Governor Chris Christie has consistently thumbed his nose at New Jersey Republicans
Governor Chris Christie continued the transition of the Executive Branch of New Jersey’s State Government back to the Democratic Party today with his announcement that Charles A. Richman will become Acting Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs on Friday when current Commissioner, Richard Constable, leaves government service after 13 years. Christie’s announcement said that Richman will be formally nominated to succeed Constable in the Commissioner’s post.
Richman, a career New Jersey bureaucrat with 40 years experience, served in the cabinets of Governor Brendan Byrne and Governor Richard Codey, on a acting basis.
Throughout his second term as Governor, Christie has appointed high profile Democrats to fill cabinet level and other important goverment positions when vacancies have occurred.
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Posted: March 23rd, 2015 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: 2016 Presidential Politics, 2017 NJ Gubernatorial Politics, Chris Christie, Christie Administration, New Jersey | Tags: 2016 Presidential politics, Brendan Byrne, Charles Richman, David Samson, DCA, Department of Consumer Affairs, Department of Transportation, Governor Chris Christie, Governor Tom Kean, James Simpson, Jamie Fox, Jim McGreevey, John Degnan, Jon Corzine, Port Authority of NY/NJ, Richard Codey, Richard Constable, Thomas Kean Sr | 2 Comments »
TRENTON — Federal prosecutors have issued a new subpoena to the Port Authority seeking records related to claims that Gov. Chris Christie’s administration retaliated against Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal. The subpoenas call for records from a number of former officials at the agency regarding interactions with… Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: March 20th, 2015 | Author: admin | Filed under: Bridgegate, Chris Christie, Jersey City, Paul Fishman, Steve Fulop | Tags: Bridgegate, Chris Christie, Jersey City, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, Paul Fishman, Port Authority, Port Authority of NY/NJ, Steve Fulop, US Attorney Paul Fishman | 5 Comments »
TRENTON — State Sen. Joseph Kyrillos did not vote to buck the governor today when Democrats unsuccessfully tried to override his veto of the Port Authority legislation. But Kyrillos (R-Monmouth), who had been a personal friend of Christie’s and one of his chief allies in the Legislature, today demonstrated just how much their relationship has deteriorated… Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: March 16th, 2015 | Author: admin | Filed under: Bridgegate, Chris Christie, Joe Kyrillos, New Jersey, NJ Senate Republicans, NJ State Legislature, Port Authority | Tags: Bridgegate, Chris Christie, Joe Kyrillos, NJ Senate, NJ Senate Republicans, Port Authority of NY/NJ, Port Authority reform, Senator Joe Kyrillos | 5 Comments »
The political operative who helped mastermind the notorious lane closures at the George Washington Bridge — and is now cooperating with a federal investigation of the Bridgegate scandal — had more extensive contact with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s inner circle than the governor has acknowledged. That is the conclusion of a WNYC examination of calendars… Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: March 13th, 2015 | Author: admin | Filed under: 2016 Presidential Politics, Bridgegate, Chris Christie, Port Authority | Tags: Bridgegate, Chris Christie, David Wildstein, George Washington Bridge Scandal, Port Authority of NY/NJ | 1 Comment »
Gov. Chris Christie has a remarkable winning streak going, one unmatched by any other New Jersey governor. He’s vetoed more than 350 bills during his five-plus years in Trenton, according to a Wall Street Journal count. And, in spite of the fact that the Legislature is controlled by the Democrats, a party other than his own,… Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: March 10th, 2015 | Author: admin | Filed under: 2016 Presidential Politics, 2017 NJ Gubernatorial Politics, Art Gallagher, Chris Christie, New Jersey, NJ Senate Republicans, NJ State Legislature, Port Authority | Tags: Chris Christie, NJ Senate Republicans, Port Authority, Port Authority of NY/NJ | 2 Comments »
Freeholder Lillian Burry, Open Space Champion
Monmouth County will have a new 250 acre park in Aberdeen and Marlboro Townships, despite the fact that Port Authority of NY/NJ backed out of a commitment to fund $5 million to purchase 87.8 acres of the open space from a developer who had approvals to build 250 homes on the property.
Today, the Monmouth County Board of Freeholders approved funding the entire $10.6 million land purchase from Aberdeen/Wilson Associates, LLC through the County’s Open Space Trust Fund.
“The Port Authority appears to be unwilling to honor its commitment of sharing to fund a project that will preserve significant portions of the Matawan Creek watershed and eventually provide a 250-acre park,” said Freeholder Lillian G. Burry, liaison to the County Park System. “The Port Authority’s offer to help move this deal forward appears to have been withdrawn. Fortunately, Monmouth County has an invaluable Open Space Trust Fund to finance the entire purchase.”
State Senator Joe Kyrillos praised the Freeholder Board, the NY/NJ Baykeeper and Aberdeen Township for making the park a reality and slammed Port Authority for backing out of the deal.
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Posted: February 26th, 2015 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Monmouth County, Monmouth County Board of Freeholders, Monmouth County Park System | Tags: Aberdeen Mayor Fred Tagliarini, Aberdeen Township, Aberdeen/Wilson Associates, David Wildstein, Freeholder Director Gary Rich, Freeholder Lillian Burry, Freeholder Tom Arnone, Gary Rich, Jim Truncer, Joe Kyrillos, Lillian Burry, Marlboro Township, Monmouth Conservation Foundation, Monmouth County Board of Freeholders, Monmouth County Parks, NY/NJ Baykeeper, Port Authority of NY/NJ, Senator Joe Kyrillos, Tom Arnone | 4 Comments »
TRENTON — In a story that has been told only by the slow-drip disclosure of subpoenas, the ongoing investigation into the George Washington Bridge scandal that has engulfed the Christie administration and some of his closest advisers continues to grow. In the latest revelations, United Airlines confirmed today that it has been asked to turn over…
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By Art Gallagher
In his OpEd published this morning, former Kean and Whitman Administration spokesman Carl Golden makes the case why it is safe for New Jersey’s Republican legislators to defy Governor Chris Christie and join the Democratic majority in overriding Christie’s of the Port Authority reform legislation.
The two identical bills that Governors Christie and Cuomo vetoed on the Saturday between Christmas and New Years Day had passed overwhelmingly with bi-partisan support in both houses of the New Jersey and New York legislatures. The bills would have required increased transparency and accountability on the part of Port Authority of NY/NJ.
In vetoing the bills, Christie and Cuomo endorsed reforms proposed by a panel they had appointed and urged both legislatures to adopt them instead. But as Golden noted in his OpEd, the vetoes have been widely viewed as maintaining the status quo of disfunctionality, wasteful spending and gubernatorial abuse at Port Authority.
In his five years in office, none of Christie’s vetoes have been overridden, even if the original bills passed the legislature with bi-partisan support and by veto proof majorities. Republican legislators have frequently “flip-flopped” and changed their votes to uphold the Governor’s will. As Golden explains,
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Posted: January 20th, 2015 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Mike Doherty, Monmouth County, NJ GOP, Opinion, Port Authority | Tags: Art Gallagher, Carl Golden, Chris Christie, Port Authority of NY/NJ, Senator Michael Doherty, Senator Mike Doherty, Veto override | 3 Comments »
