Misplaced Pages

#522477

77-437: The bridge, part of an $ 8 million project approved in 1967, opened on July 22, 1971, in ceremonies attended by Governor of New Jersey William T. Cahill . Following completion, the bridge was connected to local routes via temporary roads. Not until 1975 was US 202 realigned so as to incorporate the new toll bridge. The New Hope–Lambertville Toll Bridge has a total length of 1,682 feet (513 m) and contains ten spans. It

154-514: A payroll tax cut authorizing the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development to reduce payroll deduction for most employees from $ 148 to $ 61 per year. On five separate occasions, Christie vetoed legislation pushed by Democrats to implement a millionaire tax . After Democrat Phil Murphy became governor, Democrats backed off the legislation, with New Jersey Senate President Stephen Sweeney stating, "[t]his state

231-431: A plea agreement with Charles Kushner , under which he pleaded guilty to 18 counts of illegal campaign contributions, tax evasion, and witness tampering . Kushner was sentenced to two years in prison. Christie negotiated seven deal deferred prosecution agreements (DPAs) during his tenure, some of which were controversial. Under agreements like these, corporations avoid prosecution if they promise not just to obey

308-459: A $ 33 billion state budget that makes a record $ 1.7 billion payment to the state's pension fund and also increases school funding by almost $ 100 million. The budget resulted from negotiations between Christie and Democratic leaders in the state legislature and was the first that Christie has signed as passed, without vetoing any of its provisions. In May 2014, Christie cut the contributions to New Jersey public workers' pension funds for

385-451: A 14-month period by nearly $ 2.5 billion to deal with a revenue shortfall in the state budget of $ 2.75 billion. The state will instead make a $ 1.3 billion payment during the period. Christie cited the state constitution's requirement to have a balanced budget for his decision to cut payments to pensions for state workers, and follows Christie's changes to the state's pension formula earlier in 2014 to save $ 900 million through

462-470: A 4-lane gate on the Pennsylvania side. There is no toll collected Northbound. As of January 7, 2024, the pay-by-plate toll for automobiles is $ 3.00; cars with E-ZPass pay $ 1.50. Toll rates for trucks range from $ 9 to $ 35. Governor of New Jersey The governor of New Jersey is the head of government of the U.S. state of New Jersey . The office of governor is an elected position with

539-575: A New Jersey higher education license. During the 2000 United States presidential election , Christie was George W. Bush 's campaign lawyer for the state of New Jersey. On December 7, 2001, President George W. Bush appointed Christie the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey . During Republican presidential debates in August 2015 and November 2023, Christie falsely claimed he had been appointed by President Bush on September 10, 2001, and that

616-454: A career highlight. During the second term of George W. Bush, a controversy arose about the administration's dismissal of several U.S. attorneys , allegedly for political reasons. When it was revealed that Christie had been on a preliminary version of the hit list, New York Senator Charles Schumer said: "I was shocked when I saw Chris Christie's name on the list last night. It just shows a [Justice] department that has run amok." Pat Meehan ,

693-670: A consolidated energy promotion program, and following a five-to-one production to non-production job ratio in the creation of new energy jobs. In August 2010, legislation to encourage the development of wind power in New Jersey was signed by Christie at the Port of Paulsboro . The Offshore Wind Economic Development Act authorized New Jersey Economic Development Authority to provide up to $ 100 million in tax credits for wind energy facilities. The governor has pledged to ban coal-fired power plants, and to reach 22.5% renewable generation in

770-513: A deal that required the company to dedicate $ 5 million for a business ethics chair at Seton Hall University School of Law , Christie's alma mater. Christie defended the appointment of Ashcroft, citing his prominence and legal acumen. And he defended the Seton Hall donation as happenstance given that there was already a business ethics endowed chair at the only other law school in the state. Still, cases like these led to new rules within

847-521: A deal with the Democratic leadership of the legislature on a reform of public employee pensions and benefits. The deal raised public employees' pension contributions, mandated the state to make annual payments into the system, increased public employee contributions toward health insurance premiums, and ended collective bargaining for health benefits. The reform is projected to save the state $ 120 billion over 30 years. In June 2013, Christie signed

