Free Republic

In the best possible light, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie built a top staff of lying thugs who threatened lives and safety to serve his political ends. If not, Christie is a lying thug himself. Emails and text messages among his close aides made public Wednesday documented that in September they gleefully engineered George Washington Bridge lane closures to punish the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee for failing to endorse their boss’ reelection. Local officials say the gridlock they caused delayed ambulances in responding to four calls, including one involving an unconscious 91-year-old woman who later died.

Chris Christie criticized strategists for Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign on Sunday, saying no one should “give a darn” about their political advice, but the New Jersey Republican governor isn’t nearly as dismissive of their input as he lets on. During his re-election campaign this year, Christie hired a political consultancy firm run by Romney’s former top strategists and paid more than $46,000 for their services. According to his campaign financial reports, Christie paid $46,007.29 (plus $251 for “transportation/parking”) to the Stevens & Schriefer Group, which is run by Romney’s former senior strategists Stuart Stevens and Russell Schriefer. While Stevens...

U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie announced this week that he would not pursue corruption allegations against New Jersey's top political boss because of bungling by the state Attorney General's Office. But this scandal cannot end there. Just who is responsible for the botched investigation, and how will they be held accountable? Is this just another case of politics as usual in the Garden State? Governor Corzine's choice for state attorney general, Zulima Farber, has said she'll make corruption her top priority. And Mr. Christie has pointed out the state still has two years to reexamine the Norcross case before the state...

Police Officers Steal From Police Department 10/25/2000 A former West New York police sergeant pleaded guilty today, admitting his role in a scheme to steal approximately $60,000 seized by police during the investigation of a fire in West New York, U.S. Attorney Robert J. Cleary announced. Ronald Riccie, 58, of Little Ferry, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jerome B. Simandle to a one-count Information, charging him with participating with other West New York Police officers in the theft of the $60,000. http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/nj/publicaffairs/releases/2000/ri1025_r.html Eminent Domain Squabble 02/22/2003 Rowan University and Wal-Mart squabbled over 102 acres of land. Last fall, Rowan...