessdate = 2014-02-15}}</ref> In December Weinstein conceded that information to the contrary had been available to the agency, but that he had not studied a report which indicated the potential danger. Weinstein said: "That study concluded that we had as much as 20 years to adapt to the [climate] changes that are taking place.” He also said that NJT used weather reports showing there was a 10 to 20 percent chance of flooding in the yards.<ref>{{cite news | last = Rouse | first = Karen | title = Report warned NJ Transit officials of flood risk | publisher = The Record | date = December 25, 2012 | url = http://www.northjersey.com/news/Report_warned_NJ_Transit_officials_of_flood_risk.html?page=all | accessdate = 2014-02-15}}</ref> The newspaper [[The Record]] conducted an investigation in collaboration with WNYC/New Jersey Public Radio which concluded that the agency had misread meteorological information available to them.<ref>{{cite news | last = Rouse | first = Karen | title = NJ Transit remains silent on how it prepared for Superstorm Sandy | publisher = The Record | date = May 13, 2013 | url = http://www.northjersey.com/news/NJ_Transit_is_silent_on_how_it_prepared_for_superstorm_Sandy.html | accessdate = 2014-02-25}}</ref> |
|||
<ref>{{cite news | last = Bernstein | first = Andrea | coauthor = Hinds, Kare | title = How New Jersey Transit Failed Sandy's Test | work = Transportation Nation | publisher = WNYC | date = May 13, 2013 | url = http://www.wnyc.org/story/292666-njtransit-sandy/ | accessdate =2014-02-25}}</ref> Approximatey a year after the storm Christie spoke with editorial board of the newspaper and claimed that responsibility lay with a low-level employee who operated without his superiors consent, claiming that it a was civil service employee. Neither he nor NJT would release information as to whom that employee was. He defended Weinstein.<ref>{{cite news | last = Editorial | first = | title = The Record: Weinstein's friend | date = October 6, 2013 | url = http://www.northjersey.com/opinion/the-record-weinstein-s-friend-1.587751 | accessdate = 2014-03-31}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Rouse | first = Karen | title = Christie says NJ Transit chief wasn't to blame for loss of rail equipment during Superstorm Sandy | publisher = The Record | date = October 3, 2013 | url =http://www.northjersey.com/news/politics/putting-link-on-old-story-don-t-use-christie-says-nj-transit-chief-wasn-t-to-blame-for-loss-of-rail-equipment-during-superstorm-sandy-1.748559 | accessdate = 2014-03-31}}</ref> According to the Record, "a review of emails obtained through a public records request shows that in contrast to Christie’s remarks, at least 15 agency executives and managers, were aware of fleet movements into low-lying areas in the days" before the storm.<ref>{{cite news | last = Rouse | first = Karen | title = Emails tracked NJ Transit's plan for rail fleet during Superstorm Sandy | newspaper = The Record | date = October 5, 2013 | url =http://www.northjersey.com/news/emails-tracked-nj-transit-s-plan-for-rail-fleet-during-superstorm-sandy-1.611400 | accessdate = 2014-03-31}}</ref> A report released in December 2013 by [[Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service]] confirmed that NJT ignored flood warnings and did not follow its own damage mitigation plans.<ref>{{cite news | title = New Jersey Transit Corportion's After Hurricane Sandy Action Report | publisher = Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service | date = December 2013 | url = http://superstormsandyrecovery.com/img/documents/TEEX%20After%20Action%20Report.pdf | accessdate = 2013-01-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last = McGrath | first = Matthew | coauthor = Hayes, Melissa | title = NJ Transit ignored flood warning before Superstorm Sandy, report confirms | publisher = The Record | date = December 24, 2013 | url = http://www.northjersey.com/news/transportation/Report_on_NJ_Transit_Sandy_performance_released.html | accessdate = 2014-01-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Frassinelli | first = Mike | title = Review of NJ Transit's response to Sandy finds need for more coordination, places to shelter trains | publisher = The Star-Ledger | date = December 24, 2013 | url = http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2013/12/review_of_nj_transits_response_to_sandy_finds_need_for_better_coordination_more_places_to_store_trai.html | accessdate = 2014-01-07}}</ref> |
|||
While meetings have been scheduled to review the events, most of those involved has subsequently retired. |
|||
<ref>{{cite news | last = Editorial | title = Gov. Chris Christie can't pass buck on Hurricane Sandy aid problems: Editorial | publisher = The Star-Ledger | date = February 23, 2014 | url = http://www.nj.com/opinion/index.ssf/2014/02/gov_chris_christie_cant_pass_buck_on_hurricane_sandy_aid_problems_opinion.html | accessdate =2014-04-05 | quote = The first big mistake was NJ Transit’s dumbfounding decision to park its trains in a low-lying swampy area, where they were predictably flooded, causing $120 million in damage. The line of authority for that blooper goes straight to the governor, not to Washington.}}</ref> |
|||
<ref>{{cite news | last = | first = | title = Under New Leadership, NJTransit to Address Super Bowl and Sandy Debacles at Legislative Hearing | publisher = New Brunswick Today | date = March 9, 2014 | url = http://newbrunswicktoday.com/article/under-new-leadership-njtransit-address-super-bowl-and-sandy-debacles-legislative-hearing | accessdate = 2014-04-04}}</ref>. |
|||
===Hurricane Sandy relief funds=== |
===Hurricane Sandy relief funds=== |
Revision as of 14:51, 7 April 2014
Chris Christie took office as the 55th and current Governor of New Jersey on January 19, 2010, and began his second term on January 21, 2014.
Campaign 2009
On January 8, 2009, Christie filed papers to run for governor.[1] In the primary on June 2, Christie won the Republican nomination with 55% of the vote, defeating conservative opponents Steve Lonegan and Rick Merkt.[2]
On July 20, 2009, Christie announced that he had chosen Kimberly Guadagno, Monmouth County sheriff, to complete his campaign ticket as a candidate for lieutenant governor. Guadagno, who was elected sheriff in 2007, had previously served on the Monmouth Beach Board of Adjustment, and also as an assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey.[3]
Christie faced criticism for his acceptance of $23,800 in campaign contributions (and the resulting $47,600 in public finance matching funds) from a law firm that received a federal monitor contract while Christie served as the state's U.S. Attorney. In 2006, Christie approved a deferred prosecution agreement with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey after it admitted committing Medicare fraud. He appointed Herbert Stern, a former federal judge and prosecutor, to the $500-per-hour post of federal monitor. Christie's close friend and fundraiser John Inglesino, a partner in Stern's law firm, was paid $325 per hour for his work as counsel on the monitorship. Stern's law firm, Stern and Killcullen, received reported more than $10 million in legal fees from the contract. Stern, Inglesino, a third partner, and their wives have since each made the maximum contribution of $3,400 to Christie's gubernatorial campaign.[4][5][6]
On November 3, Christie defeated Corzine by a margin of 48.5% to 44.9%, with 5.8% of the vote going to independent candidate Chris Daggett.[7]
He chose not to move his family into Drumthwacket, the official governor's mansion, and instead resides in Mendham, New Jersey.
