Christie Says There’s No Transportation Crisis; Critics Sharply Disagree

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Kyrillos discusses Port Authority reform and his relationship with Christie with NJTV

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Christie nominates Hanlon as Monmouth County Clerk

Christine Giordano Hanlon and Monmouth County Clerk M. Claire French at the Assembly Republicans event in Atlantic City, February 2, 2015. photo by Art Gallagher

Governor Chris Christie has nominated Christine Giordano Hanlon, Esq., to replace M. Claire French as Monmouth County Clerk.

French, who has served as Clerk since 1997 and been elected four times, announced her retirement effective in March last month. Her term was scheduled to expire at the end of 2017.

Hanlon, of Ocean Township, is an attorney at Archer & Greiner’s Middletown, NJ office.  She serves as Deputy Borough Attorney in Tinton Falls, Prosecutor in Atlantic Highlands and as a Commissioner of the Monmouth County Board of Elections.  A member of Christie’s transition team in 2009, Hanlon is also Vice Chair of the Monmouth County Republican Organization.

Hanlon’s nomination is subject to confirmation by the State Senate.  It is expected that Hanlon will be nominated to run for a full five year term by the Monmouth GOP and stand for election in November.

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Correction: U.S. Attorney has not opened new Christie investigation into Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office

Governor Chris Christie at Long Branch press conference, August , 2014 photo by Art Gallagher

Contrary to published reports, including one here at MMM, U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman’s office has not opened a new criminal investigation into Governor Chris Christie’s role, if any, in quashing the prosecution of former Hunterdon County Sheriff Deborah Trout.

The initial inaccurate report was published by International Business Times, a content partner of MMM through repubHub.  MMM published the IBT story after noticing it was being cited by other news outlets.

On Friday, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow Show published a report that included a denial from the U.S. Attorney’s office that it is investigating Christie over the Trout issue. (h/t SaveJersey)

“Any characterization that we are investigating the Governor about this is just not true … . [W]e talk to people all the time. It doesn’t mean we’re investigating anybody.”

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Walker Takes A Jab At Christie

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker kept his state of the state address lighthearted and upbeat Tuesday night, making several references to the Green Bay Packers. But the Republican governor also took a jab at New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and referenced potential White House ambitions, amid talk that Walker will launch a 2016 presidential campaign. “And how… Read the rest of this entry »

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Chris Christie preparing to set up leadership PAC for 2016 presidential campaign, report says

TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie could be setting up a leadership political action committee before the end of the month to help raise money with an eye toward the White House in 2016, according to a published report. Christie, who concluded his fifth State of the State address today, would use the PAC to finance political… Read the rest of this entry »

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N.J. Democrats call Christie’s speech a ‘State of the State about nothing’

Sen Loretta Weinberg

Dems blast Christie’s 2015 “State of the State about nothing.” Top Democratic lawmakers blast New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s 2015 State of the State Address, calling it a speech “about nothing” and criticizing a news release from the governor’s office that boasted about the number of Facebook likes the governor has and the number of times… Read the rest of this entry »

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Governor Chris Christie’s State of the State Address as prepared for delivery

Trenton, New Jersey
January 13, 2015

Mr. Speaker…

Mr. Senate President…

Lt. Governor Guadagno…

Members of the legislature…

Friends and citizens of New Jersey:

I come before you, as required by the state constitution, to report on the condition of our state.

The state of our state continues to get better.

New Jersey is better off than it was last year at this time, and it is certainly far better off than it was just five years ago.

While many first years of a second term show a hangover from the campaign and its partisanship, we have fought through that tradition and have real accomplishments to show for that action in 2014.

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French to retire as Monmouth County Clerk

M. Claire French

Monmouth County Clerk M. Claire French will retire in March.

French told MMM in a phone interview that she will decide by the end of this week whether her retirement will be effective on March 1 or March 31.

Appointed to fill the vacancy created by Jane Clayton’s retirement in 1997, French was elected to four 5 year terms.  Had she completed her current term she would have served the residents of Monmouth County through the end of 2017.

French, 77, started her career in public service as a member of the Wall Township Committee where she served two terms as Mayor.  She has held either elected or appointed office for 35 years serving as at every level of New Jersey government.  French was the first Chair of the Monmouth County Improvement Authority, was Vice Chair of the Local Finance Board and has served on various regional authorities.  She is a Eucharistic Minister at Holy Innocents Church in Neptune City.

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Predictions: 2015

The Green Bay Packers will eliminate the Dallas Cowboys from Super Bowl contention with a victory in the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs next Sunday.

Governor Chris Christie will announce that he is a candidate for President of the United States.  Christie’s independent polling numbers will drop to the low 40’s in New Jersey, but his national popularity will rise.

Kim Guadagno will officially be the Governor of New Jersey on more days than Christie will be in 2015. Yet, Guadagno’s name recognition will not exceed 20% in independent polls.

U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman will announce 3-4 indictments in the George Washington Bridge/Port Authority fiasco.  Christie will not be one of them. Neither will Acting Governor Guadagno.

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