SECTION 10

#1732793539523

924-472: A former prosecutor, was sworn in as New Jersey's first lieutenant governor on January 19, 2010, under Governor Chris Christie . Guadagno was succeeded by former assemblywoman Sheila Oliver , who was sworn in on January 16, 2018, under Governor Phil Murphy . On August 1, 2023, the lieutenant governor position became vacant on August 1, 2023, when Oliver died in office. On September 8, 2023, Governor Murphy selected Tahesha Way , New Jersey's Secretary of State, as

1001-598: A four-year term. There is a two consecutive term term limit, with no limitation on non-consecutive terms. The official residence of the governor is Drumthwacket , a mansion located in Princeton, New Jersey . The governor's office is located inside of the New Jersey State House in Trenton , making New Jersey notable as the executive's office is located in the same building as the legislature. New Jersey

1078-632: A gubernatorial contest in 2013, and those financial resources were intended to support a major outreach effort toward blacks, Hispanics and women. He also ordered a $ 25 million special election to fill the seat of the deceased Senator Frank Lautenberg . The move was believed to be motivated by a desire to keep Newark Mayor Cory Booker from sharing an election day, 20 days afterward, with Christie, thereby depressing otherwise anticipated black voter turnout that tended to vote Democratic. Christie took office as Governor of New Jersey on January 19, 2010. He chose not to move his family into Drumthwacket ,

1155-465: A lawsuit by the police and firefighters' unions. In his campaign for governor, Christie opposed any change in pension benefits for firefighters and law enforcement officers, including "current officers, future officers or retirees". He described the pension agreement as "a sacred trust". Later that year, he called for further cuts, including the elimination of cost-of-living adjustments for all current and future retirees. In June 2011, Christie announced

1232-454: A partnership with Mexico on a higher-education project to foster economic cooperation. The program would focus on research ventures, cross-border fellowships, student and teacher exchanges, conferences, and other educational opportunities. Christie has stated that he believes that the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is too big and is "killing business" with permit delays and indiscriminate fines. He announced that, if elected,

1309-481: A running mate defeated incumbents in the party primary. Following the election, the defeated incumbents filed a defamation lawsuit against Christie based on statements made during the primary campaign. Christie had incorrectly stated that the incumbents were under "investigation" for violating certain local laws. The lawsuit was settled out of court, with Christie acknowledging that the prosecutor had convened an "inquiry" instead of an "investigation", and apologizing for

1386-424: A second term in office. Christie was reelected by a large margin, 60% to 38% on November 5, 2013, defeating Democratic nominee Barbara Buono . Christie advisors said that Christie sought to win by a large margin to position himself for the presidential primaries and develop a model for other Republican candidates. Christie began building a national fundraising network, aided by the fact that only one other state had

1463-520: A state's senior Senator opposes the nomination of a U.S. Attorney, the nomination is effectively dead, but Christie's promise was enough for Torricelli to give the nomination his blessing. He was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate on December 20, 2001, and sworn into office on January 17, 2002. The brother of Christie's uncle (his aunt's second husband), Tino Fiumara , was an organized crime figure. According to Christie,

1540-466: A subpoena regarding Menendez 65 days before the 2006 Senate election , in which Menendez defeated Republican Thomas Kean Jr. to become New Jersey's junior senator . Christie's biographers (journalists Michael Symons and Bob Ingle) concluded that, "The timing of the Menendez-related subpoena doesn't line up right to support the critics' theory." Christie's aides have said that the subpoena

1617-491: A telephone receptionist, and Wilbur James "Bill" Christie, a certified public accountant who graduated from Rutgers Business School . His mother was of Italian (Sicilian) ancestry, and his father is of German, Scottish, and Irish descent. Christie's family moved to Livingston, New Jersey , after the 1967 Newark riots , and Christie lived there until he graduated from Livingston High School in 1980. At Livingston, Christie served as class president , played catcher for

SECTION 20

#1732793539523

1694-557: A ticket against incumbent Assemblyman Anthony Bucco and attorney Michael Patrick Carroll in the Republican primary. Christie ran as a pro-choice candidate and supporter of the ban on assault weapons . Bucco and Carroll, the establishment candidates, defeated the up-and-comers by a wide margin. After this loss, Christie's bid for re-nomination to the freeholder board was unlikely, as unhappy Republicans recruited John J. Murphy to run against Christie in 1997. Murphy defeated Christie in