Positions on issues
- Abortion
- In his early political career, Christie was pro-choice stating in an interview that "I would call myself ... a kind of a non-thinking pro-choice person, kind of the default position".[8] Later on Christie evolved his position to be against abortion: "I am pro-life. Hearing the strong heartbeat of my unborn daughter 14 years ago at 13 weeks gestation had a profound effect on me and my beliefs."[9] He has stated, with respect to his opposition to abortion, that he would not use the governor's office to "force that down people's throats", but does favor restrictions on abortion such as banning partial-birth abortion, requiring parental notification, and imposing a 24-hour waiting period.[10] "There were commentators in New Jersey (and nationally) who said [Christie's pro-life views] would do him in—that only a pro-choice Republican (like Christie Whitman or Tom Kean) could win in socially liberal New Jersey."[11] Other commentators have defended Christie as an authentic social conservative who could help grow the movement.[12]
- Medical marijuana
- Christie supports the notion of medical marijuana, but opposes New Jersey's proposed medical marijuana bill, which would allow state-registered patients suffering from certain medical ailments to grow marijuana plants for personal medicinal use or purchase the drug at a licensed center.[13]
- Education
- Christie, whose own children attend Catholic parochial school, is a strong supporter of the state granting tax credits to parents who send their children to private and parochial schools.[14]
- He also supports the introduction of state-funded vouchers, which parents of students in failing school districts could use to pay the tuition of private schools, or of public schools in communities other than their own which agree to accept them.[15]
- Christie has stated his intention to increase the number of charter schools in cities.[15]
- Christie supports merit pay for teachers.[16]
- Energy and environment
- Christie has stated that he believes that the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is too big and is "killing business" with permit delays and indiscriminate fines. He announced that, if elected, the agency would be his first target for government reduction: he would reduce its workforce and strip it of its fish and wildlife oversight.[17]
- Christie has stated that he intends to simultaneously spur growth in the state's manufacturing sector and increase New Jersey's capability to produce alternative energy. He has proposed a list of policy measures to achieve this, including giving tax credits to businesses that build new wind energy and manufacturing facilities, changing land use rules to allow solar energy on permanently preserved farmland, installing solar farms on closed landfills, setting up a consolidated energy promotion program, and following a five-to-one production to non-production job ratio in the creation of new energy jobs.[18]
- Guns
- Christie has said that he supports strict and aggressive enforcement of the state's current gun laws.[10]
- Illegal immigration and undocumented residents
- While serving as U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Christie stressed that simply "[b]eing in this country without proper documentation is not a crime," but rather a civil wrong; and that undocumented people are not criminals unless they have re-entered the country after being deported. As such, Christie stated, responsibility for dealing with improperly documented foreign nationals lies with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, not the U.S. Attorney's Office.[19]
- Christie has been critical about section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, enacted in 1996, which can be used to grant local law enforcement officers power to perform immigration law enforcement functions. Christie's running mate, then Monmouth County Sheriff Kim Guadagno, on the other hand, applied for and was granted approval under 287(g) to have officers at the county jail deputized as immigration agents.[20]
In December 2013 Christie signed legislation allowing unauthorized immigrants who attending high school for at least three years in New Jersey and graduate to be eligible for the resident rates at state college and universities and community colleges.[21]
- Organized crime
- Christie says that as United States attorney he was always tough on organized crime, though it did not rank as high among his priorities as public corruption, terrorism, violent street gangs or human trafficking did. He added that he stands by a 2007 comment he made that "the Mafia is much more prominent on HBO than in New Jersey."[22]
- Public employee pensions
- In his campaign, Christie opposed any change in pension benefits for firefighters and law enforcement officers, including "current officers, future officers or retirees". He described the pension agreement as "a sacred trust".[23]
- In 2010, as Governor, Christie supported and signed into law a bill that abrogated the prior agreement and decreased pensions of public employees, prompting a lawsuit by the police and firefighters' unions.[24] Later that year he called for further cuts, including the elimination of cost-of-living adjustments for all current and future retirees.[25] In contrast, Christie gained re-election endorsement from the PAPDBA, the union representing the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey police, promising them expanded duties warranting significantly increased membership, although their pensions -- funded by tolls -- are at least as generous as prior New Jersey public pensions.[26]
- Sharia Law/Muslim Americans
- Christie has strongly criticized critics of Muslim Americans (specifically The Tea Party), particularly those who claim that Muslims want to introduce Sharia Law into the US. He vehemently defended his appointee Sohail Mohammed, a Muslim American, to the NJ Superior Court. He went so far as to say that ignorance was behind the criticism of Sohail Mohammed and Muslim Americans.[27]
- Same-sex marriage
- Christie has said that he favors New Jersey's current law allowing same-sex couples to form civil unions, but would veto any bill legalizing same-sex marriage,[10] saying, "I also believe marriage should be exclusively between one man and one woman.... If a bill legalizing same sex marriage came to my desk as Governor, I would veto it."[9] He has expressed concern with the recognition of civil unions, however, and has strongly advocated for more stringent laws to protect and strengthen civil unions. On February 13, 2012, the State Senate passed a bill legalizing same-sex marriage by a vote of 24 to 16, and on February 16, the Assembly passed it by a vote of 42 to 33, with three Republicans and one Democrat not voting, and one Democratic seat temporarily vacant. In neither house was the bill passed by a veto-proof majority. Governor Christie vetoed the bill the next day and called for a constitutional amendment for same-sex marriage to be presented to the voters as a ballot referendum.[28]
- Taxes and user-fees
- Christie has promised not to raise taxes. He has also vowed to lower the state income and business taxes, with the qualification that this might not occur immediately: "I'm not saying I'm cutting taxes in the first year. The first thing we have to do is get our fiscal house in order, and that's going to be tough."[10]
- Christie has raised tolls and fares, which he calls “user fees” on the New Jersey Turnpike, Garden State Parkway, Hudson River crossings and NJ Transit buses and trains during his administration to fund projects throughout the state.[29]
Electoral results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Chris Christie | 1,174,447 | 48.5 | +5.5 | |
Democratic | Jon Corzine (incumbent) | 1,087,731 | 44.9 | -8.6 | |
Independent | Chris Daggett | 139,579 | 5.8 | ||
Republican gain from Democratic | Swing |
2010 New Jersey Budget
Governor Christie declared a "state of emergency" and laid out plans for more than US$1 billion in cuts to the state budget in an address to the New Jersey State Assembly on February 10, 2010. The budget included a carefully crafted plan requiring school districts to spend their surpluses in order to allow the state to withhold US$400 million in aid funding while retaining federal stimulus eligibility and avoiding the need for the legislature to pass a bill. Due to falling revenues and growing expenses, the Christie administration inherited a US$1.3 billion budget deficit from the US$29 billion 2009 New Jersey budget passed by Jon Corzine's administration.[30]
On February 9, 2010, he signed Executive Order No. 12, which placed a 90-day freeze on the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) and established the Housing Opportunity Task Force to examine the State's affordable housing laws, constitutional obligations, and the effectiveness of the current framework.[31]
On February 11, 2010, Christie signed Executive Order No. 14, which declared a "state of fiscal emergency exists in the State of New Jersey" due to the projected $2.2 billion budget deficit for the current fiscal year (FY 2010).[32] In a speech before a special joint session of the New Jersey Legislature on the same day, Christie addressed the budget deficit and revealed a list of fiscal solutions to close the gap. Christie also suspended funding for the Department of the Public Advocate and called for its elimination.[33] Some Democrats criticized Christie for not first consulting them on his budget cuts and for circumventing the Legislature's role in the budget process.[34]
2011 New Jersey Budget
The battles over New Jersey's state budget for the 2012 fiscal year starting July 1, 2011, began in February 2011. Governor Christie vetoed 14 bills on February 21, 2011, which were intended to promote economic growth and job creation and were passed by the New Jersey State Assembly earlier in the month. Christie justified his vetoes by stating that the bills failed to pay for themselves, while Assembly Democrats replied that the bills would not have cost money immediately, and that their funding could have been addressed at a later date. Christie followed up by announcing that his own budget would be put forth the next day, including some similar business tax incentives which would be structured within the context of a balanced budget.[35]
