Christie used Sandy money as political slush fund, evidence shows (Editorial)

[JaneyVee]

Looks like we must send out a new batch of subpoenas, this time over fresh and powerful evidence that the governor personally misused Hurricane Sandy funds to win an endorsement from a Democrat.

This sounds like Hoboken in reverse. While Mayor Dawn Zimmer accuses the administration of withholding Sandy aid for political reasons in her city, the evidence in Belleville indicates that the governor provided extra aid for a mayor who was willing to dance.

And here, the governor was directly involved.

First, a reality check: The Sandy aid that New Jersey received was intended to help the victims of the storm, not as a political slush fund. The governor peeled off some of it for a TV campaign featuring himself and his family during the re-election campaign, a shameless stunt that is now under federal investigation. If Zimmer's charges are true, he withheld aid from Hoboken in a bid to pressure her to approve a real estate project.

The rest: http://blog.nj.com/njv_editorial_page/2014/01/christie_awards_political_ally.html

[Beacool]

1. I'm glad that mayor Zimmer spoke up.

Pandora's box has been opened. Christie is toast as a potential presidential candidate. We'll see if he can even keep his current job.

'And the governor's fingerprints are all over it. Christie personally steered $6 million of federal Sandy recovery dollars to the project, a senior center and housing complex that was planned well before Sandy hit. At the ceremonial groundbreaking in Belleville on May 29, Christie recounted how he called Richard Constable, head of the state's rebuilding programs, "every day" to tell him to get relief money to this project:

"We get on them and things get done," the governor said.

So never mind the merits. This was about politics. And that is simply wrong. Sandy victims everywhere should be furious.

It also raises new questions about Hoboken. Zimmer insists that Christie's officials -- including Constable -- linked Sandy aid to her approval of a downtown development that was represented by David Samson, a Christie confidant who is chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

So was the governor behind that threat? His aides have denied it. But when asked if there was any contact between the governor's office and the people who hand out Sandy relief in Hoboken, they refuse to answer. A public records request is pending.'

[democratisphere]

2. Say goodnight Chris.

The sun has set on your current Administration and your future aspirations for the WH are done.

[Beacool]

3. I guess he thought that he was above the law.

It's the kind of hubris that has ruined more than one political career.

[malaise]

4. As Obama said to Rmoney

Please proceed governor

[sheshe2]

5. Christie,

the gift that keeps on giving!

Thanks JaneyVee.

[Cha]

6. Wow.. what was he thinking?!

That he'd gotten away with shit for so long that he'd never get caught? He must hate BK, DW, BS, etc etc etc with a purple passion.. but, feel only immense sorrow for himself getting busted red handed with his mitts in several cookie jars.

[Laxman]

7. Welcome To The Modern World Star-Ledger...

Thanks for posting this. I've been trying to explain that the Christie Administration has been keeping close hold of the Federal Sandy aid they were entrusted with and have been scheming to distribute the funds in a manner that best suited Christie, not how best to recover from Sandy and reduce the state's long term vulnerability to future events- how a rational thinking person would plan on spending it. What was missing from the explanation were precise examples of how that concept has been carried out. Now you have two for comparison- Hoboken & Belleville. Back a week or so when I posted "Here are you Assignments"- http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024356846 assignment number two was:

2. Sandy Money. Start with the Sandy Transparency Page. Then check out the GORR. That's the Governor's Office of Recovery and Rebuilding. All spending is funneled through this office. Tightly controlled by the Governor's inner circle. Where the money has been spent, where it hasn't. Then report back.

This is where the real creepy activity lies because it is just so damaging to the long term interests of the state. Its wrong on so many levels, but mostly because the things that really need to be done for the long term health, well-being and public welfare of the state are not getting done because that isn't the standard for spending the money. Glad to see the Ledger starting to wake up to that fact. Hopefully the walls are starting to close in on this band of over ambitious cretins who have tried to hijack Sandy recovery for the embellishment of Christie's political career.

This Belleville project has a tenuous connection to Sandy at best. Belleville had minor flooding of largely a commercial and industrial area along the tidal Passaic. This project is a long way from the area that flooded. Yet Sandy funds were mainlined to this project. Hoboken suffered real damage and remains vulnerable to future storms. Yet where is the money. Couldn't be a more stark example of the perversion of the process.

[Scuba]

8. Smoking gun ...

As a result, the relatively unscathed township of Belleville got more disaster recovery dollars to rebuild rental housing than some harder-hit towns. Even though the Belleville mayor himself conceded that his residents weren't displaced by Sandy.

And the governor's fingerprints are all over it. Christie personally steered $6 million of federal Sandy recovery dollars to the project, a senior center and housing complex that was planned well before Sandy hit. At the ceremonial groundbreaking in Belleville on May 29, Christie recounted how he called Richard Constable, head of the state's rebuilding programs, "every day" to tell him to get relief money to this project:

"We get on them and things get done," the governor said.

[Laxman]

9. Joe D, The Essex County Executive...

who backed Christie from Day One was all over this project. A scumbag of the highest order. (and currently under investigation for misuse of campaign funds) This truly is a smoking gun. I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't some horse trading going on, not just with endorsements, but with investigations into Joe D. There have been rumors going around the state for the past two years that Christie has been trading "leniency" for votes. Research a former legislator named Albert Cuthino.

[WillyT]

10. K & R !!!

[ffr]

11. Like the strands of a wound golf ball. It's coming unwound.

Bye-bye Christie, you crook!