New Jersey Republican Gov. Chris Christie's ability to secure Democratic endorsements supported his overwhelming re-election last year and helped establish him as a 2016 presidential contender, but now a traffic scandal has put the spotlight on his campaign's tactics with local officials across the state.
Interviews with mayors and other New Jersey Democratic officials show that Mr. Christie's allies in conversations that swung from friendly to persistent fostered a perception of better access to the governor's office and state commissions for those who cooperated, while a few who stayed neutral or endorsed Mr. Christie's opponent said they felt locked out. Others suffered no harm.
One question is whether carrot-and-stick political tactics by Christie aides played a role in a traffic scandal allegedly engineered as a political punishment for a Democratic mayor who didn't endorse the governor.
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| Mayor Steve Fulop of Jersey City, N.J. |
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Jersey City's Democratic Mayor Steve Fulop said there was swift retribution when he failed to endorse Mr. Christie. Mr. Fulop, elected in May, was seen as a pragmatist, rising star—and potential Christie ally—in the state's second largest city.
Mr. Christie spoke at Mr. Fulop's inauguration in July, and the Democrat's campaign gave early indications it might endorse the Republican, according to people familiar with the discussions.
The Christie campaign in phone calls, according to one person familiar with the discussions, offered new access to state commissioners, who hold the purse strings for many Jersey City services.
Mr. Fulop decided against endorsing the governor. Within an hour of relaying his decision, the mayor said, meetings with several state commissioners were canceled.Read the full story HERE.
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4 comments:
Should surprise no one. The question I have about Christie is whether or not he's capable of this on a grander scale - as in Obama style. lol
-Martha
He already has done it on a grander scale. See 2012.
RW, Well I feel stupid because you are absolutely right. Doesn't get any grander than throwing the election to Obama for self-interest.
-Martha
What's really depressing about the Christie scandal is the never-ending and ridiculous bias of the MSM--blatantly ignoring the many Obama scandals, which are far more grave than closing down a bridge for petty political payback. Obama does the petty stuff too, but he's also wrecking our country in too many ways to count. In fact, I lost count. IRS scandal? Old news. He knew Benghazi was a terrorist attack from the first minute, yet lied for weeks? Snore.
-Martha
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