In late June 2011, Christie utilized New Jersey's line item veto to eliminate nearly US$1 billion from the proposed budget, signing it into law just hours prior to the July 1, 2011, beginning of the state's fiscal year.[36]
February budget address
Governor Christie scheduled a budget address to the State Legislature and his constituents on February 22, 2011. Throughout the months prior to the address, Christie had been making his case for cutting business taxes, giving property tax relief to residents, overhauling funding of the State pension system, changing school aid, and possibly cutting State Medicaid benefits. News analysis of the events predicted that this would be the beginning of a partisan political battle between the Governor's office and the Democrat led State Assembly, which was born out prior to the address by Senate President Stephen Sweeney who was quoted as saying "We’ve heard nothing from the administration. This is not a good start".[30]
Democratic Chairman John Wisniewski announced, as part of the budget address coverage, US$250 million in funding towards education programs as part of Christie's promise to revamp public school spending in the state. New Jersey had spent around US$10 billion a year on education in previous administrations, but the Christie administration had cut funding in the 2010 budget which prompted lawsuits being heard by the New Jersey Supreme Court. Senate republicans were reported to be advocating for increased funding to suburban districts in the state.[37]
State Pension funding
Governor Christie was expected to budget US$500 million to the New Jersey pension fund in the 2011 budget. The Christie administration did not budget any of the US$3 billion in funding to the pension plan in the 2010 state budget.[37]
Handling of Natural Disasters
December 2010 North American blizzard
Governor Christie was not in New Jersey during the December 2010 North American blizzard. Acting Governor and Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney, took charge during this historic blizzard while the Governor and Lt. Governor were on vacation.[38][39]
Hurricane Irene
Governor Christie played a very vocal role in responding to the August 2011 landfall in New Jersey of Hurricane Irene. Prior to the storm's arrival he ordered massive evacuations of coastal areas of the state. At one press conference he directly told people who had not heeded evacuation orders to "get the hell off the beach'.[40][41]
Superstorm Sandy
Christie played an important part in New Jersey preparing for Superstorm Sandy in October 2012. Chris Christie ordered all residents of barrier islands from Sandy Hook to Cape May to evacuate and closed Atlantic City casinos. Tolls were suspended on the northbound Garden State Parkway and the westbound Atlantic City Expressway starting at 6 a.m. on October 28.[42] President Obama signed an emergency declaration for New Jersey, allowing the state to request federal funding and other assistance for actions taken before Sandy's landfall.[43]
On October 30, 2012, during a press conference to discuss the impact of Hurricane Sandy, Christie praised the disaster relief efforts of President Barack Obama.[44][45][46]
Administration scandals and controversies
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Access to the Region's Core
On October 7, 2010, Christie accepted the unanimous recommendation of the ARC Project Executive Committee to terminate the Access to the Region's Core rail project due to concerns about cost overruns.[47] The Christie administrations' stated reasons for his actions came under scrutiny in 2012 when a non-partisan agency determined his stated reasons to be specious. Others alleged that Christie planned to re-purpose billions of dollars in building funds to use for New Jersey building projects that provided political benefits to his administration, and came at the expense of New Jersey's transit and economic interests.[48] In a controversial move in 2011, Governor Chris Christie directed the PANYNJ to divert money originally earmarked for ARC to highway projects. The agency agreed to pay $1.8 billion to partially fund efforts to rehabilitate the Pulaski Skyway and Route 139, replace Wittpenn Bridge, and extend Route 1&9T, all part of the larger distribution network in the Port of New York and New Jersey.[49][50][51][52][53][54] An 2014 article in WNYC claimed:
"According to documents and interviews with more than a dozen top-level sources, the governor made clear from the get-go that the agency would be the source of cash for New Jersey’s hard-up infrastructure budget. And he and his team proceeded to wrangle billions from the bi-state authority to further his political goals — much of that for projects that had never been under the Port Authority’s jurisdiction before.[55]
In February 2014, the special joint committee of the New Jersey Legislature investigating the Fort Lee lane closures subpoenaed the PANYNJ for documents related to the ARC project, specifically with regard to projected cost overruns and to discussions related to Christie's appointments to the agency.[56]
In March 2014, Christie called for the dismantling of the Port Authority which would give his administration direct access to the tolls the agency now collects, which are meant to dedicated to regional transit projects and require approval of both states.[57]
Fort Lee lane closure scandal
On September 9, 2013, two of three dedicated toll lanes of the Fort Lee entrance to the upper level of the George Washington Bridge (GWB), operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, were closed without notification of municipal government and police officials. The lane closings caused traffic jams leading to major delays for school transportation and police and emergency response within Fort Lee, both during and after the peak hours of travel.[58][59]
An investigation of the traffic jams by the state Assembly and release of documents subpoenaed from Christe appointee David Wildstein on January 9, 2014 showed Christie officials ordered the closures: On August 13, 2013 Christie Deputy Chief of Staff Bridget Ann Kelley emailed Wildstein "time for traffic problems in Fort Lee." Wildstein responded "got it." Following these revelations, on January 9, 2014, Christie gave a nearly two-hour press conference denying any knowledge of any of his appointees' actions and announcing he fired Ms. Kelly, calling her stupid and a liar. Subpoenaed documents from the Port Authority suggested that Christie administration officials not only conspired to create traffic jams on the George Washington Bridge but undertook elaborate efforts to hide apparently political motives.[60][61][62][63] The scandal came to be known as Bridgegate.[64]
On January 31, 2014, a letter from counsel for Wildstein alleged that "evidence exists" "tying Mr. Christie to having knowledge" of the lane closures while they were happening in September 2013 and suggested that Wildstein had documents to prove his claims. [3] [65] In its response, the Christie administration stated that Christie "only first learned lanes were closed when it was reported by the press and as he said in his January 9th press conference, had no indication that this was anything other than a traffic study until he read otherwise the morning of January 8th".[66]
Widely held speculation is that the target of the toll lane closures by Governor Christie's staff and his political appointees at the Port Authority was Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich, a Democrat, for not supporting Christie, a Republican, in his 2013 gubernatorial re-election campaign.[67][68] Investigators are also examining other possible motives, such as whether the closures were intended to affect a major real estate development project, which was a top priority for Sokolich, that was underway at the Fort Lee bridge access point.[69][70]
Investigations were initiated by the New Jersey Assembly Transportation Committee, the New Jersey Legislative Select Committee, the Port Authority, the U.S. Attorney, the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, special legislative investigative committees, and the Governor’s office itself.[71][72][73][74][75] [76][77]
New Jersey Transit equipment damage
Hurricane Sandy, which made landfall on October 29, 2012, caused a 13-foot tidal surge that inundated many coastal areas including the Jersey Shore, the Hudson Waterfront, and the Meadowlands. New Jersey Transit Rail Operations (NJT) suffered $120 million in damage for 261 train cars and 62 locomotives left at rail yards at Hoboken Terminal and the Meadows Maintenance Complex in the Kearny Meadows. The executive director of NJT, James Weinstein defended the decision to leave trains in rail yards that ended up under water saying those locations had no history of flooding. and that no one could have predicted the extent of the storm surges. "We stored it where it should be. Unfortunately, it’s the worst storm we’ve ever had in New Jersey."[78] In December Weinstein conceded that information to the contrary had been available to the agency, but that he had not studied a report which indicated the potential danger. Weinstein said: "That study concluded that we had as much as 20 years to adapt to the [climate] changes that are taking place.” He also said that NJT used weather reports showing there was a 10 to 20 percent chance of flooding in the yards.[79] The newspaper The Record conducted an investigation in collaboration with WNYC/New Jersey Public Radio which concluded that the agency had misread meteorological information available to them.[80] [81] Approximatey a year after the storm Christie spoke with editorial board of the newspaper and claimed that responsibility lay with a low-level employee who operated without his superiors consent, claiming that it a was civil service employee. Neither he nor NJT would release information as to whom that employee was. He defended Weinstein.[82][83] According to the Record, "a review of emails obtained through a public records request shows that in contrast to Christie’s remarks, at least 15 agency executives and managers, were aware of fleet movements into low-lying areas in the days" before the storm.[84] A report released in December 2013 by Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service confirmed that NJT ignored flood warnings and did not follow its own damage mitigation plans.[85][86][87] While meetings have been scheduled to review the events, most of those involved has subsequently retired. [88] [89].
