NJ Watchdog: Corruption case undermines Christe claims as prosecutor

On the presidential campaign trail, Chris Christie boasts that he was a no-nonsense prosecutor above politics.

“The fact is that this Justice Department under this president has been a political Justice Department,” said Christie during last month’s debate on CNBC. If elected, he promised to nominate “an attorney general who will enforce the law and make justice more than just a word.”

But back in New Jersey, the Christie administration appears to be burying a corruption case involving Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, his second-in-command. An alleged $245,000 pension fraud occurred when Guadagno was Monmouth County sheriff in 2008, the year before she first ran for lieutenant governor as Christie’s running mate.

On Thursday, a New Jersey appeals court ruled the state attorney general’s Division of Criminal Justice must release two confidential documents to New Jersey Watchdog. Justices George S. Leone and Carol E. Higbee rejected a lower court’s decision to block release of the records as an “abuse of discretion.”

“We cannot agree that the fact the investigation concerned possible sensitive issues of public corruption weighs against disclosure,” the ruling stated. “In cases involving allegations of public corruption, transparency and the public’s right to know are particularly important.”

Guadagno made false and conflicting statements that enabled her sheriff’s chief officer, Michael Donovan, to improperly collect an $85,000 a year pension in addition to his $87,500 salary, as first reported by New Jersey Watchdog in 2010.

In 2011, DCJ began an investigation at the request of the Police and Firemen’s Retirement System board of trustees. From the start, the probe was riddled with conflicts of interest.

Guadagno is a former deputy director of DCJ who had supervised or worked with many of its investigators. Yet Christie did not use his authority to appoint a special prosecutor or independent investigator under the State Constitution.

What happened to that investigation is a mystery slowly being revealed through years of public records battles between New Jersey Watchdog and the Christie administration.

The complete story is online at http://watchdog.org/246981/nj-corruption-undermines-christie/.

Pallone On Squawk Box To Discuss "Oil Spill Bill"

Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Rep. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) appeared on Sqauwk Box to discuss and provide insight into the CLEAR Act... aka, the "oil spill bill" that has hit the floor of the House of Representative.

Two very interesting, different and striking stances are taken between Pallone and Cassidy when it comes to this bill and who should be held accountable and responsible for future oil spills and their clean up.

I think Congressman Pallone nailed it.

He's "Lord Of The Flies"; Obama That Is

He's a Harvard educated lawyer, leader of the free world and has the reflexes of a highly trained ninja. America's enemies, beware.

During an interview with CNBC, President Barack Obama was forced to swat away a fly. The President was able to quickly kill the bug.

After killing the fly, the president said: "That was pretty impressive, wasn't it? I got the sucker." then continue with the interview.

Hat tip to The Daily Beast, The BBC and the Associated Press

Quote Of The Day

"I think you, New Jersey, in your plan, at least from what I've read, has done more than, say, your brothers here in New York, where the Assembly goes up there and raises 8% spending and then jacks up a new tax in the middle of this recession. I mean, it's, and I'm afraid that's happening in more places than not because of the stimulus and New Jersey, I think you get an 'A' for what you're trying to do." 

Jack Welch talking to Governor Corzine on this mornings edition of CNBC's Squawk Box

Governor Corzine talks about how the Economic Stimulus Package will benefit NJ

Governor Corzine discusses a recent spate of positive economic news in New Jersey and how President Obama's economic stimulus package will help the state on CNBC this morning

Part 1


Part 2

Governor Corzine talks Economic Stimulus, NJ Economy on CNBC, 1/29/09

If you missed it, Governor Corzine made an appearance on CNBC's Squawk Box yesterday morning. The Governor talked about President Obama's Economic Stimulus package and what it means for New Jersey as well as the Country.

The Governor talked about New Jersey's economy and how the State is fairing during this economic crisis. He also talked with Jack Welch about the bonuses being paid out to some of the executives on Wall Street.