NY Times takes Chris Christie down a notch or two

Check out today's New York Times article.

Here are some choice excerpts:

In 2002, when Mr. Christie’s office won an indictment against the Essex County executive, James Treffinger, a popular Republican, he was not permitted to surrender like most elected officials who find themselves in similar circumstances. Instead, Mr. Treffinger, who was about to begin a campaign for the United States Senate, was arrested at gunpoint and spent more than six hours in handcuffs and leg shackles. ...

But politicians and lawyers involved in the corruption case say that they knew that an informant had secretly recorded Mr. Treffinger making a vulgar derogatory comment about Mr. Christie’s hulking frame, and some former Treffinger aides contend that his harsh treatment was a payback.

Okay, the guy apparently doesn't like people picking on his weight. Got it.

Mr. Christie’s critics say he well knows the political damage a candidate can suffer from even the specter of an investigation. When he ran for freeholder in the mid-1990s, he was sued for defamation for falsely accusing a political opponent of being the target of a criminal inquiry. Mr. Christie ultimately offered a public apology as part of a settlement.

Remind me again how a lawyer with little criminal law or trial experience who had to settle a defamation case winds up Jersey's U.S. attorney?

This isn't a knock on the fact that Christie has locked up dozens upon dozens of angry pols. I'd just never heard the defamation case part of the story before, which I think is somewhat, like, important since he's someone who is supposed to be upholding the law in the middle of a highly politicized environment.

DWI legislator

The Star-Ledger has a solid editorial lambasting the Statehouse and Gov. Corzine for approving a measure to rename Route 23 for former Congressman Robert Roe.

Roe, who ironically served on the House Transportation Committee, caused a drunk driving accident in 1993 shortly after retiring from Congress.

You'd think this one would be a no-brainer.

Should Kyrillos run for Senate?

PolitickerNJ.com posted a poll and 38% of those who took it said they wanted to see Joe Kyrillos run for U.S. Senate.

I can't wait to see him go for it.

Comment to Abe

I wrote this comment on Honest Abe's blog, but I thought it was worth reposting:

William A. Newell said...
This might have something to do with that thing about getting Romney delegates on the June primary ballot.

I think that issue is over with unless Romney un-suspends his campaign, which isn't going to happen.

I wouldn't mind seeing Kyrillos enter the Senate race, just for the public scrutiny factor.

Keep in mind, I was barely 22 years old and two months on the job as a reporter when I dug up that info on the Matawan-Aberdeen Train Station project.

What do you think a seasoned opposition researcher is going to find?

IMHO, the APP has been relatively gentle with Kyrillos over the years. Understandably so: they're unwilling to go after Republicans in the Statehouse unless absolutely necessary, since Statehouse Dems have shown no means of being able to restrain themselves from spending.

But if any serious ethical questions or conflicts of interest are brought up during the course of a statewide campaign, I think the APP will be the ones to jump up and cut him down. They like to tend to their own backyard.

It's not going away

Less than an hour after Mitt Romney suspended his campaign, PolitickerNJ.com reported that Adam Puharic wants Joe Kyrillos to run for U.S. Senate.

Just a reminder, please enjoy your Joe Kyrillos literature. Read it now, read it in November. It'll still be here.