Hurricane Sandy relief funds
Stronger than the Storm
On August 8, 2013, Frank Pallone the Democratic U.S. Representative for New Jersey's 6th congressional district and a vocal Christie critic[90] wrote a letter to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requesting an inquiry into the potential misuse of disaster aid for political gain with regard to the Stronger than the Storm media campaign.[91] Christie and his family appeared in television commercials produced for the campaign, paid for by HUD, which were broadcast in the run-up to the 2013 gubernatorial election. Pallone called for investigation to dispel any appearance of impropriety, also drawing attention $2.2 million difference for fees between the accepted bid and the next most expensive which included no plans to include the governor in the ads. On January 14, 2014 HUD announced that it would review the expenditure.[90][92] A press release stated that it is "an audit and not an investigation of the procurement process."[93] The audit is based on irregularities with billing and adherence to the contract pricing as determined by the federal government.[94] MWW, which produced the campaign, stated that it welcome the review and that it had not presented the idea of Christie appearing in ads until after contract was awarded and that it was confident that it had followed correct billing procedures.[95] The Asbury Park Press reported that a MWW executive had earlier said the Christie's appearance was part of the initial pitch and that information received from a open records law request was greatly redacted.[96]
Hoboken relief funds investigation
On January 18, 2014, Democratic Mayor of Hoboken Dawn Zimmer, appearing on MSNBC,[97] claimed that Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey Kim Guadagno and Richard Constable, director of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs had earlier insinuated to her that more Hurricane Sandy relief funds would be released to the city if it approved a project in its northwest quadrant proposed by the Rockefeller Group,[98][99][100] [101] which wants to build a 40-story office tower there and had entered into an undisclosed agreement with New Jersey to build light rail station. [102][103][104][105][106] On February 22 the Federal Bureau of Investigation interviewed members of the city's government and potential witnesses, who were instructed to preserve any evidence they might possess.[107] They were also asked by the office of United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Paul Fishman, to not discuss the matter publicly.[108] On January 31, the city acknowledged that it had received subpoenas from that office.[109][110]
As of February 12, 2014, the mayor's office had refused to comply with requests from a Republican opposition research super PAC under the New Jersey Open Public Records Act (OPRA) for records of her communications with groups such as the Democratic National Committee and MSNBC from January 7 through January 31. In denying the request, the mayor's office cited the Republican operative’s query as being “overly broad, vague, unclear, and a request for research.” The Bergen County newspaper The Record, reported that Christie’s legal team also requested documents and a private interview with the Hoboken mayor, which were also rejected.[111] An investigation commissioned by Christie found no evidence to substantiate Zimmer's claims and stated: “They are contradicted by contemporaneous documents, other witnesses’ accounts, and her own prior statements." Zimmer dismissed the report as biased,[112] and as a "one-sided whitewash".[113]
Housing funds distribution disparity
Disparities about distribution of housing construction funds for affordable housing came under scrutiny when it was revealed that areas least impacted by hurricane were receiving funds in greater proportion than heavily hit areas.[114][115] A high profile example was high-rise project Somerset Mews in New Brunswick received $4.8 million in Hurricane Sandy relief funds despite the fact the city was not badly hit by the storm.[116][117][118][119]
Race to the Top
On August 25, 2010, it was announced that New Jersey had lost out on $400 million in federal Race to the Top education grants due to a clerical error in the application by an unidentified mid-level state official. When prompted by the application to compare their 2008 and 2009 school budgets to illustrate their commitment to education financing, the official compared the state’s 2010 and 2011 financing, thus forfeiting the section's five points.[120] Ohio, the lowest-scoring state to be awarded funding, scored three points higher than New Jersey.[121]
In response to the decision, Christie criticized the Obama administration by saying,
This is the stuff, candidly, that drives people crazy about government and crazy about Washington... the first part of it is the mistake of putting the wrong piece of paper in, it drives people crazy and, believe me, I’m not thrilled about it. But the second part is, does anybody in Washington, D.C. have a lick of common sense? Pick up the phone and ask us for the number... that’s the stuff the Obama administration should answer for. Are you guys just down there checking boxes like mindless drones, or are you thinking? When the president comes back to New Jersey, he’s going to have to explain to the people of the state of New Jersey why he’s depriving them of $400 million that this application earned.[122]
On August 26, the U.S. Department of Education released a video showing that the budget issue had been specifically raised at a meeting with Christie's Education Commissioner Bret Schundler, contradicting Christie's claim that the federal government had not informed them of the error. In response, Gov. Christie asked for Schundler's resignation, saying that Schundler had misinformed Christie of the facts of the situation. Schundler initially agreed to resign, but the following morning asked to be fired instead, citing his need to claim unemployment benefits. Schundler maintains that he told Christie the truth, and that Christie is misstating what actually occurred.[123]
New Jersey's largest teachers union, the New Jersey Education Association, claimed that Christie's rejection of a compromise worked out by Schundler with the teachers' union on May 27 was to blame. Christie decided the compromise would severely weaken the state's ability to carry out reform measures opposed by the union, such as merit pay for teachers, the use of student test data in teacher evaluations, and tougher teacher tenure requirements. The rejection of the agreement with the union meant that the state had little more than three days to complete the grant applications, which were due on June 1. By Christie's own accounting, the state lost 14 points due to the lack of widespread union support for the reforms.[120]
Affordable Care Act marketing money
New Jersey lost a $7.6 million grant from the federal government to promote the health insurance exchange under the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) in February, 2014. The federal government rejected a proposal from New Jersey's insurance commissioner to use the funds to support Medicaid enrollment, rather than insurance enrollment through the new, subsidized federal marketplace.[124]
Failure to disclose income
On August 18, 2009, Governor Christie acknowledged that he had loaned $46,000 to Michele Brown in 2007, while serving as her superior as the state's U.S. attorney, and that he had failed to report either the loan or its monthly $500 interest payments on both his income tax returns and his mandatory financial disclosure report to the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission.[125][126] In response to the disclosure of the financial relationship between Christie and Brown, State Senator Loretta Weinberg, the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, called on Brown to recuse herself from the task of retrieving U.S. Attorney’s Office records requested by the Corzine campaign under the Freedom of Information Act.[127] On August 25, 2009, Brown resigned from her post, stating that she does not want to be "a distraction" for the office.,[125] but later became the Appointments Counsel for Governor[128] and was appointed CEO of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) in October 2012.[129]
Alleged retaliation against Jersey City mayor
On January 8, 2014, the mayor of Jersey City in Hudson County, Steven Fulop, came forward and alleged that he was also targeted for political reprisals by the Christie administration for declining to endorse Christie in the 2013 election for governor.[130][131] Fulop's claim may be supported by an e-mail by David Wildstein dated September 9, 2013. Deputy Chief of Staff Kelly had e-mailed David Wildstein and asked about his response, if any, to Fort Lee Mayor Sokolich about the Fort Lee toll lane closures. Wildstein responded: "Radio silence. His name comes right after Mayor Fulop."[132]
Jersey City is the second-largest city in New Jersey. On July 1, 2013, Christie had spoken at Fulop's inauguration. Subsequently, Bill Stepien and Bridget Kelly set up a "Mayor's Day" for Fulop, where "quite a contingent" of the Governor's cabinet would meet with the mayor and his staff.[133] At least seven different meetings were scheduled, most on July 23 with some set for July 29.[133]
On July 18, Fulop, a Democrat, communicated his decision not to endorse Republican Chris Christie in the upcoming election.[134] That same day, the Mayor's staff received multiple phone calls from New Jersey officials, within the span of an hour, canceling the meetings with: Jim Leonard (Chief of Staff at the Office of the Treasurer),[135] Joseph Mrozek (Transportation Commissioner), Rich Constable (Commissioner of Community Affairs), and Marc Ferzan (executive director of the Governor's Office of Recovery and Rebuilding, leading Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts). Bill Baroni (Port Authority) called and cancelled the following morning. The last meeting, with Michele Brown (Economic Development), was cancelled the next Monday.[133]
Fulop claimed Christie officials had sought his endorsement. According to Fulop, as an incentive for endorsement, he was "offered increased access to state commissioners"; after he declined to endorse, Fulop reported that "meetings with those officials were canceled within an hour." According to Fulop, the retaliation continued for months: "nearly every single meeting we have requested with state commissioners with regard to proactive Jersey City issues has been unfortunately rejected over the last six months, along with countless requests we made to the Port Authority".[136]
Fulop interpreted the behavior as retaliation for his refusal to endorse. He conveyed this concern in an August 18 e-mail to Bill Baroni, writing: "I am not sure if it is a coincidence that your office cancelled a meeting several weeks back that seemed to be simultaneous to other political conversations elsewhere that were happening. Prior to that you were always very responsive and I sincerely hope the two issues are not related".[133]
