Christie’s book is worth reading

LET ME FINISH: Trump, the Kushners, Bannon, New Jersey, and the power of in-your-face politics, former Governor Chris Christie’s memoir and plea for a political future is not likely to change any minds about him.  If you’re one of the 15% of New Jersey residents who admire Christie today as much as you did during the early aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, you will love the book and your admiration for Christie will grow.

If you believe that Christie knew about and was involved in the George Washington Bridge scandal known as Bridgegate and that he closed New Jersey’s beaches for all but his family on the July 4th weekend in 2017, his book will tell you why you’re wrong.  Christie is the victim of the two events that define his legacy so far; Bridgegate and Beachgate.

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Christie to return to Asbury Park Convention Hall

“I sought a second term to finish the job – now watch me do it.”

~ Governor Chris Christie, November 5, 2013

Governor Chris Christie is bringing his “Telling it like it is” presidential campaign to the Asbury Park Convention Hall for a high dollar fundraiser on August 4.   Here’s a copy of the invitation if you would like to go.  Tickets are $250 per person for the reception. For $2,700 per person or $5,400 per couple you get a photo and a reception ticket.

Christie ends his first presidential commercial with a clip from his announcement speech where he emphatically declares “I mean what I say say and I say what I mean, and that’s what America needs right now.”

Here are some highlights of what Christie said the last time he held a big event at the Asbury Park Convention Hall—his victory speech on the occasion of his reelection in 2013:

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Rebovich Institute Cancels Gubernatorial Campaign Recap

Ben Dworkin, Director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics, introduces U.S. Senate candidate Steve Lonegan at a September 24, 2013 event.

Rider University’s Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics has cancelled its 2013 Campaign Managers Conference.  The annual event is designed as a open discussion of the previous year’s general election featuring key players from each party.

The recent scandals over the George Washington Bridge lane closures and allegations that the Christie Administration has been dolling out federal Sandy relief money with political and economic strings attached is the reason for the cancellation of this year’s event which was schedule for Thursday, February 20th.

Benjamin Dworkin, Executive Director of the Institute issued the following statement:

The 2013 gubernatorial campaign in New Jersey was a fascinating race, and we had eagerly looked forward to focusing on this particular race during the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics’ Campaign Managers Conference – our annual look at how modern campaigns are run.

Unfortunately, due to recent controversies and ongoing investigations, it has become clear that a full discussion of the campaign is not possible at this time. Therefore, the Rebovich Institute has chosen to cancel the conference.

We want to thank all of our panelists, including Hon. Bonnie Watson Coleman, Hon. Bill Palatucci, Adam Geller, David Turner and Michael DuHaime for their willingness to participate. We look forward to a meaningful discussion of this campaign at some point in the future.

We apologize for any inconvenience to our panelists, supporters, and for all others planning to attend this event.

 

The next public event for the Rebovich Institute will be Leadership & Comedy: An Evening with Hon. Jon Bramnick, NJ Assembly Republican Leader, on Wednesday, March 5, 2014 at 7 p.m.

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Governor Christie Press Conference At 11 AM

There will be ‘Bridgegate’ questions

Governor Chris Christie has called a press conference for 11am this morning to announce personnel changes in his administration.

‘Bridgegate’, the controversy over lane closures on the George Washington Bridge last September, will likely be the hot topic the press corps wants to talk about, unless Christie declares the press conference ‘on topic’ or restricted to questions about his new appointments or nominations.  Christie has done this on occasion and then lambasted reporters who asked off topic questions.  Any reporter who lets him get away with that today, if he tries it, will deserve to be called an idiot.

Democrats are alleging that the lane closures were political retribution against Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich, a Democrat, for failing to endorse Christie’s reelection.

At his press conference on December 2 announcing Kevin O’Dowd’s nomination to be State Attorney General, Christie blew off questions about the GWB lane closures by joking that he was incognito, moving the cones to close the lanes.  But his joke did not satisfy Assemblyman John Wisniewski who is acting as if he finally has an issue with which to take down Christie, politically.

