Chris Christie

[The Wizard]

is still employed as a U.S. Attorney. He must be part of the Bush cabal starting fake investigations at Ku Klux Karl's behest to damage Democrats during the campaign season. There's a legal term to describe this: Malicious Prosecution. It's time for Democrats who've been victimized by these creeps to file suit, and always include a John Doe on the summons and complaint.

[NJCher]

1. on NJN News tonight

Denying he'd been pressured by the bush admin to bring up the Menendez issue for investigation.

Lying bastard.

Went on to talk about what a buddy he was of the bushes and how he'd raised so much money for them.

Wish we could rid ourselves of this despicable creep.



Cher

[rusty charly]

2. more from shifty christie

POLITICS is not the sort of rough-and-tumble contact sport in which the lion lies down with the lamb. But that is precisely what seems to be afoot in Trenton. On April 12, the United States attorney for New Jersey, Christopher J. Christie, is to join the state’s attorney general, Stuart Rabner, in an appearance before the Assembly Budget Committee to talk about their joint efforts on homeland security and programs to attack gang violence in the state — and obtaining federal assistance for both.

It is highly unusual for a United States attorney who is a Republican appointee to appear in the Democratic-controlled forum. Consider too that Mr. Christie, who was a prolific fund-raiser for President Bush in 2000, has been touted as a possible future United States Senate or gubernatorial candidate. This is also a United States attorney with a reputation for excoriating New Jersey’s political culture of corruption and indicting politicians. On Thursday, he brought fraud and corruption charges against State Senator Wayne R. Bryant, the powerful Democrat from Camden County.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/01/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/01njpol.html?pagewanted=print

It would not be an exaggeration to say that Mr. Christie’s name sets off fear among some members of the Democratic-controlled Legislature because of his office’s power. Some sense of that fear could be seen in recent weeks as Mr. Christie’s office seemed to be casting a wider net as part of its investigation of Mr. Bryant.

[rusty charly]

3. The scary side of Christie's crusade

How does a political appointee of the executive branch of the federal government get to wield so much power over the legislative branch of a state government? What are the consequences for separation of powers? For the legislative process? And what about his accountability? As a prosecutor, Christie can easily slip behind "no comment" because he is involved in an investigation he can't talk about.

Much has been said about the alleged "Christmas tree" practice of appropriations, state lawmakers adding lines to the budget at the last minute without a paper trail that might produce accountability. It's been going on for a long time, and its existence has hardly been a secret. Legislators don't hang around Trenton all night at budget time just to see the sun rise over the Delaware. But where's the crime? The "Christmas tree" itself is not a criminal practice. The sale of public favors is a crime -- and it can be done in January as well as June, during any season as well as at budget time. By Republicans as well as Democrats. And, if there's no crime inherent in the practice, what's with all the federal subpoenas? Particularly when there is no evidence anyone was keeping anything from him.

"It would be a crime if it could be proven that a legislator directed public money to someone as a quid pro quo for a favor of some sort, something of value," explains John McDonald, a Somerville criminal defense attorney. "But that is a very difficult thing to prove. You have to be careful about making those kinds of allegations." Christie won't comment about the subpoenas, of course. That's the beauty of his position. But subpoenas are comments all by themselves. They're out there, aren't they? Public knowledge. Subpoenas are their own special kind of press release. Their existence gets to be well-known.

http://www.nj.com/columns/ledger/braun/index.ssf?/base/columns-0/117488682642940.xml&coll=1

[rusty charly]

4. From the editorial page of The New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/09/opinion/09mon1.html

"Ms. Thompson's case is not the only one raising questions about whether prosecutors tried last year to tilt close elections toward the Republicans. New Jersey's federal prosecutor conducted an investigation of weak-looking allegations against Senator Robert Menendez that was used in Republican ads. Congress should look into both cases to determine whether partisan politics played a role - and whether they were coordinated with anyone at the Justice Department or the White House."