Public opinion summary
According to a poll by Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind conducted in January 2010, Gov. Chris Christie entered office with a 48–13% (approval-disapproval) rate.[137] In March 2010, FDU's PublicMind conducted two studies in which New Jersey voters were asked: "Do you approve or disapprove of the way Chris Christie is handling his job as governor?". The early March poll showed Christie’s public approval rate at 52–21[138] but the late March poll showed that his approval had slipped to 43–32%[139] after having announced cuts to the state budget. In May 2010, after months of acrimonious debate over the budget, FDU's PublicMind released another study which showed that New Jersey voters split their opinions: 44% approving of Christie, 42% disapproving. Dr. Peter J. Woolley, director of the PublicMind, noted, “As the breadth and depth of the budget cuts become known, people have hardened in their opinions.”[140]
Christie’s approval ratings recovered by October 2010. According to the FDU PublicMind poll, a 60% of New Jersey voters agreed that the state should continue to control spending and reduce programs in order to balance the state budget instead of increasing taxes. Consequently, in the October poll, 51% of voters approved the way Christie was handling his job, a seven-point increase over his approval number in May, while 37% disapproved. Woolley commented: “These are strong numbers for a politician who is cutting deeply into the public budget.”[141] Through the next couple of months Christie's approval rating remained constant though “favorable” views of him did not match his approvals. For example, in November 2010, FDU PublicMind released a poll in which 49% of the voters approved the job he was doing, while 39% disapproved. This 10 point advantage in his approval rating was much better than his four point advantage in favorable over unfavorable opinion: 45% said they had a favorable view of the governor and 41% had an unfavorable view.[142]
According to a January 2011 FDU PublicMind poll, Christie began the year with the highest approval ratings of his career, 53% approving, 36% disapproving. In addition, Christie's 47–39% favorable/unfavorable opinion rating at the end of his inaugural year in office was better than that of several previous governors included in the same poll: "Jim Florio's rating was at 25–33% favorable to unfavorable; Christine Whitman broke even with 39%–41%; Jim McGreevey had a rating of 23–48%; and Christie's predecessor Jon Corzine got 36–52%, actually an improvement from 30–61% when he left office. Only Richard Codey performed very well, with 37% favorable and 11% unfavorable."[143]
Christie maintained positive approval ratings until early 2011. In a poll conducted by FDU PublicMind in the midst of more budget battles in May 2011, voters split evenly, with 44% approving and 44% disapproving.[144] However, by September 2011, FDU's PublicMind showed that Christie’s approvals “bounced back": 54% of New Jersey voters approved his job as governor while only 36% disapproved.[145] A month later, the FDU PublicMind poll release of October 25, 2011 showed that Christie’s numbers remained strong, with 51% approving and 36% disapproving.[146]
Governor Christie started 2012 with a majority of NJ residents on his side. According to a January 2012 poll conducted by FDU’s PublicMind, with a sample of 800 registered voters, (53%) approved of the way Gov. Christie was handling his job, while 37% disapproved. Woolley commented: “That’s the way any office-holder wants to begin the new year.” Among voters, men were more likely to approve of the Gov. by a margin of (63%–30%) while women were more likely to disapprove (42%–45%).[147]
In March 2012, Gov. Christie displayed his best numbers since March 2010. The poll conducted by FDU’s PublicMind showed that 54% of New Jersey voters approved of the way he was handling his job, while 34% disapproved. In addition, 51% of voters agreed that the state was moving in the right direction. Woolley commented: “His numbers are noteworthy at a time when national Republican candidates have been sharply critical of each other.” He went on to note “this is the first time in 10 years of measurements that more than half of New Jersey voters, say things are headed in the right direction.”[148]
In May 2012, a FDU's PublicMind poll found that 56% of New Jersey voters approved of the way Gov. Christie was handling his job, and 33% disapproved. For the second survey in a row, voters reported that New Jersey is moving in the right direction. Half of the voters (50%) agreed that the state is moving in the right direction, while (41%) believed that the state has gotten off on the wrong track.[149]
Governor Christie continued to receive high approval ratings among NJ residents in the following months. In August 2012, a FDU's PublicMind poll showed that 55% of New Jersey voters approved of the way Christie is handling his job as governor, 35% disapproved. Numbers showed that men (61%) were more likely to approve of Christie than women (49%). PublicMind's new Executive Director, Krista Jenkins Ph.D., commented on the results; "The fact that the governor's appeal remains sound suggests that the bloom remains on this New Jersey rose, even if women are slightly more likely to see the thorns than see the beauty."[150]
During the 2012 Presidential Campaign, Governor Christie delivered a speech in the Republican National Convention endorsing GOP candidate Mitt Romney for President.[151] Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind conducted a poll following the conclussion of the national conventions. The results of the study showed that New Jersey residents are pleased with the way Christie is handling his job as governor. More than half (51%) of the registered voters who participated in the poll approved of the job Gov. Christie is doing, while (35%) disapproved. Jenkins commented on the resutls: “These numbers have basically remained the same across polls conducted throughout the year. Policy battles have come and gone, new ones have emerged, and the state continues to struggle with an unemployment rate that’s greater than the national average. Yet, Governor Christe remains in good standing with a broad cross-section of registered voters.”[152]
In 2013, shortly after having handled Hurricane Sandy,[153] Gov. Christie began the year with strong approval ratings from New Jersey residents. According to a Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind Poll conducted in January, the governor received the "second highest approval rating the poll has measured for Chris Christie."[154] The numbers showed that a sizable majority (73%) of registered voters approved of the way Christie is handling his job as governor, and (19%) disapproved. Jenkins added: "The state is facing significant challenges in the post-Sandy era. Yet voters appear largely pleased with not only where the state is headed, but are even happier with the governor's leadership. It's hard to find such a well-liked political figure in this political rancorous day and age."[154]
In a poll conducted by Fairleigh Dickinson University’s PublicMind [155] Governor Christie’s approval ratings were down slightly from where they were in March, 2013. Sixty-one percent (61%) of voters indicated their approval of his performance, with 26% who disapprove and 10% stating they are unsure how to judge the governor. Jenkins states, “Should his appeal continue through the campaign season, he stands poised to potentially help his party in the legislature in November.”
Following another release Governor Christie’s approval numbers remain virtually unchanged from June, despite a high profile veto of gun legislation. In June, Governor Christie garnered a 61 percent job approval rating.[156] Today, that number is 58%, with 29% who say they disapprove of the governor’s job performance. Discussions on the governor’s vetoed bipartisan gun control legislation during the poll did not appear to significantly affect his ratings. Jenkins asserts, “Use of his executive power in this capacity does not seem to have hurt his standing in the eyes of a majority of New Jerseyans.”
By January 23, 2014, following the Bridgegate revelations, Christie's unfavorable views doubled—up 17 percent—from the previous January.[157] A Rutgers-Eagleton poll, published January 24, showed that the Fort Lee scandal had hurt his standings among New Jersey residents. Christie’s favorability rating, as governor, was shown to be 46%, down 22 points from just before his landslide re-election victory in November 2013, with 43% having an unfavorable view. While the majority of residents still approve his overall performance as governor, his 53% job approval was down 15 points from November. A majority, 56%, indicated that it was “very unlikely” or "somewhat unlikely" that Christie’s top aides acted without his knowledge in the Fort Lee scandal. Only 20% said they fully believed Christie’s explanation about this topic, while 42% did not believe his version at all and 33% only partially believed him.[158] In March 2014, an FDU PublicMind poll found that for the first time in Christie's governorship, more voters disapproved than approved of the job he was doing. 44% of registered New Jersey voters disapproved of the job that he was doing as governor, with 41% approving.[159]
A Monmouth University/Asbury Park Press poll, published February 24, showed Christie's job approval ratings in New Jersey at 50%, which was down 9% since January and 20% from 12 months prior. Other results showed 61% believed the governor was not completely honest about what he knew about the toll lane closures, and 50% (up from 34% in January) thought Christie was personally involved in the decision to close the toll lanes.[160][161] A similar poll, released on April 2, showed his approval ratings to be nominally, but not significantly better than the February poll, remaining 14 points lower than December, before the Bridgegate scandal broke. It indicated that 62% said that Bridgegate and Hoboken's Sandy relief aid issues hurt his presidential prospects for 2016, up from 51% in January.[162]
References
- ^ Josh Margolin, and Kristen Alloway (January 8, 2009). "Christopher Christie files to run for New Jersey governor". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2009-03-25.
- ^ Halbfinger, David M. (2009-06-02). "Ex-Prosecutor Wins G.O.P. Primary in New Jersey". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-06-03.
- ^ Ruth, João-Pierre (July 20, 2009). "Chris Christie picks running mate". NJBiz. Retrieved 2009-07-23. [dead link]
- ^ Paul Cox (March 25, 2009). "N.J. GOP gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie's deferred prosecution agreements". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2009-07-23.
- ^ Kocienniewski, David (February 13, 2008). "Usually on Attack, U.S. Attorney in Newark Finds Himself on the Defensive". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ "Weinberg tells Christie to return contributions from UMDNJ monitors". PolitickerNJ.com. March 25, 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-20.
