Despite GWB scandal, Chris Christie a big draw at Lonegan fundraiser

Despite GWB scandal, Chris Christie a big draw at Lonegan fundraiser (via NJ.com)

MOUNTAIN LAKES — Gov. Chris Christie, facing the biggest scandal of his political career, was still a big draw at a fundraiser tonight to retire the campaign debt of former Republican U.S. Senate candidate Steve Lonegan. About 75 guests paid at least…

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Pallone’s Duplicitous Playbook

Frank Pallone at 2010 Highlands Clamfest.

The stunt Congressman Frank Pallone pulled this week, manipulating the media into inaccurately reporting that there was a new federal investigation into Governor Chris Christie’s participation in last summer’s #Stronger Than The Storm tourism ad campaign, is nothing new for the son a Long Branch used car dealer.

Such media manipulation is a well worn arrow in Pallone’s quiver.

In September of 2010,  Pallone held a press conference in Keyport to announce his proposed $400 million Coastal Jobs Creation Act.  USA Yesterday  The Asbury Park Press gave Pallone’s announcement widespread coverage on its website and in its print edition.  You could have thought Pallone was distributing bags of cash to fisherman along the bayshore given the way APP reported that “news.”

There was a problem with Pallone’s Act of Congress.  He proposed the bill the previous March and it died in committee in July.  But here he was in September, 5 weeks before an election, declaring himself to be the reincarnation of St. Anthony of Padula, the patron saint of fishermen.

The Asbury Park Press reporters and editors either didn’t check on the status of the bill or they willingly gave Pallone hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of “free media” 5 weeks before an election based on a story that was essentially a fabrication.

What Pallone did this week is the same play.   In the mist of the media’s Bridgegate feeding frenzy, Pallone alerted the media that there was now a “federal investigation” into Christie inappropriately using Sandy Relief funds to boost his reelection campaign. The truth is that Pallone, in August of last year, wrote the HUD Inspector General asking that they look into the #Stronger Than The Storm ad campaign that featured Christie.  In September, HUD informed Pallone they would do an audit, which is standard practice anyway.

Seeing the media sharks circling Christie hungry for blood, Pallone tossed the stale “news” of the standard HUD audit into the waters as if it was fresh meat.  The sharks jumped and made a lot of noise, over nothing.

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New Christie bridge scandal subpoenas target governor’s top aides, advisers

New Christie bridge scandal subpoenas target governor’s top aides, advisers (via NJ.com)

TRENTON — Some of Gov. Chris Christie’s closest aides and advisers — as well as his re-election campaign committee — are among those subpoenaed this evening by the newly formed state Assembly panel investigating the George Washington Bridge scandal…

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Christie Administration Hires Former Federal Prosecutor To Conduct Internal Review And Cooperate with U.S. Attorney’s Bridgegate Inquiry

Trenton, NJ – Today, the Christie Administration announced the retention of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP to assist with the internal review announced by Governor Christie last week and to further cooperate with the U.S. Attorney inquiry. As part of the review process, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP will review best practices for office operations and information flow, and assist with document retention and production.

“Governor Christie made clear last week that he will conduct an internal review to uncover the facts surrounding the lane closures in Fort Lee. His Administration is fully cooperating with the U.S. Attorney inquiry and other appropriate inquiries and requests for information. To assist in conducting that internal review and furthering that cooperation, the Christie Administration is announcing today that Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP has been retained as outside counsel. Their presence will bring an outside, third-party perspective to the situation, and they will be a valuable asset as we move forward. This Administration is committed to ensuring that what happened here never happens again. That’s what the people of New Jersey deserve.”

Heading up the Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP team is former federal prosecutor Randy Mastro. Mastro is a former Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, where he specialized in organized crime cases and spearheaded the federal government’s landmark racketeering suit that compelled the International Brotherhood of Teamsters to hold democratic elections and to undergo court supervision. Mastro also served as former Deputy Mayor of New York City.

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Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend, January 17-19, 2014

By Greg Kelly

Friday, January 17

• The Ultimate Elvis Birthday Bash at Count Basie Theatre (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