[rusty charly]

5. Debunking the Myths of Chris Christie

http://www.bluejersey.com/userDiary.do?personId=79

[rusty charly]

6. More Examples of Chris Christie Helping Republicans

Folks have been sending in some more events that Chris Christie attended at the behest of Republican elected officials, but so far we have no evidence of any Democrats inviting him to speak other than to the legislature.

http://www.bluejersey.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=4586

[rusty charly]

7. "Well, as long as he says..."

"Well, as long as he says that he's not trying to raise his profile and get people who attend events sponsored by Republican legislators to support his mission and political goals, then we'll just have to believe him. Because it's not like he's been sued for libel before and settled the case -- except for libel his opponents in his first Freeholder run. And how did he do it? By accusing them of being under investigation when they weren't, and he knew the weren't. But, we shouldn't assume he's interested in the political impact of his actions just because he has a record of being a highly partisan Republican, has misused information about investigations in his own campaigns, is reputed to be the frontrunner for the Republican nomination for Governor, and is doing a town meeting tour all over the state rallying the troops."

http://nj.politicsnj.com/christie-challenges-citizens-help-him-fight-political-corruption-7805#comment

[rusty charly]

8. What Follow Us Here Means

Christopher Christie, the US Attorney for New Jersey, told PBS’ Gwen Ifill last night that the six men he described as “Islamic extremists” or “jihadists” who were arrested for plotting to kill American soldiers at Fort Dix were “inspired” by al Qaeda and al Qaeda writings. The FBI Agent in charge of the arrests told the nation we had just “dodged a bullet.” Maybe many bullets.

The major media predictably reported this as given to them by the government officials; except for KO’s raised eyebrow and a little snark, no one questioned whether this might be one of the many suspicious “coincidences” in which a new “terrorist threat” emerges just in time to divert attention from the latest White House scandal, such as the illegal use of political loyalty oaths in the hiring and firing of DoJ employees. The benefit of having a new scandal every week is that there are no timing coincidences any more. Any time is a good time for a diversion.

Because of men like Alberto Gonzales and Karl Rove, the American people have less confidence in the Department of Justice and the men and women who still remain US Attorneys. We cannot be certain that the DoJ would not time the announcement of “terrorist” arrests for political reasons, especially when these suspects had been under surveillance for 16 months and been infiltrated by the FBI. We don’t know whether the timing had anything to do with a need to revive the shattered reputation of the Attorney General or those who oversee or vetted the selection of the remaining crop of US Attorneys. And it may have been only a coincidence that Mr. Christie used his appearance on the Newshour to warn Americans that “the war on terror is real” and we should see this as a wake up call on the need to be vigilant about Islamic extremists operating right here in the US. He did not warn about any other types of fanatics or ask us to think about how this group came to want to kill Americans.

http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/05/09/what-follow-us-here-means/

[rusty charly]

9. Let's take Chris Christie's word for it

But, as long as we're at it, let's take Chris Christie's word for it that this is "terrorism" and these plotters are "terrorists." If that is in fact the case then two main points the Bush administration makes about the Iraq War are false:

"We're fighting them over there so we don't have to fight them over here."

"It's not an accident that we haven't been hit with a terror attack since 2001. It's because of tough decisions by George Bush."

The first is obviously untrue if the reports are valid, because this means the terrorists are over here and planning to hit us. So the main winger defense of the Iraq War as part of the Global War On Terror goes out the window.

The second is untrue when you take into account the October 2002 DC Sniper attacks. For 23 days a Muslim convert named John Muhammed -- he converted just after 9/11 -- and his step son Lee Boyd Malvo fired rifles at motorists on the Beltway that killed five people and terrified everyone. The intent was obviously to induce terror, there were successive attacks over a period of weeks, and the person doing it was a Muslim.