- ^ "Official General Election Results" (PDF). New Jersey Division of Elections. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
- ^ Bob Ingle & Michael Symons (June 5, 2012). Chris Christie: The Inside Story of His Rise to Power. p. 54. ISBN 1250031265.
- ^ a b Bohrer, John R. (June 24, 2009). "Another Leading Republican's Values Go Missing". The Huffington Post. Retrieved July 14, 2009.
- ^ a b c d Heininger, Claire; Margolin, Josh (February 4, 2009). "Chris Christie promises change to a 'broken' state in campaign kickoff". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved July 14, 2009.
- ^ Kornacki, Steve (March 9, 2011) Why authenticity matters, Salon.com
- ^ Rooney, Matt (August 11, 2008) Chris Christie Deserves the Trust of Conservatives, The Save Jersey Blog
- ^ Dela Cruz, Christopher (March 19, 2009). "GOP candidate Chris Christie opposes N.J.'s medical marijuana bill". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved April 18, 2011.
- ^ Wiener, Robert (August 6, 2009). "Christie holds meeting with Orthodox leaders: Republican hopeful offers support for school funding plans". New Jersey Jewish News.
- ^ a b Rispoli, Michael (June 22, 2009). "GOP gov. candidate Chris Christie condemns N.J. public schools as Gov. Corzine heralds system". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved July 20, 2009.
- ^ Halbfinger, David M. (June 18, 2009). "Christie Aims at Democrats Unhappy With Poor Schools". The New York Times. Retrieved July 20, 2009.
- ^ Rispoli, Michael (April 28, 2009). "GOP candidate Chris Christie calls for cuts to N.J. Department of Environmental Protection". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved July 25, 2009.
- ^ "Energy as Industry". Chris Christie for Governor, Inc. Retrieved July 14, 2009.
- ^ O'Connor, Julie (April 27, 2008). "Christie: Immigrants are not criminals". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved July 28, 2009.
- ^ Pizarro, Max (July 20, 2009). "Christie stands with Guadagno on first stop of LG tour". PolitickerNJ.com. Retrieved July 28, 2009.
- ^ Baxter, Christopher (December 20, 2013). "Chris Christie signs bill granting in-state tuition to N.J. immigrants". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2014-04-01.
- ^ Halbfinger, David M.; Kocieniewski, David (September 23, 2009). "For Christie, Family Tie No Candidate Can Relish". The New York Times. Retrieved October 17, 2009.
- ^ DeMarco, Jerry (February 25, 2011). "Christie campaign letter promised 'no harm' to police, firefighter pensions". Cliffview Pilot. Retrieved March 5, 2011.
- ^ Megerian, Chris (April 23, 2010). "N.J. police, firefighter unions sue to stop pension reform laws". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved March 5, 2011.
- ^ Fleisher, Lisa (September 14, 2010). "Gov. Christie proposes pension, benefits changes for public workers". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved March 5, 2011.
- ^ http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/14/02/18/police-union-implicated-in-bridgegate-owed-hundreds-of-dues-paying-jobs-to-christie/?p=all
- ^ [1] Governor Christie Talks About Superior Court Judge Sohail Mohammed
- ^ Kate Zernike (February 17, 2012). "Christie Vetoes Gay Marriage Bill". New York Times. Retrieved 2014-03-30.
- ^ Boburg, Shawn (March 30, 2014). "Christie's toll-money shuffle: Port Authority funds paying for repairs to state roads". The Record. Retrieved 2014-03-22.
- ^ a b Heininger, Claire; Fleisher, Lisa (February 10, 2010). "Gov. Christie is expected to address N.J. budget, declare state of emergency". The Star-Ledger. Trenton, New Jersey. Retrieved July 6, 2011. Cite error: The named reference "Renshaw022211" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ "Governor Christie Executive Order No. 12" (PDF). 09 Feb 2010. Retrieved 14 Feb 2010.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|date=
(help) - ^ "Governor Christie Executive Order No. 14" (PDF). 11 Feb 2010. Retrieved 14 Feb 2010.
- ^ "FY 2010 Budget Solutions Press Release" (PDF). 11 Feb 2010. Retrieved 14 Feb 2010.
- ^ "N.J. Democrats blast Gov. Chris Christie for circumventing Legislature". NJ.com. 11 Feb 2010. Retrieved 14 Feb 2010.
- ^ "N.J. Democrats question Gov. Chris Christie's veto of job creation bills". The Star-Ledger. Trenton, New Jersey. Associated Press. July 2, 2011. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
- ^ Renshaw, Jarrett (July 2, 2011). "Outrage boils over Christie's line-item veto cuts". The Star-Ledger. Trenton, New Jersey. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
- ^ a b Friedman, Matt (February 22, 2011). "Wisniewski: Gov. Christie will announce $250M for education programs in budget speech". The Star-Ledger. Trenton, New Jersey. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
- ^ "New Jersey’s State Of Emergency Rescinded". CBS New York. December 27, 2010.
- ^ Fleisher, Lisa (December 27, 2010). "New Jersey's Acting Governor Juggles Blizzard Aftermath". The Wall Street Journal.
- ^ Rubin, Jennifer (August 28, 2011). "Christie's moment: 'Get the hell off the beach'". The Washington Post.
- ^ Haberman, Maggie (August 26, 2011). "Chris Christie to New Jerseyans: 'Get the hell off the beach'". Politico.com.
- ^ "Christie Declares State of Emergency; Orders Evacuations In Some Parts of N.J". CBS2. October 27, 2012. Retrieved 2012-10-27.
- ^ "President signs emergency declaration for NJ". Newsday. Retrieved 2012-10-29.
- ^ Obama, Christie laud 'working relationship' on storm by David Jackson (USA Today, October 31, 2012).
- ^ The race resumes: Obama buoyed by Christie praise as Romney tempers attacks (National Post, November 1, 2012).
- ^ "Gov. Chris Christie, an Obama critic, praises the president amid N.J. storm damage". The Washington Post. October 31, 2012. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
- ^ "Christie Administration Enforces Budget Discipline and Protects New Jersey Taxpayer Dollars". State of New Jersey - Governor Chris Christie. October 7, 2010. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
- ^ Resnikoff, Ned (January 26, 2014). "Christie's other traffic jam". msbnc.com. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
- ^ McGeehan, Patrick (January 6, 2011). "Christie Outlines a Plan to Pay for Transit Work". The New York Times. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
- ^ Boburg, Shawn (March 29, 2011). "Port Authority to redirect $1.8B in tunnel funds to North Jersey road repairs". The Record. Woodland Park, NJ. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
- ^ McGeehan, Patrick (May 15, 2011). "Commuters Feel Pinch as Christie Tightens". The New York Times. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
- ^ Staff (2010). "Portway Projects". New Jersey Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 8, 2013.
- ^ "FY 2013 Transportation Capital Program New Jersey Department of Transportation Projects" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Transportation. p. 1. Retrieved April 8, 2013.
- ^ Boburg, Shawn (March 30, 2014). "Christie's toll-money shuffle: Port Authority funds paying for repairs to state roads". The Record. Retrieved 2014-03-22.
- ^ Bernstein, Andrea (January 16, 2014). "How Christie's Men Turned the Port Authority into a Political Piggy Bank". WNYC. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
- ^ Baxter, Christopher (February 12, 2014). "New bridge scandal subpoenas seek records related to Chris Christie, ARC tunnel and more". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved February 12, 2014.
- ^ Magyar, Mark J. (March 31, 2014). "BREAKING UP PA WOULD SOLVE CHRISTIE'S TRANSPORTATION TRUST FUND PROBLEM". NJ Spotlight. Retrieved 2014-03-321.
{{cite news}}
: Check date values in:|accessdate=
(help) - ^ "For Christie, perhaps a bridge too far". The Washington Post. January 9, 2014.
- ^ Boburg, Shawn (December 28, 2013). "Emails Show Port Authority Officials Were Warned of Hardships Caused by GWB Lane Closures". The Record. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
- ^ Santora, March; Zernikej, Kate (January 10, 2014). [http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/11/nyregion/hundreds-
of-pages-on-bridge-scandal-released.html?hp "Bridge Scandal Documents Indicate Effort to Hide Political Motive"]. New York Times. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
{{cite news}}
: Check|url=
value (help); line feed character in|url=
at position 53 (help) - ^ [2]
- ^ Baxter, Christopher (December 9, 2013). "Was the closing of three lanes on the George Washington Bridge politically motivated?". www.nj.com. The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2013-12-09.
