CHAIRMAN CURRIE ON GOVERNOR'S OVERDUE AND INADEQUATE PRESS CONFERENCE

For Immediate Release:
3/28/14

(Trenton) -- Today, John Currie, Chairman of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee, issued the following statement in response to Governor Christie's long overdue, often combative, and grossly inadequate press conference, which again sought to distract attention from the numerous allegations of administrative wrongdoing.

"It’s been 78 days since Chris Christie had a press conference to profess his sadness. Now, after spending an estimated $1,000,000 of the taxpayer’s money he wants the media to accept an incomplete and one-sided report as evidence of his innocence. The shameless and self serving nature of this public relations ploy only invites more doubt about the governor’s claims of ignorance."

"The resignation of David Samson changes little about how this scandal unfolded. After we learned that New Jersey citizens were put in harm’s way — stuck for days of gridlock for no good reason by the Governor’s top aides — we expected Governor Christie to be truthful and contrite. We needed him to demonstrate a genuine desire to make amends, and to cooperate with a real independent investigation. Instead, he chose defiance, diversion and delusion."

"Perhaps we should not be surprised. This is the same governor who says he takes responsibility, but then, in the same breath, blames others. This is the governor who lets Sandy Survivors linger out in the cold and entangled in bureaucratic red tape, while he jets around the country raising money from Republican fat cats. His behavior is not befitting of New Jersey's highest office, and it certainly ought to preclude any sort of promotion. Let’s remember: Governor Christie is not the victim of the scandal that he created, the people of New Jersey are."

CHAIRMAN CURRIE STATEMENT ON GOVERNOR CHRISTIE'S OCEAN COUNTY TOWN HALL

(Trenton) -- Today, John Currie, Chairman of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee, reacted to Governor Christie's town hall meeting in Toms River, New Jersey. The troubled governor again used the event as a platform to divert attention from his administration's unfolding scandals, to talk himself up and to blame the federal government for the state's many problems.

Three months after the so-called Bridgegate scandal flared, Governor Christie still does not show a hint of concern that senior members of his administration put politics ahead of public safety -- an issue that he brushes off as 'a distraction.'

"I was hoping the governor would hit pause on the phony rhetoric and provide a credible explanation about why his administration botched the Superstorm Sandy recovery effort and how the Port Authority could be so badly abused for political purposes. Unfortunately, that did not happen," Chairman Currie said. "When eight out of ten grant applications from Superstorm Sandy survivors are inappropriately denied, it should trigger alarm and administrative action, not one-liners and finger-pointing. The people of New Jersey have a right to be angry that the Christie administration has made their lives more difficult. We deserve more substantive reform and less spin. Addressing the problems the governor helped create remains a top priority, even if Chris Christie considers them inconvenient or irrelevant."

When not covertly fundraising elsewhere, Governor Christie's limited public appearances have been held in friendly surroundings around New Jersey. The events have a heavily produced, show business quality, and have left unanswered the many serious questions about the George Washington Bridge lane closure scandal, crony Sandy recovery contracts, and the shady activities of his top political appointees, including Port Authority Chairman David Samson.