Christie Vetoes Sandy Relief Oversight Bill (April 26, 2013)

[herding cats]

10. I didn't know about this!

From a different source, but still on topic.

Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-Essex) said the bill would have written oversight into state law, rather than taking the Republican governor’s word for it.

“Residents devastated by this storm deserve the peace of mind that the billions in federal funds slated for the recovery will be administered efficiently and appropriately,” Oliver said. “This bill would have done that. Now all they have is a stated goal from the governor that can be broken or rescinded without the power of law. With his veto, the governor has weakened oversight and transparency of Hurricane Sandy relief funding.”

The Christie administration has already come under fire for awarding a no-bid debris-removal contract to a politically connected Florida firm, AshBritt, by “piggybacking” off an old Connecticut contract. The administration maintained the approach was the quickest way to clean up storm debris, and the work has since been competitively bid.

http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/04/christie_vetoes_sandy_oversigh_1.html