- ^ Mann, Ted; Orden, Erica; Haddon, Heather (December 12, 2013). "Governors Spoke Privately About Bridge Controversy". Wall Street Journal.
- ^ Durando, Jessica. "The backstory of Christie's 'Bridgegate' scandal". USA Today. Retrieved 18 February 2014.
- ^ Zernike, Kate (January 31, 2014). "Christie Knew About Lane Closings, Ex-Port Authority Official Says". New York Times. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
- ^ LoGiurato, Chris (January 31, 2014). "Christie Denies Former Allies Bombshell Claims". Business Insider. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
- ^ Strunksy, Steve (January 11, 2014). "GWB scandal: new round of subpoenas likely to go out next week". Star-Ledger.
- ^ Kelly, Mike (February 8, 2014). "GWB scandal: Fort Lee mayor now says Christie campaign courted him for endorsement". Woodland Park, New Jersey: NorthJersey.com. Retrieved February 9, 2014.
- ^ Dopp, Terrence; Voreacos, David; Jones, Tim (January 16, 2014). "Christie bridge jam inquiry to probe $1 billion projects". Bloomberg.
- ^ Strunsky, Steve (January 13, 2014). "New subpoenas could go out today in GWB lane closure scandal probe". The Star-Ledger.
- ^ "Assembly Transportation, Public Works and Independent Authorities Committee (List of Hearings)". New Jersey Legislature. November 25, 2013. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
- ^ Costa, Robert (January 13, 2014). "Broader investigation of N.J. bridge closures launched". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
- ^ Linhorst, Michael (January 21, 2014). "N.J. Assembly, Senate merge panels investigating GWB scandal". The Record. Woodland Park, NJ. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
- ^ Strunsky, Steve (December 10, 2013). "Port Authority's inspector general launches probe of GWB lane closures". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved April 3, 2014.
- ^ Chung, Jen (January 9, 2014). "U.S. Attorney Now Investigating Bridgegate". Gothamist. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
- ^ Strunsky, Steve (January 16, 2014). "Port Authority answers questions posed by U.S. Senate committee". The Star-Ledger. Newark, NJ.
- ^ "UPDATE 6-NJ governor's internal investigation clears him in 'Bridgegate'". Reuters. March 27, 2014. Retrieved March 27, 2014.
- ^ Frassinelli, Mike (November 21, 2012). "NJ Transit boss defends decision to leave trains in area hit hard by Sandy flooding". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2014-02-15.
- ^ Rouse, Karen (December 25, 2012). "Report warned NJ Transit officials of flood risk". The Record. Retrieved 2014-02-15.
- ^ Rouse, Karen (May 13, 2013). "NJ Transit remains silent on how it prepared for Superstorm Sandy". The Record. Retrieved 2014-02-25.
- ^ Bernstein, Andrea (May 13, 2013). "How New Jersey Transit Failed Sandy's Test". Transportation Nation. WNYC. Retrieved 2014-02-25.
{{cite news}}
: Unknown parameter|coauthor=
ignored (|author=
suggested) (help) - ^ Editorial (October 6, 2013). "The Record: Weinstein's friend". Retrieved 2014-03-31.
- ^ Rouse, Karen (October 3, 2013). "Christie says NJ Transit chief wasn't to blame for loss of rail equipment during Superstorm Sandy". The Record. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
- ^ Rouse, Karen (October 5, 2013). "Emails tracked NJ Transit's plan for rail fleet during Superstorm Sandy". The Record. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
- ^ "New Jersey Transit Corportion's After Hurricane Sandy Action Report" (PDF). Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service. December 2013. Retrieved 2013-01-07.
- ^ McGrath, Matthew (December 24, 2013). "NJ Transit ignored flood warning before Superstorm Sandy, report confirms". The Record. Retrieved 2014-01-07.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|coauthor=
ignored (|author=
suggested) (help) - ^ Frassinelli, Mike (December 24, 2013). "Review of NJ Transit's response to Sandy finds need for more coordination, places to shelter trains". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2014-01-07.
- ^ Editorial (February 23, 2014). "Gov. Chris Christie can't pass buck on Hurricane Sandy aid problems: Editorial". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2014-04-05.
The first big mistake was NJ Transit's dumbfounding decision to park its trains in a low-lying swampy area, where they were predictably flooded, causing $120 million in damage. The line of authority for that blooper goes straight to the governor, not to Washington.
- ^ "Under New Leadership, NJTransit to Address Super Bowl and Sandy Debacles at Legislative Hearing". New Brunswick Today. March 9, 2014. Retrieved 2014-04-04.
- ^ a b Frates, Chris (January 14, 2014). "Feds investigate Christie's use of Sandy relief funds". USA Today. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
- ^ "Pallone Calls for Investigation into Christie's Misuse of Disaster Aid for Political Gain" (Press release). Frank Pallone House of Representatives. August 8, 2013. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
- ^ Geraghty, Jim (January 13, 2014). "Christie's Spokesman: 'Stronger Than the Storm' Approved by Obama Administration". National Review. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
- ^ "Statement by David A. Montoya, Inspector General, on the Audit of New Jersey Post-Hurricane Sandy Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Plan" (Press release). HUD. January 14, 2014. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
On August 8, 2013, this office received a request from Congressman Frank Pallone Jr., regarding the State of New Jersey's Post-Hurricane Sandy Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Action Plan. Audits of Federal expenditures of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, including disaster-related activities, are something that this office does routinely. The Department granted a waiver to allow the State to use $25 million of its award on a marketing campaign to promote the Jersey Shore and encourage tourism. An audit was initiated in September 2013 to examine whether the State administered its Tourism Marketing Program in accordance with applicable departmental and Federal requirements. This is an audit and not an investigation of the procurement process. We expect to issue our audit report expeditiously. We will have no further comment until the audit report is issued.
. - ^ McElhatton, Jim (January). "Stronger than the Storm: Murky details cloud winning bid in Christie ad furor". The Washington Times. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
{{cite news}}
: Check date values in:|date=
(help) - ^ Giovas, Kim (January 13, 2014). "Feds Taking Closer Look At 'Stronger Than The Storm' Ads". CBS Philly. Retrieved 2014-04-14.
- ^ Jordan, Bob (January 14, 2014). "New documents show Christie office hiding details of storm TV ads". Asbury Park Press. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
Murray in his statement claimed that MWW's proposal "included no mention or suggestion of using the governor in the paid advertising campaign." But Shannon Eis, the company's senior vice president, said in a May 2013 interview with the Press that MWW executives pitched using the governor in a starring role when they met with state officials on March 15. The contract was awarded in May. Eis in that interview said the company made it clear that Christie would have a prominent role.
- ^ Kornacki, Steve (January 18, 2014). "Christie camp held Sandy relief money hostage, mayor alleges". MSNBC. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
- ^ Freidman, Matt (January 18, 2014). "Hoboken mayor claims Christie administration held city's Sandy recovery funds 'hostage' to help developer". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
- ^ Giambusso, David (January 18, 2014). "Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer alleges Chris Christie's office withheld Sandy aid over development deal". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
{{cite news}}
: Unknown parameter|coauthor=
ignored (|author=
suggested) (help) - ^ Kornacki, Steve (January 20, 2014). "Christie camp held Sandy relief money hostage, mayor alleges". MSNBC. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
- ^ Frates, Chris (January 13, 2014). "Feds investigate Christie's use of Sandy relief fund". Cnn.com. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
- ^ McGheenan, Patrick (January 29, 2014). "How Pressure Mounted for Development in Hoboken". The New York Times. Retrieved 2014-02-25.
{{cite news}}
: Unknown parameter|coauthor=
ignored (|author=
suggested) (help) - ^ "NJ Transit approved nonbinding agreement for light rail station in northern Hoboken last year". Hudson Reporter. January 30, 2014. Retrieved 2014-02-25.
- ^ "Non-binding MOU for a Potential New Light Rail Station in Hoboken's North End" (PDF). June 21, 2014. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
- ^ Brenzel, Kathryn (February 26, 2014). "NJ Transit releases missing details from secret Hoboken light rail agreement". NJ.com. Retrieved 2014-02-26.