1771-409: A volunteer for Republican Thomas Kean 's 1981 gubernatorial campaign . In 1994, Christie was elected as a county freeholder (legislator) for Morris County, New Jersey . His campaign that year was met with criticism as he had made several false statements about his opponent's legal issues. This criticism led to Christie losing his 1996 reelection campaign in the Republican primary. He later worked for

1848-677: Is a member of the American Bar Association and the New Jersey State Bar Association and was a member of the Election Law Committee of the New Jersey State Bar Association. From 1999 to 2001, Christie was registered statehouse lobbyist for Dughi and Hewit. Christie volunteered for the 1992 re-election campaign of President George H. W. Bush in New Jersey and became close to Bush's state director, Bill Palatucci . Following

1925-448: Is also notable for being one of the few states in which the governor's official residence is not located in the state capital. The first and longest-serving governor of New Jersey was William Livingston , who served from August 31, 1776, to July 25, 1790. A. Harry Moore remains the longest-serving popularly elected governor. The current and 56th governor is Phil Murphy , a Democrat who assumed office on January 16, 2018. The governor

2002-532: Is constructed with steel girders and a reinforced concrete deck. The bridge's piers are stone faced. The toll gate is located on the Pennsylvania approach. While the DRJTBC states that it has a total of 8 toll lanes, that number has shrunk to 4 toll lanes since the bridge was refurbished in 2003. This refurbishment replaced the old toll plaza with a new one, and it eliminated the toll lanes for those crossing into New Jersey. Tolls are collected Southbound (NJ to PA) at

2079-533: Is directly elected by the voters to become the political and ceremonial head of the state. The governor performs the executive functions of the state, and is not directly subordinate to the federal authorities. The governor assumes additional roles, such as being the commander-in-chief of the New Jersey National Guard forces (when they are not federalized). Unlike many other states that have elections for some cabinet -level positions, under

2156-627: Is done with strong consideration of the preferences of the individual state senators who represent the district where vacancies arise. The governor is also responsible for appointing two constitutionally created officers, the New Jersey attorney general and the secretary of state of New Jersey , with the approval of the Senate. As amended in January 2002, state law allows for a maximum salary of $ 175,000. Phil Murphy has stated that he will accept

2233-499: Is entitled to a one-person security detail from the New Jersey State Police for up to six months after leaving office. "I, [name of governor], elected governor of the state of New Jersey, do solemnly promise and swear that I will diligently, faithfully and to the best of my knowledge, execute the said office in conformity with the powers delegated to me; and that I will to the utmost of my skill and ability, promote

2310-419: Is taxed out. If you know anything about New Jersey, they're just weary of the taxes." The tax was eventually passed into law in 2020. During Christie's tenure, New Jersey's credit rating was downgraded nine times (across Standard & Poor , Fitch Ratings , and Moody's Investors Service ), leaving only Illinois with a lower rating among U.S. states. Christie received a B grade in 2012 and in 2014 from

2387-547: The 9/11 attacks occurred in his state the next day. Some members of the New Jersey Bar professed disappointment at Christie's lack of experience. At the time, he had never practiced in a federal courtroom before, and had little experience in criminal law. Christie received the overwhelming support of the Republican Party in New Jersey. A spokesperson for Governor Donald DiFrancesco , who selected nominees for

New Hope–Lambertville Toll Bridge - Misplaced Pages Continue

2464-504: The Byrne , Kean , Florio , Whitman , and Corzine administrations, video interviews with many members of the respective administrations, information on other American governors, and news updates on all fifty current governors. Chris Christie Christopher James Christie (born September 6, 1962) is an American politician and former federal prosecutor who served as the 55th governor of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018. A member of

2541-862: The Cato Institute , a libertarian think tank, in their biennial fiscal policy report on America's governors. On September 18, 2013, Christie signed legislation to overhaul the state's business tax incentive programs. The legislation reduced the number of tax incentive programs from five to two, raised the caps on tax credits, and allowed smaller companies to qualify. It also increased the credits available for businesses in South Jersey . In March 2010, Christie signed into law three state pension reform bills, which had passed with bipartisan support. The laws decreased pension benefits for future hires and required public employees to contribute 1.5 percent of their salaries toward their health care. The laws prompted