Christie’s men at the Port Authority, the bi-state agency that manages the GWB, said the lane closures were part of a traffic study. David Wildstein ordered the closure/study and has resigned.  Bill Baroni gave testimony to Wisniewski’s Assembly Transportation Committee justifying the study.  Wisniewski called Baroni’s testimony “less than truthful.”   New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s guy at the Port Authority, Executive Director Patrick Foye, threw Wildstein and Barnoni under a bus in his testimony before Wisniewski’s committee.  Wisniewski has called for Baroni’s resignation and has subpoenaed emails and memos from Port Authority.

The issue is beginning to get legs in the national political press as a possible threat to Christie’s 2016 presidential prospects.  A pro-Hillary Clinton Super PAC is producing ads on the issue.

Tune in at 11 to see if Christie can put this issue behind him before it becomes a distraction to his second term, his chairmanship of the Republican Governors Association and to his 2016 presidential prospects.

UPDATE: BARONI RESIGNED.

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Ellis Island Will Host Christie’s Inaugural Celebration

Historic Ellis Island will be the site of Governor Chris Christie’s second Inaugural Celebration, according to an announcement from the Inaugural Committee.

photo by Art Gallagher. click for larger view

Woodbridge, NJ – Governor Christie’s 2014 Inaugural Committee today announced that the Grand Hall at historic Ellis Island in Jersey City will be the host venue for the Celebration of the Inauguration of Governor Chris Christie and Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno.

The Inaugural Celebration will take place the evening of January 21, 2014, following the traditions of a morning Inaugural service and formal noon Swearing-In Ceremony for the Governor and Lt. Governor. More details on the full schedule of Inauguration Day activities will be announced in the coming days.

In addition, www.Inaugural2014.org has been established as the Inaugural Committee’s website. The site now allows for contributions to be made and will be updated to provide the public the latest information on all Inauguration Day activities, including ticketing information for the evening reception. Space will be limited and tickets are expected to sell out quickly.

New Jersey law limits all contributions to the Inaugural Committee to $500. All proceeds from the event will go to charity.

Today, Ellis Island stands as a symbol of the hope, freedom, and promise of opportunity afforded by our state and our nation and continues to be a powerful connection for millions of Americans to their family history. Estimates suggest that nearly half of all Americans can trace their lineage to at least one ancestor who was one of the more than 12 million individuals who passed through Ellis Island during its operation as a federal immigration station. Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty are part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument shared by New Jersey and New York.

 

The symbolism of Ellis Island for the celebration is important.  For 2016, the message is a reminder that the governor won the Hispanic vote in his landslide reelection. It’s a reminder that President Obama has not gotten anything done on immigration reform, and that Christie is the guy who gets thing done.

Happening just two weeks before the Super Bowl which will be played in the Meadowlands, the choice of Ellis Island for what will undoubtedly be a high profile media event, will add to the New Jersey/New York bragging rights debate.

Is Ellis Island in New York or New Jersey?  Both.  Under a 1998 U.S. Supreme Court decision, the original three acre site belongs to New York, but the surrounding 24 acres that was land-filled belongs to New Jersey.  Some structures on the island are in both States.

The price to attend the party is also symbolic.  At $500 per pop, it is not likely that the tired, poor and huddled masses will be attending.

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Has Christie hitched his wagon to Democrats? Will the bi-partisanship continue?

Governor Chris Christie and HUD Sec Shaun Donovan in Highlands, April 29, 2013

Now that Governor Chris Christie has completed his victory lap with appearances on all four network Sunday morning talk shows, the whole world thinks he’s running for president.

His presidential message of getting things done in a bi-partisan manner is compelling given the current national political environment.  If the presidential election was next November, I think he would beat Hillary Clinton or any Democrat.

But the presidential election is in 2016. Before running for president Christie has a year or two governing New Jersey and a year, 2014, as Chairman of the Republican Governors Association.