- ^ Brenzel, Kathryn (February 4, 2014). "Rockefeller Group, NJ Transit agreed to build new light rail station but left Hoboken mayor in the dark, report says". The Jersey Journal. Retrieved 2014-02-25.
- ^ Rashbaum, William K. (January 23, 2014). "Hoboken Mayor is said to have told of threat". The New York Times. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
- ^ Isikoff, Micheal (January 22, 2014). "FBI questions Hoboken mayor's aides over alleged Sandy relief funds threat: sources". NBC News. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
- ^ Hayes, Melissa (January 31, 2014). "Christie scandal: Hoboken documents subpoenaed by U.S. attorney". The Record. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
- ^ Freidman, Matt (January 31, 2014). "U.S. Attorney subpoenas Hoboken in Hurricane Sandy funding investigation". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
- ^ Conroy, Scott (February 12, 2014). "Super PAC: Hoboken "Stonewalling in Christie Case"". RealClearPolitics. Retrieved February 12, 2014.
- ^ Hutchins, Ryan (March 27, 2014). "Christie scandal: Hoboken mayor's claims 'demonstrably false,' internal report says". New Jersey Online.
- ^ Lach, Eric. "Hoboken Mayor Calls Christie Report A 'One-Sided Whitewash'". Retrieved March 30, 2014.
- ^ Strunsky, Steve (February 16, 2014). "Sandy housing aid went to projects far from storm". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 2014-03-22.
- ^ Haddon, Heather (February 11, 2014). "New Jersey Sandy Aid Distribution Questioned Money Goes to Projects Outside the Hardest-Hit Areas". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2014-03-22.
- ^ Haddon, Heather (February 11, 2014). "New Jersey Sandy Aid Distribution Questioned Money Goes to Projects Outside the Hardest-Hit Areas". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2014-03-21.
- ^ Glorioso, Chris (February 2, 2014). "I-Team: Sandy Funds Went to NJ Town With Little Storm Damage". News 4 New York. Retrieved 2014-03-21.
- ^ Kratovil, Charlie (February 15, 2014). "No Reporters Attended Groundbreaking Ceremony For Controversial Luxury Highrise That Received Sandy Aid". New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance. Retrieved 2014-03-21.
- ^ Kratovil, Charlie (February 5, 2014). "Powerful Developer That Received Sandy Aid Has No Experience Building Affordable Housing". New Brunswick Today. Retrieved 2014-03-21.
- ^ a b Otterman, Sharon (August 25, 2010). "Attacks Fly for N.J. Losing Out on $400 Million Grant". The New York Times.
- ^ Candisky, Catherine (August 25, 2010). "N.J. error apparently gives $400 million 'Race to Top' grant to Ohio". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
- ^ Friedman, Matt (August 25, 2010), "Gov. Christie blames Washington bureaucracy for state's failed 'Race to the Top' application", New Jersey On-Line
- ^ Katz, Matt (August 28, 2010), "Christie fires education chief Schundler after U.S. aid mistake", The Philadelphia Inquirer
- ^ Washburn, Lindy (February 20, 2014). "NJ loses $7.6 million in Obamacare aid as grant expires". The Record. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
- ^ a b Margolin, Josh (25 Aug 2009). "Federal prosecutor who took loan from GOP governor candidate Chris Christie resigns". The Star-Ledger.
- ^ Halbfinger, David M. (18 Aug 2009). "Candidate for New Jersey Governor Apologizes for Failing to Report Loan". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 Sep 2009.
- ^ Friedman, Matt (21 Aug 2009). "Weinberg wants Brown to recuse herself from FOIA retrievals". PolitickerNJ.com.
- ^ "New Jersey Economic Development Authority - Who We Are - Executive Team". Njeda.com. 2013-09-26. Retrieved 2014-01-14.
- ^ Kaplan, Mark (July 28, 2012). "A Christie Aide is Named to Lead New Jersey's Development Agency". The New York Times. Retrieved 2014-02-22.
- ^ Kate Zernike (January 13, 2014). "Another Mayor Faced Reprisal Over Christie, Files Suggest". The New York Times. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
- ^ Matt Connolly (July 27, 2013). "Meet the Other Mayor Accusing Chris Christie of Retaliation". Mother Jones. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
- ^ "Timeline: Fulop, Christie and the Port Authority". The Star-Ledger. January 8, 2014. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
- ^ a b c d Email Correspondence Regarding Steven Fulop, Mayor of Jersey City
- ^ "Second NJ mayor says he was punished". The Hill. Retrieved January 14, 2014.
- ^ "Division of Pensions and Benefits". Nj.gov. November 18, 2013. Retrieved January 14, 2014.
- ^ Hartmann, Margaret (January 13, 2014). "Fort Lee Mayor Remembers Christie Did Ask for Endorsement". New York. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
- ^ Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind, (January 12, 2010). "Corzine Leaves an Era of Bad Feeling" (Press release).
- ^ Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind, (March 3, 2010). Public Backs Governor, Pension Reforms (Press release).
- ^ Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind, (March 30, 2010). "Christie's Approval Slips But Voters Still Say Cut Spending, Cap Property Tax Increases" (Press release).
- ^ Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind, (May 25, 2010). "Voters Split on Christie, But Not on His Proposals" (Press release).
- ^ Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind, (October 12, 2010). "Voters in Budget-Cutting Mood Approve of Christie" (Press release).
- ^ Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind (November 23, 2010). "Christie Running Stronger than NJEA" (Press release).
- ^ Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind. (January 11, 2011). "Christie Approval Ratings Strong at End of Inaugural Year" (Press release).
- ^ Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind. (May 24, 2011). "Garden State Voters Feeling Blue" (Press release).
- ^ Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind. (September 27, 2011). Christie Approvals Bounce Back (Press release).
- ^ Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind. (October 27, 2011). New Jersey Headed in Right Direction. Really. (Press release).
- ^ Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind. (January 9, 2012). Governor's Approval Still Strong (Press release)
- ^ Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind. (March 13, 2012). Christie Approvals Riding High: State Headed in "Right Direction" (Press release)
- ^ Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind. (May 8, 2012.) Jersey, Christie, Headed in Right Direction (press release)
- ^ Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind. (August 1, 2012.) Christie continues to ride wave of support through his complicated relationship with the public (press release)
- ^ Huffington Post - Politics. (August 29, 2012.) Chris Christie Speech At Republican National Convention: New Jersey Governor's Blunt Style Tested On Delegates
- ^ Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind. (September 18, 2012.) Christie’s RNC Speech Mostly Helps Self, Approval Remains High (press release)
- ^ Friedman, Matt (November 21, 2012.) "Gov. Christie's favorability rating skyrockets in wake of Hurricane Sandy, poll show". NJ.com.
- ^ a b Jenkins, Krista (January 7, 2013.) "State Gives Thumbs Up to Governor – Challengers Face an Uphill Battle in 2013". PublicMind. Fairleigh Dickinson University.
- ^ Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind.(June 18, 2013). A Summer of Campaigns: Christie and Booker Begin the Season with Good Feelings among Voters (press release)
- ^ Fairleigh Dickinson University's PublicMind. (September 3, 2013) NJ Veering towards the Wrong Track; Is it Gov. Christie’s Fault? (press release)
- ^ Hilario, Francis (January 23, 2014). "Unfavorable opinions of Chris Christie double". Philadelphia Business Journal. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
- ^ Hayes, Melissa (January 22, 2014). "Christie's favorable rating drops after GWB controversy, poll finds". Woodland Park, New Jersey: NorthJersey.com. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
- ^ Aaron Blake (March 11, 2014), "Poll: Christie's approval rating hits new low", The Washington Post, retrieved March 11, 2014
- ^ Edwards-Levy, Ariel (February 24, 2014). "Chris Christie's Approval Rating Continues To Fall In New Jersey". The Huffington Post. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
- ^ "Chris Christie Dragged Further Under the Bridge" (PDF). Monmouth University. February 24, 2014. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
- ^ "Monmouth Poll: Christie job approval at 51%". PolitickerNJ. April 2, 2014.
External links
- Office of the Governor official state site
- Governor Christie on Twitter
- Christie delivers budget message to joint session of Legislature February 22, 2011.