2618-568: The FBI presumably knew that when they conducted his background check. Later, Christie recused himself from the case and commented about what he had learned growing up with such a relative, "It just told me that you make bad decisions in life and you wind up paying a price." Christie served as U.S. Attorney from January 17, 2002, to December 1, 2008. His office included 137 attorneys, with offices in Newark , Trenton , and Camden . Christie also served on

2695-607: The New Jersey Constitution the governor and lieutenant governor are the only officials elected on a statewide basis. Much like the president of the United States , the governor appoints the entire cabinet, subject to confirmation by the New Jersey Senate . More importantly, under the New Jersey constitution, the governor appoints all superior court judges and county prosecutors, although this

2772-635: The Republican Governors Association during the 2014 campaign . His term as governor expired in 2018 and he registered as a lobbyist in 2020. On June 30, 2015, Christie announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination in the 2016 presidential election , but he suspended his candidacy six months later following a poor showing in the New Hampshire primary . Later, he endorsed eventual winner Donald Trump and

2849-697: The Republican Party , he was the United States Attorney for New Jersey from 2002 to 2008 and a Morris County commissioner from 1995 to 1997. He was a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016 and 2024 . Born in Newark but raised in Livingston , Christie graduated from the University of Delaware in 1984 and later earned a J.D. at Seton Hall University School of Law . He began his political career as

2926-506: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that $ 400 million in federal Race to the Top education grants to New Jersey would not be issued due to a clerical error in the state's application by an unidentified mid-level state official. Christie said that the Obama administration had overstepped its authority, and the error was in the administration's failure to communicate with

3003-569: The United States District Court, District of New Jersey , in December 1987. He was awarded honorary doctorate degrees by Rutgers University and Monmouth University in 2010. In 1987, Christie joined the law firm of Dughi, Hewit & Palatucci of Cranford, New Jersey . In 1993, he was named a partner in the firm. Christie specialized in securities law , appellate practice, election law, and government affairs. He

3080-466: The earned income tax credit and property tax relief programs; he would also sign legislation limiting property tax growth to 2% annually. Under Christie, there were no rate increases in the state's top three revenue generators: income tax , sales tax , and corporate tax . In February 2010, Christie signed an executive order declaring a "state of fiscal emergency" due to the projected $ 2.2 billion budget deficit for that fiscal year. Following

3157-465: The general election . In his first term, he was credited with cutting spending, capping property tax growth and engaging in recovery efforts after Hurricane Sandy . He was re-elected by a wide margin in 2013 , defeating state senate majority leader Barbara Buono . Christie's second term saw multiple controversies, namely the Fort Lee lane closure and his various absences from the state. He chaired

New Hope–Lambertville Toll Bridge - Misplaced Pages Continue

3234-466: The 17-member Advisory Committee of U.S. Attorneys for Attorneys General John Ashcroft and Alberto Gonzales . Soon after taking office, Christie let it be known that his office would make public corruption a high priority, second only to terrorism. During his six-year tenure, he received praise for his record of convictions in public corruption cases. His office convicted or won guilty pleas from 130 public officials, both Republican and Democratic , at

3311-414: The 2000 presidential campaign of George W. Bush ; after Bush became president, he appointed Christie U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, a position he held from January 2002 to December 2008. During his tenure, he oversaw the convictions of 130 public officials from both local and state levels. Christie won the 2009 Republican primary for Governor of New Jersey and defeated Democratic incumbent Jon Corzine in

3388-656: The Justice Department, and sparked a congressional hearing on the subject. Besides doubling the size of the anticorruption unit for New Jersey, Christie also prosecuted other federal crimes. For example, he obtained convictions of brothel owners who kept Mexican teenagers in slavery as prostitutes, convicted 42 gang members of the Double II Set of various crimes including more than 25 murders, and convicted British trader Hemant Lakhani of trying to sell missiles. Despite claims of entrapment , Lakhani