If this week's abortive, unlikely and unsuccessful attack on Fort Dix is terrorism, then the DC sniping was definitively terrorism, and Bush hasn't kept us safe at all.

http://www.bluejersey.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=4701

[rusty charly]

10. Christie's selective policy of not talking about investigations

Back in April we noted that Chris Christie has a selective policy of not talking about his investigations, usually trotting out a no comment whenever anyone wants to know about how politics enters into his office's work.

http://www.bluejersey.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=4698

At a presentation arranged and sponsored by three Republican legislators -- including Joe Kyrillos, a family friend and as State GOP Chair the recipient of hundreds of thousands of dollars from Christie's family -- Christie was asked if his presence at the event meant that the sponsors were not being investigated. He responded:

Asked if his appearance with the three GOP legislators up for election this year could be construed as a signal that Kyrillos, Handlin and Thompson are uninvolved in the current probe of state legislators receiving personal financial gain through state budget items, Christie said he would not comment on any investigations, as a matter of policy.

We noted that Christie actually does comment on investigations, basically when it strikes his fancy. And now today there is yet another example.

Despite evidence suggesting that the administration of former Gov. James E. McGreevey might have put pressure on the state Parole Board to release Prisco, Christie waited for Harvey. But after a two-year investigation, Harvey closed the case in 2005.
"I felt like I got burned by backing off," Christie told members of the Asbury Park Press editorial board. ?

When the time is right, Christie said, he might take another look into the case. Prisco had been serving a 12-year sentence for arson and racketeering stemming from a fire at Mud Shots Bar in Garfield.

Christie explained that he was intrigued by the settlement last month between the state and the Parole Board's former director, Kenneth Connolly, who sued, contending he was demoted and transferred to a position at a state prison for speaking up against Prisco's release.

Huh. This looks an awful lot like the US Attorney commenting on an investigation. Anyone else?

[Kool Kitty]

11. According to the article in today's Washington Post,

seems like Mr. Christie was one of the 26 names on the firing list out of DOJ on November 1, 2006.

[rusty charly]

12. NJ Media Gives Christie A Second Pass on US Attorney Firings

OK, we're pretty sure Nick Acocella of Politifax doesn't read Blue Jersey, so I guess he is to be forgiven for missing the news that Chris Christie wasn't just on a firing list in November of last year, but he was on the list in January 2006.

That little factoid -- the January list -- appears to have missed every single paper in New Jersey, and the only media outlet (yeah, we are now a media outlet since we have our own credentialed reporter in the state house) in the Garden state to report it was Blue Jersey.

http://www.bluejersey.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=4805

But the issue is serious, because Acocella's Polifax newsletter is a highly influential, mandatory read for the politicos and reporters in this state.

-snip-

Christie was on the list for eight months, committed what "some Democrats thought smacked of partisan hackery" and then was taken off the list. That's not a good story for Christie at all. In fact, it indicates that his record wasn't all that pleasing to the White House until he sideswiped Menendez, and only after that "hackery" did Christie's job security return.

But that's not the story that got into the papers in New Jersey. They left out the first eight months of the story and by jumping in half-way created a totally false impression of the situation. It's not money that bought this omission that turned a damaging story into accolades, but a compliant press that is unwilling to do the second day reporting necessary to ferret out the truth.

The New Jersey press fell down on the job. And Nick, who is usually pretty damned good, fell down with them.

[rusty charly]

13. Hey Chris Christie: Mind Your Own Damn Jurisdiction

U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie said he has asked State Sen. Nia Gill to sign off on Stuart Rabner's nomination as Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court, and according to a published report, criticized Gill and Gov. Jon Corzine for allowing the nomination to be "treated like some appointee for a local utilities authority."

http://www.bluejersey.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=4967

What interest does Christie have in Rabner's nomination? Jurisdictionally, none. He is a federal prosecutor. He's not even a bit player in this completely state-oriented process, because it doesn't involve him at all. Furthermore, NJ Senators of both parties (like any member of any legislative body) frequently use the rules and traditions of their body in order to better make their voices heard on certain issues. Governor Corzine has met privately with Gill. Certainly, the issue will be resolved, one way or another.

