New Jersey may be investigating him for an alleged $245,000 pension scam, but Monmouth County sheriff's officer Mickey Donovan has a political ace up his sleeve.
Donovan campaigned for Gov. Chris Christie and Lt. Kim Guadagno as Monmouth County chairman of the "Law Enforcement for Christie-Guadagno" team in the 2009 gubernatorial election. (The story is now online at http://newjersey.watchdog.org/
One year earlier, false statements by Guadagno, as Monmouth sheriff, had enabled Donovan to dodge pension rules — and collect retirement pay in addition to an $87,500 salary as her sheriff's officer chief.
The connection between Donovan and the Christie-Guadagno campaign adds another obstacle to a year-long inquiry by the Attorney General's Division of Criminal Justice. The conflicts of interest include:
· DCJ is probing allegations that may implicate Guadagno, its former deputy director. She held that post from 1998 to 2001.
· Nearly two dozen DCJ investigators and supervisors are "double-dippers" who collect state paychecks and pensions under controversial circumstances.
· Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa, Christie's former chief counsel, is in charge of the DCJ. Chiesa is
Guadagno's fellow cabinet member — and a Christie appointee who serves at the governor's pleasure.
Despite the conflicts, Christie has not named a special prosecutor or authorized an independent investigation.
Donovan was one of 24 LECG chairs campaigning for Christie and Guadagno. Half of the LECG team — including a state assemblyman and six county sheriffs — were double-dippers who simultaneously collected governmental salaries and state pension checks. (New Jersey Watchdog's story on LECG's 12 double-dippers is online at http://newjersey.watchdog.org/
For full coverage, go to http://newjersey.watchdog.org.
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