3465-573: The New Jersey government. It was later learned that the issue had been raised with Bret Schundler , Christie's education commissioner. Christie asked for Schundler's resignation; Schundler initially agreed to resign, but asked to be fired the following morning to claim unemployment benefits. According to Schundler, he told Christie the truth and Christie misstated what actually occurred. The Christie administration approved 23 new charter schools in January 2011, including New Jersey's first independent school for children with autism. The approvals increased

3542-674: The U.S. attorney in Philadelphia, said: "Among his peers, Chris stands out as one of the most admired. If you were to create a list of the U.S. attorneys who have had the greatest impact, Chris would be one of the top two or three names I'd put on it. This defies explanation." Christie's opponents claimed that he had gotten off the Bush administration's hit list by going after Congressman Robert Menendez ; for example, The New York Times columnist Paul Krugman wrote, "Menendez's claims of persecution now seem quite plausible." Christie had issued

3619-617: The agency would be his first target for government reduction: he would reduce its workforce and strip it of its fish and wildlife oversight. Christie has stated that he intends to simultaneously spur growth in the state's manufacturing sector and increase New Jersey's capability to produce alternative energy . He has proposed a list of policy measures to achieve this, including giving tax credits to businesses that build new wind energy and manufacturing facilities, changing land use rules to allow solar energy on permanently preserved farmland , installing solar farms on closed landfills, setting up

3696-564: The baseball team, and was selected as a New Jersey Representative to the United States Senate Youth Program . Christie's father and mother were Republican and Democratic, respectively. He has credited his Democratic-leaning mother for indirectly making him a Republican by encouraging him to volunteer for the gubernatorial candidate who became his role model, Tom Kean . Christie had become interested in Kean after

3773-632: The campaign, Christie decided to run for office and moved to Mendham Township, New Jersey . In 1993, Christie launched a primary challenge against the New Jersey Senate Majority Leader, John H. Dorsey . However, Christie's campaign ended after Dorsey successfully challenged the validity of Christie's petition to appear on the ballot. In 1994, Christie was elected as a Republican to the Board of Chosen Freeholders , or legislators, for Morris County, New Jersey , after he and

3850-439: The corporations comply. In one case, Christie recommended the appointment of The Ashcroft Group , a consulting firm owned by his former boss John Ashcroft , as an outside monitor of Zimmer Holdings —a contract worth as much as $ 52 million from Zimmer, which was an amount in line with fee structures at that time. In another instance, Christie's office deferred criminal prosecution of pharmaceutical company Bristol Myers in

3927-404: The end of his term. In February 2013, online gambling was legalized in New Jersey after the state's Legislature passed Bill A2578, which was later signed into law by Christie. Christie was instrumental in the legalization of online gambling in the state, citing the need for increased state revenue in the years after the 2008 recession. After vetoing previous versions of the bill, Christie signed

SECTION 50

#1732793539523

4004-399: The error, which he said was unintentional. As a county commissioner , Christie required the county government to obtain three quotes from qualified firms for all contracts. He led a successful effort to bar county officials from accepting gifts from people and firms doing business with the county. He voted to raise the county's open space tax for land preservation; however, county taxes, on

4081-615: The full salary. Jon Corzine accepted a token salary of $ 1 per year as governor. Previous governor Jim McGreevey received an annual salary of $ 157,000, a 10% reduction of the maximum allowed, while Chris Christie , Murphy's immediate predecessor, accepted the full gubernatorial salary. The governor has a full-time protective security detail from the Executive Protection Unit of the New Jersey State Police while in office. A former governor

4158-429: The governor's official mansion, and instead resided in a private Mendham Township, New Jersey , residence. While campaigning for governor, Christie promised not to raise taxes. He also vowed to lower the state income and business taxes, with the qualification that this might not occur immediately. As governor, Christie claims his annual budgets did not increase taxes, though he made reductions to tax credits such as

4235-485: The hearing process for appeals related to dismissal of tenured teachers limited to 105 days. On March 6, 2013, the Christie administration released proposed regulations to overhaul the process of evaluating public-school teachers. Under the proposal, a percentage of teacher evaluations would be based on student improvement in state tests or student achievement goals set by principals. In September 2014, Christie signed