[rusty charly]

14. Chris Christie: partisan in nature:

The New York Times today noted that Chris Christie's tirade against Democratic leaders was partisan in nature:

"And in an unusual and oddly partisan attack, the United States
attorney for New Jersey, Christopher J. Christie, who was Mr. Rabner's
boss for a number of years, sharply criticized legislators and Mr. Corzine
for not adequately defending Mr. Rabner."

http://www.bluejersey.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=4996

The only quibble with the NY Times characterization of Mr. Christie is that this is "unusual" for him. In fact, he has been using his office and it's bully pulpit in a highly partisan -- however unintentional -- manner for the past few years.

[rusty charly]

15. Christie complains, whines and wheedles

What we need- according to the pundit class- is more politicians willing to step up to the microphones and complain, whine and wheedle when things don't go their way.

http://www.bluejersey.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=5030

[rusty charly]

16. Bloomfield College has entered the fray,

postponing a show featuring Chris Christie hosted by former Republican Chairman and current Senator Joe Kyrillos until at least after the November elections.

http://www.bluejersey.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=5078


"Brookdale Community College has canceled State Sen. Joseph
M. Kyrillos' cable television show, saying the college does not
want to be at the flashpoint of a political campaign.
Kyrillos had hoped to show himself in conversation with U.S.
Attorney Christopher J. Christie, an unabashed critic of state
officials and arguably the GOP's favorite leading man. But the
interview Kyrillos did with the feisty Christie may air after the
Nov. 4th election, and not before, said Cheryl Cummings, executive
director of the Brookdale Network, which produced the program."

[rusty charly]

17. $52M-plus payday for Christie's old boss

When U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie announced a $311 million settlement to end a probe into kickbacks by leading manufacturers of knee and hip replacements, he touted the agreement as a groundbreaking development for consumers and the industry.

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-12/1195537982212840.xml&coll=1

The deal also proved to be lucrative for Christie's old boss.

Former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft was one of five private attorneys whom Christie hand-picked to monitor the implant makers. Now Ashcroft's D.C.-based firm is poised to collect more than $52 million in 18 months, among the biggest payouts reported for a federal monitor.

[rusty charly]

18. Today, Congressman Bill Pascrell wrote to House Judiciary chairman John Conyers

"Last week, news broke that US Attorney Chris Christie handed the firm of his former boss John Ashcroft a $52 million no-bid contract to monitor the operations of companies involved in a kickback scheme. In a letter to Christie, Congressman Frank Pallone said he was "troubled" by the news and added that "the seemingly unfettered discretion that your office enjoys to frame the agreement and its terms, including choosing a firm or individual to monitor the agreement, invites the very sort of favoritism, political interference, and back room dealing that your office has been so successful in combating throughout New Jersey."

http://www.bluejersey.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=6265

Today, Congressman Bill Pascrell wrote to House Judiciary chairman John Conyers saying he has "become concerned about the issue of deferred prosecution in part because of published reports regarding the actions taken by the U.S. Attorney's Office in New Jersey." He cites the "little transparency within this provision of the agreement as it could allow the federal monitor to act with impunity while the manufacturers remain under the threat of prosecution."

With the exception of Pallone and Pascrell, most other New Jersey politicians - Republicans and Democrats - have been eerily silent on this abuse of power."

[rusty charly]

19. "Christie takes ethical allegations against him very seriously"

NJPolitics reports that Chris Christie takes ethical allegations against him very seriously:

"Christie poked fun of the controversy concerning his award of a $30 million no-bid federal monitor to his ex-boss, former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft. He asked the lawyers in the room to raise their hands, and told them that the line for federal monitor contracts forms to the right."

Can you imagine the headlines if Wayne Bryant told the Jefferson-Jackson dinner that the line for no-show jobs was forming up?

http://www.bluejersey.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=6299