• Admit One at NJ Repertory Theater (Long Branch) – MORE INFO

• The Underpants at First Ave Playhouse (Atlantic Highlands) – MORE INFO

• The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Aberdeen) – MORE INFO

• Yoga for Adults (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

• Play Mah Jongg (Shrewsbury) – MORE INFO

• No Exit (Asbury Park) – MORE INFO

• Night Out: Mexican Cuisine (Colts Neck) – MORE INFO

• iPlay After Dark (Freehold) – MORE INFO

Photo courtesy of Noel Westerland , Sr

• Ballroom, Latin, Swing, and Salsa Dancing (Sea Girt) – MORE INFO

• Kindness Matters Storytime at Monmouth Mall (Eatontown) – MORE INFO

• The Facts on Weight Loss Surgery (Tinton Falls) – MORE INFO

• Light of Day 2014 at The Saint (Asbury Park) – MORE INFO

• Light of Day 2014 at The Wonder Bar (Asbury Park) – MORE INFO

• Light of Day 2014 at The Stone Pony (Asbury Park) – MORE INFO

• Open Skating (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

• Pinewood Derby Tutorial Class (Aberdeen) – MORE INFO

• Buying Digital Photo Equipment (Lincroft) – MORE INFO

• Open Skating (Middletown) – MORE INFO

• Open Evening Swim (Eatontown) – MORE INFO

• Kids Night Out! (Fair Haven) – MORE INFO

• WordPress Training Workshop at BCC (Lincroft) – MORE INFO

• Winter Fun Kids Sports Spectacular (Freehold) – MORE INFO

• Winter Crafternoon for Kids (Neptune) – MORE INFO

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Pallone’s Lies to HUD, The Media, Continue To Unravel

Congressman Frank Pallone moving his lips, and fingers

On early Monday morning, 6:54, in the midst of the Bridgegate network and cable TV media feeding frenzy engulfing Governor Chris Christie, CNN reported an “Exclusive” story that  “federal officials” were investigating whether Christie had “improperly used” some of the Sandy Relief money used to produce the Stonger than the Storm tourism ad campaign.  The source of the “Exclusive” was Congressman Frank Pallone.

Within the hour, Pallone had widely released a statement to the media and posted it on his federally funded website, that contained the information reported “Exclusively” by CNN.

That should have been the media’s first clue that Pallone is not trustworthy.  He offered an exclusive to CNN, and then spread, the story, like a crack whore needing another fix.

But no, the media lapped up the story.  It led the 8 am hour of most network morning news shows, and dominated the the political news of the day as an “additional federal investigation” that Christie was facing.

The story was a lie. Not an exaggeration. A lie.

MMM was the first media outlet to fact check the story. We started doing so immediately upon reading it on CNN.

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Assemblywoman Amy Handlin named to Bridgegate Investigation Committee

Assemblywoman Amy Handlin

Assemblywoman Amy Handlin (R-Middletown) has been named to the Special Assembly Committee that will investigate the September lane closures on the George Washington Bridge that have dominated the state and national news for the last week since The Record published emails that revealed that Governor Chris Christie’s then Deputy Chief of Staff, Bridget Ann Kelly, ordered the lane closures with an email to Port Authority’s then Director of Interstate Capital Projects, David Wildstein.

During her public service career as an Assemblywoman, Monmouth County Freeholder and Committeewoman in Middletown, Handlin has earned a reputation as a ethics hawk and outspoken critic of governmental excesses.

Handlin is an Associate Professor of Marketing at Monmouth University and the author of Crony Capitalists in our Backyards: Who they are, What the do and How to fight back.

Joining Handlin on the twelve member committee are eight Democrats; Chairman John Wisniewski, the Assembly Transportation Committee Chair who has spearheaded the Bridgegate to date, Marlene Caride (Bergen/Passiac), Lou Greenwald (Mercer), Gordon Johnson (Bergen), Paul Moriarty (Gloucester), Linda Stender (Union) and Bonnie Watson Coleman (Mercer).

The other Republicans on the committee are Michael Patrick Carroll (Morris), BettyLou DeCroce (Morris), and Holly Schepisi (Bergen).

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Report: Holmdel Bomb Scare Was A Hoax

The bomb scare at St. John Vianney HIgh School reported earlier today was a hoax, according to a report on Holmdel-Hazlet Patch.

Acting-Monmouth County Prosecutor Chris Gramiccioni says a bomb threat that forced the evacuation of St. John Vianney High School Wednesday was a hoax.

“We’re looking at it hard and believe it to be a hoax and we will be investigating it thoroughly,” said Gramiccioni.

Gramiccioni said the Holmdel Police Department received a call at 10:39 a.m. indicating that a bomb was on the premises of St. John Vianney and that the caller was carrying a weapon. Following the call, the school was locked down and students and staff were evacuated.

Responding to the scene were Holmdel, Hazlet and Matawan police departments, State Police, and the Monmouth County Emergency Response Team. Gramiccioni said the FBI also offered to assist.

No weapons or explosives were found after the school was swept twice. The school was cleared at 2:45 p.m.

“It was an unsubstantiated threat and appears to be a hoax,” said Gramiccioni.

If you have any information regarding the incident, call the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office at 800-533-744

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Possible Bomb Scare At Holmdel School

From the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office:

Holmdel – St. John Vianney High School has been evacuated due to a possible bomb threat. The school has been safely evacuated. All students and personnel are safe.

MOCERT is currently conducting a room to room search of the building. Once this completed the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office’s K-9 Unit along with other law enforcement K-9s will search the building for possible explosives.

Please keep clear of Line Road and the surrounding area in Howell, in order for law enforcement officers to perform their job.
Parents can pick-up their kids at St. Benedict’s School. Buses will be divert to that location.
#MCSONJ

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If Frank Pallone was in charge…..

…..maybe New Jersey, New Jersey would have would have been stuck in your head last summer instead of Stronger Than The Storm .

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