4312-453: The latest version into law after ensuring the regulatory framework was in place to safeguard players and create a responsible gambling environment. Christie was also vocal about the offshore gambling market, claiming that states lost billions in tax revenues to offshore , unregulated, and untaxed operators. In October 2014, Christie signed a bill to legalize sports betting in New Jersey. One of Christie's most controversial school policies

4389-491: The law or pay for bad acts, but also promise to change personnel, or revamp business practices, or adopt new types of corporate governance. They are typically used in lieu of prosecution when there is evidence of particularly egregious corporate misconduct. Since 2002, these types of agreements have been sharply on the rise among federal prosecutors, with 23 between 2002 and 2005, and 66 between 2006 and 2008. Outside monitors are appointed in about half of all DPAs, to make sure that

4466-648: The least equitable in the country". State commissioner of education Chris Cerf defended policies declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of New Jersey . Christie, whose children attend Catholic school , supports the state giving tax credits to parents who send their children to private and parochial schools . He also supports school vouchers , which parents of students in failing school districts could use for tuition in private schools or for public schools in communities outside their own. Christie supports merit pay for teachers. On August 25, 2010,

4543-480: The office of governor was vacant. This dual position was more powerful than that of an elected governor, as the individual would have a major role in both the legislative and executive branches. The amendment was prompted by New Jersey State Senate President Richard Codey serving as Governor of New Jersey in January 2002 and again from November 2004 to January 2006 after the resignations of elected Governors Christine Todd Whitman and Jim McGreevey . Kim Guadagno ,

4620-485: The order, Christie proposed a new budget which eliminated the New Jersey Department of the Public Advocate , which had an upkeep of $ 1.3 million. In late June 2011, Christie utilized New Jersey's line-item veto to eliminate nearly $ 1 billion from the proposed budget, signing it into law just hours prior to July 1, 2011, the beginning of the state's fiscal year. That same year, Christie signed into law

4697-619: The peace and prosperity and maintain the lawful rights of the said state. So help me God." On November 8, 2005, voters passed an amendment to the New Jersey State Constitution that created the position of Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey , effective with the 2009 elections . Before this amendment was passed, the President of the New Jersey Senate would simultaneously also serve as governor whenever

SECTION 60

#1732793539523

4774-544: The politician, then a state legislator, spoke to Christie's junior high school class. Christie graduated from the University of Delaware in 1984 with a Bachelor of Arts in political science ; while there, he served as president of the student body. He graduated from Seton Hall University School of Law with a J.D. in 1987. He was admitted to the New Jersey State Bar Association and the Bar of

4851-530: The position, said that he received hundreds of letters of support for Christie "from everyone from the Assembly speaker down to the county level, close to every member of the Legislature and every county chairman." Christie was also a top fundraiser for Bush's 2000 presidential campaign . He helped raise $ 350,000 for Bush, qualifying him as a "Pioneer", and also donated to DiFrancesco. Democrats seized upon

4928-472: The primary on June 2, Christie won the Republican nomination with 55% of the vote, defeating opponents Steve Lonegan and Rick Merkt . He then chose Kimberly Guadagno , Monmouth County sheriff , to complete his campaign ticket as a candidate for lieutenant governor . On November 3, Christie defeated Jon Corzine by a margin of 49% to 45%, with 6% of the vote going to independent candidate Chris Daggett . In November 2012, Christie filed papers to run for

5005-639: The primary. Murphy, who had falsely accused Christie of having the county pay his legal bills in the architect's lawsuit, was sued by Christie after the election. They settled out of court with the freeholders admitting wrongdoing and apologizing. Christie's career in Morris County politics was over by 1998. When Christie's part-time position as a chosen freeholder lapsed, he returned full attention to his law firm Dughi, Hewit & Palatucci. Alongside fellow partner and later, gubernatorial campaign fundraiser Bill Palatucci, Christie's firm opened an office in

5082-483: The reforms implemented by Christie, Anderson, and Cerf did not improve educational outcomes. Christie has been accused of under-funding school districts. Reports indicated that Christie's administration did not adhere to the School Funding Reform Act, and illegally withheld funds from districts throughout the state. His 2017 school funding proposal was described by education researchers as "one of