2014 will be a busy year for Christie.  In addition to the undefined “big things” he said he will accomplish in his second term, there are 36 gubernatorial seats (38 if you consider the U.S. territories of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands) up in ’14. 19 (20 if you count Guam) of those seats are currently held by Republicans.

In New Jersey, much of Christie’s first term agenda remains undone.  Tax cuts, “the property tax toll kit,” civil service reform, education reform, reshaping the State Supreme Court, and gutting COAH are all incomplete.  Rebuilding from Superstorm Sandy is his mission. Much of New Jersey is still hurting one year out from the storm.

If Christie can cross off most of his New Jersey agenda from his to do list, get the remaining Sandy survivors back into their homes, and pick up some gubernatorial seats next year, the 2016 Republican presidential primaries will not be much of a challenge. No other GOP contender would be able to match Christie’s “I can get the job done and I know how to win” message.

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Governor Christie’s Victory Speech

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FDU Poll: Christie Is Immune From Anger At Washington Republicans, But Other NJ Republicans Are Not

We’ll find out tomorrow night if Governor Chris Christie’s 11th push for coattails is working, but an FDU Public Mind Poll released this morning indicates that the Republican brand has been damaged by the antics of Congressional Republicans and that Christie’s personal popularity is not enough to overcome New Jersey’s Democratic tilt.

FDU surveyed 1206 registered voters last week on how they feel about the job Christie is doing in New Jersey, President Obama’s handling of the federal budget negotiations and  Congressional Democrats and Republicans handling of the federal budget negotiations.

As has consistently been the case over the last year, Christie’s approval numbers are very strong. The governor’s approval rating is positive 61%-24%.  Obama’s handling of the federal budget is disapproved of by 52% of NJ voters and approved by only 38%. Congressional Democrats got a negative rating from 57% with only 32% approving.  75% disapprove of how Congressional Republicans have handled the federal budget, including 79% of Independents and 58% of Republican voters.  Only 14% of NJ voters, 33% of Republicans, approve of the job Congressional Republicans are doing on the budget.

FDU altered the order of their questions before asking participants their partisan identification.   Those who were asked about Congressional Republicans immediately before being asked their party ID, were less likely to say they are Republican or that they would vote Republican.

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Christie: “I don’t want to serve another day with a Democratic Legislature”

photo credit: Rhoda Chodosh. Click on photo for larger view. Sen Joe Kyrillos is NOT wearing mouse ears.

He’s finally saying it.

Yesterday afternoon at Bachstadt’s Tavern in North Middletown Governor Chris Christie urged the enthusiastic crowd of several hundred to “vote Republican from the top of the ballot to the bottom. I don’t want to serve another day with a Democratic legislature.”

“He finally said it,” I quipped to Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean, JR who was present at the rally along with Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnik.  “He’s been saying it everywhere,” Kean replied.

SaveJersey reports that Christie made a similar appeal in South Jersey’s 2nd legislative district.

“I need Frank Balles in Trenton,” Christie told supporters as he worked the enthusiastic crowd. This trip constituted his second and final announced foray into Southern New Jersey before Election Day. The Governor also had a few harsh words for Balles’s opponent, incumbent state Sen. Jim Whelan, whom Christie rebranded “Grandfather Whelan” and an “animal” simultaneously, implying that the veteran Democrat behaves different back in his district than he does in Trenton.

And PolitickerNJ reports that the Governor declared that the GOP can “turn this blue state red” in Bergen County on Friday.

“We’re driving home for the biggest margin we can get,” Christie said. “We want  to take advantage of this once-in-a-generation opportunity to turn this blue  state red.”

The GOP needs to win five seats in the Senate and nine seats in the Assembly in order to take control of both chambers.

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Chilangos owner featured in Christie Ad

Leo Cervantes, owner, of the Highlands Mexican restaurant, Chilangos, is featured in a Christie for Governor ad that was released yesterday.

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