Not according to the Headband, Carlos. It might still be pretty. We shouldn't jump to conclusions, because this is America or something.
What is clear is the petty, vindictive culture of the Christie administration. That is enough in itself to damage irrevocably any national aspirations.
Updated On: 1/13/14 at 04:38 PM
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/28/13
Agreed, YWIW. Which is a much different indictment on Christie than the one PJ is trying to push, it seems.
Also, PJ, you're welcome to mock me or you can block me. My preference is the latter. But I will just say that even in your snark, you actually sound quite reasonable. God forbid we don't jump to conclusions and actually let everything play out. You must be one of those with the pitchfork always in hand, ready to poke at and prod the next public figure *accused* of _______ (fill in the blank).
Oh Liza...
Relax.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/28/13
TD - I will relax because I have always liked you. But next time I'd suggest you look at those carrying the pitchforks first. Granted, PJ wouldn't fall into that category. He just pokes with his fingers. Or his toes.
The only one who seems to be poking anyone around here lately is you.
Again, relax...
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/28/13
That's your opinion... Either way, different strokes for different folks.
Yeah, Liza, a healthy dose of skepticism is always welcome, but this outrage that you can’t even comprehend how anyone could possibly be drawing their own conclusions from the information already at hand has gone a little overboard and is becoming more tedious than this thread’s political prognosticators.
You're smart and I often admire a lot of things about you, but it's getting a little reactionary.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/28/13
Thanks for the feedback, Growl. I do honestly appreciate it. Putting all of that aside, however, a friend on Facebook posted this. No idea if it's true as I have not seen it reported anywhere.. Maybe someone here can verify with a link?
"The latest wrinkle in the story is to follow the money. Evidently, a billion dollar Ft. Lee development whose key selling point is direct access to the GWB did not secure financing until the day after the traffic lanes were reopened. It would appear that this was classic mob-type insurance extortion, and the lane closures were a demonstration of strength by the Christie administration.
It’s the equivalent of throwing a garbage can through a storefront window to demonstrate why a shop owner needs to pay protection money to the local hoods.
If we’re lucky, we’ll see a money trail from the developer into a Christie related pocket happening right around the time the lanes were re-opened."
This is one of those instances when I hate being right. For years I've said Chris Christie is a bully and it was all going to come to light. But so many in my family and my workplace held him in such high regard that my words fell on deaf ears.
I honestly feel by letting this go on the residents of NJ are being held hostage in a manner of speaking. Two investigations (and maybe more) are going to cost the tax payers. Once again we're a national joke. The media paints us as a bunch of mafiosi and Snookie wannabes and now we have this scar to deal with. This man was supposed to be our leader but the only place we've been led is down the rabbit hole. Step down and let us all go on with our lives.
The pettiness and the vindictiveness of it all just turns my stomach. This "act" was done to "punish" the Mayor of Fort Lee. It didn't. It wound up punishing the residents of New Jersey and New York who rely on that bridge on a daily basis. That is who it punished. It was a selfish, thoughtless, cruel and inexcusable act on honest, hard working citizens who pay their taxes.
This is far from over. Not by a long shot.
Dig the new avatar, Carlos.
Some new reporting from The Asbury Park Press on the Sandy commercial.
"New documents obtained by the Asbury Park Press show the Christie administration is hiding details of the $25 million “Stronger Than the Storm” advertising campaign, which now is the center of a federal probe."
"Pallone said he requested a federal review in August following a Press investigation that revealed the two finalists for the contract had different views on how the campaign to boost tourism at the Jersey Shore should be run following the 2012 storm. MWW proposed putting Christie in the ads. The other bidder, a team headed by the Sigma Group, did not. MWW won the contract.
There was another difference between the firms. MWW had made 234 corporate contributions totaling $201,300 to candidates and political committees from both parties in New Jersey since 1987. Sigma was not politically active."
"The state Economic Development Authority was asked in the public records request for the score sheets from the six members of the evaluation committee that awarded the contract to MWW.
The newspaper received the sheets, but the names of the evaluators were blacked out, making it impossible to learn whose votes helped swing the contract award to MWW. The state declined to provide a reason for redacting the names."
New documents show Christie office hiding details of storm TV ads
Christie seen shifting focus in speech amid scandals
He knows the extended school day/year issue will pick a fight with the NJEA. That's worked wonders for him in the past. People love to go on YouTube and watch him yell at teachers.
In the past two days he has also vetoed a bill that would allow transgender individuals to change their birth certificate and a bill that would create a study on the effects of full day Kindergarten (something you would think he would be in favor of if he's in favor of an extended school day.)
Updated On: 1/14/14 at 09:26 AM
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/28/13
From what I understand, the contract they passed on was more expensive and that was their reasoning. Unless I misheard Piers Morgan last night.
From the article posted above...
"The Office of the Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is auditing the state’s decision to award the advertising contract to a firm that charged $2.2 million more than a comparable bidder for similar work, said Rep. Frank J. Pallone Jr., D-N.J."
From what I understand, the contract they passed on was more expensive and that was their reasoning. Unless I misheard Piers Morgan last night.
You misheard.
From what I understand, the contract they passed on was more expensive and that was their reasoning. Unless I misheard Piers Morgan last night.
From the article Eric posted:
The Office of the Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is auditing the state’s decision to award the advertising contract to a firm that charged $2.2 million more than a comparable bidder for similar work, said Rep. Frank J. Pallone Jr., D-N.J.
Pallone said he requested a federal review in August following a Press investigation that revealed the two finalists for the contract had different views on how the campaign to boost tourism at the Jersey Shore should be run following the 2012 storm. MWW proposed putting Christie in the ads. The other bidder, a team headed by the Sigma Group, did not. MWW won the contract.
There was another difference between the firms. MWW had made 234 corporate contributions totaling $201,300 to candidates and political committees from both parties in New Jersey since 1987. Sigma was not politically active.
So there you have it. The contract they passed on was less expensive.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/28/13
Thanks, Erik. Did anyone watch Piers last night? Maybe they were talking about a different issue. I only heard snippets but Piers was (shockingly) defending Christie by playing Devil's Advocate in regards to the "more expensive" contract.
Hey, PJ, glad to see you have the time to follow me around but refuse to actually engage in conversation like others here. Thanks.
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