5159-444: The role played by Bush's political adviser, Karl Rove , after Christie's law partner, William Palatucci, a Republican political consultant and Bush supporter, boasted that he had selected a United States attorney by forwarding Christie's résumé to Rove. According to New Jersey's senior senator, Bob Torricelli , Christie promised to appoint a "professional" with federal courtroom experience as deputy if confirmed. By Senate tradition, if

5236-516: The state capital, Trenton , devoted mainly to lobbying. Between 1999 and 2001, Christie and Palatucci lobbied on behalf of, among others, GPU Energy for deregulation of New Jersey's electric and gas industry; the Securities Industry Association to block the inclusion of securities fraud under the state's Consumer Fraud Act; Hackensack University Medical Center for state grants; and the University of Phoenix for

5313-428: The state's number of charter schools to 96. On August 6, 2012, Christie signed a law reforming the tenure system for New Jersey public-school teachers. Under the law, teachers would be required to work four years (instead of three) to earn tenure; they would also need to receive positive ratings for two consecutive years. Tenured teachers with poor ratings for two consecutive years would be eligible for dismissal, with

5390-651: The state, county and local levels. The most notable of these convictions included those of Democratic Hudson County Executive Robert C. Janiszewski in 2002 on bribery charges, Republican Essex County Executive James W. Treffinger in 2003 on corruption charges, former Democratic New Jersey Senate President John A. Lynch Jr. , in 2006 on charges of mail fraud and tax evasion , State Senator and former Newark Democratic mayor Sharpe James in 2008 on fraud charges, and Democratic State Senator Wayne R. Bryant in 2008 on charges of bribery, mail fraud, and wire fraud. In 2005, following an investigation, Christie negotiated

5467-589: The third lieutenant governor of New Jersey, to succeed Oliver and serve out the remainder of Oliver's term. In 2005, the Center on the American Governor was established at the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University to study the governors of New Jersey and, to a lesser degree, the governors of other states. The program features extensive archives of documents and pictures from

5544-544: The whole, were decreased by 6.6% during his tenure. He successfully pushed for the dismissal of an architect hired to design a new jail, saying that the architect was costing taxpayers too much money. The architect then sued Christie for defamation over remarks he made about the dismissal, eventually dropping the suit without explanation. In 1995, Christie announced a bid for a seat in the New Jersey General Assembly . He and attorney Rick Merkt ran as

5621-476: Was convicted by jury in April 2005 of attempting to provide material support to terrorists, unlawful brokering of foreign defense articles, and attempting to import merchandise into the U.S. by means of false statements, plus two counts of money laundering. He was sentenced to 47 years in prison. In 2007, Christie prosecuted the planners of the averted 2007 Fort Dix attack plot , which he has frequently mentioned as

5698-446: Was named head of Trump's transition planning team . He remained a close ally of Trump during his presidency but later emerged as a harsh critic following Trump's refusal to accept his loss in the 2020 United States presidential election and the subsequent January 6 Capitol attack . On June 6, 2023, Christie announced his second presidential campaign for the Republican nomination in the 2024 presidential election . His campaign

5775-415: Was notable in its sharp criticism of Trump compared to his fellow Republican candidates. He ultimately dropped out of the Republican primary before voting started. In September 2024, it was announced that Christie would teach a course on political campaigns at Yale University 's Jackson School of Global Affairs . Christie was born on September 6, 1962, in Newark, New Jersey , to Sondra A. (née Grasso),

5852-455: Was prompted by a newspaper report about Menendez, which prosecutors feared might imminently lead to destruction of documents and other evidence. The investigation of Menendez continued for years after Christie left office as U.S. Attorney, until Menendez was finally cleared on October 5, 2011. Christie filed as a candidate for the office of governor on January 8, 2009. Former Governor Thomas Kean helped Christie campaign and raise money. In

5929-503: Was to increase the state's control of school districts. The districts contained relatively high numbers of underachieving students, people of color, poor people, and members of the Democratic Party. In Newark, Christie hired Chris Cerf to replace Cami Anderson as the state-appointed superintendent of its school district. Under Christie, Cerf overruled the district's locally elected school board. Recent research indicated that

#522477