Christie Faces Audit Over Use of Hurricane Relief Money

Federal investigators have ordered an audit to determine whether Gov. Chris Christie’s administration improperly spent millions of dollars of relief meant to encourage tourists to visit New Jersey after the devastation of Hurricane Sandy.

The audit comes as Mr. Christie is struggling with the most difficult crisis of his political career after it was revealed that people in his administration schemed to close local lanes onto the George Washington Bridge as political punishment for the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee. On Monday, New Jersey Democrats announced a new committee to investigate the closings.

This is not the first time Mr. Christie has come under criticism for the Hurricane Sandy funds: Many of the television advertisements used in the campaign, called “Stronger than the Storm,” prominently featured the governor and his family.

On Mon, 13 Jan 2014 13:03:27 -0800 (PST), "David Smith Jr."
wrote:

Christie Faces Audit Over Use of Hurricane Relief Money

Federal investigators have ordered an audit to determine whether Gov. Chris Christie’s administration improperly spent millions of dollars of relief meant to encourage tourists to visit New Jersey after the devastation of Hurricane Sandy.

The audit comes as Mr. Christie is struggling with the most difficult crisis of his political career after it was revealed that people in his administration schemed to close local lanes onto the George Washington Bridge as political punishment for the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee. On Monday, New Jersey Democrats announced a new committee to investigate the closings.

This is not the first time Mr. Christie has come under criticism for the Hurricane Sandy funds: Many of the television advertisements used in the campaign, called “Stronger than the Storm,” prominently featured the governor and his family.

This is really one issue. The feds who gave the relief money gave him
permission to use some for tourism commercials (getting tourism back is
as important as rebuilding for relief, and it's good that they know
that.) so the first paragraph above is not a problem, but the problem
is that, according to what's alleged, another advertising company would
have done the commercials for half the money, or maybe it is 2 million
less, or both, but they wouldn't include Christie, or his wife or kids,
in the commercials. It's charged that the ads ran during the campaign
for governor and amounted to free publicity for him. But even that
might be okay if it were free. It's charged that he spent millions extra
so he and his family could be in the commercials.

On Tuesday, January 14, 2014 4:00:41 AM UTC-5, micky wrote:
On Mon, 13 Jan 2014 13:03:27 -0800 (PST), "David Smith Jr."

wrote:



Christie Faces Audit Over Use of Hurricane Relief Money



Federal investigators have ordered an audit to determine whether Gov. Chris Christie�s administration improperly spent millions of dollars of relief meant to encourage tourists to visit New Jersey after the devastation of Hurricane Sandy.



The audit comes as Mr. Christie is struggling with the most difficult crisis of his political career after it was revealed that people in his administration schemed to close local lanes onto the George Washington Bridge as political punishment for the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee. On Monday, New Jersey Democrats announced a new committee to investigate the closings.



This is not the first time Mr. Christie has come under criticism for the Hurricane Sandy funds: Many of the television advertisements used in the campaign, called �Stronger than the Storm,� prominently featured the governor and his family.



This is really one issue. The feds who gave the relief money gave him

permission to use some for tourism commercials (getting tourism back is

as important as rebuilding for relief, and it's good that they know

that.) so the first paragraph above is not a problem, but the problem

is that, according to what's alleged, another advertising company would

have done the commercials for half the money, or maybe it is 2 million

less, or both, but they wouldn't include Christie, or his wife or kids,

in the commercials. It's charged that the ads ran during the campaign

for governor and amounted to free publicity for him. But even that

might be okay if it were free. It's charged that he spent millions extra

so he and his family could be in the commercials.

The company that produced the commercials has already issued
a statement saying that
at the time the contract was awarded they had not proposed nor
was there plans to put Christie in the commercials. They also claim
that the total cost of the work they did was less than what was
proposed by the other bidders. Christie's people have said that
HUD reviewed and approved using the money for the commercials.

There are Democrats here who are supporting Christie on this. He
was governor and very prominent in the response to the Sandy disaster.
To have him as part of the commecial saying that "NJ is stronger than
the storm", standing on the shore, showing NJ is open for business,
was a big boost in getting tourism back to businesses at the shore.

If the investigation finds nothing wrong, Palone should resign
from Congress. Those ads helped the state and people he represents.
IMO, he should be ashamed of himself.

Why did it cost $2m more to feature his fat kids and sow wife?

On Tue, 14 Jan 2014 04:41:31 -0800 (PST), "
wrote:

On Tuesday, January 14, 2014 4:00:41 AM UTC-5, micky wrote:
On Mon, 13 Jan 2014 13:03:27 -0800 (PST), "David Smith Jr."

wrote:



Christie Faces Audit Over Use of Hurricane Relief Money



Federal investigators have ordered an audit to determine whether Gov. Chris Christie�s administration improperly spent millions of dollars of relief meant to encourage tourists to visit New Jersey after the devastation of Hurricane Sandy.



The audit comes as Mr. Christie is struggling with the most difficult crisis of his political career after it was revealed that people in his administration schemed to close local lanes onto the George Washington Bridge as political punishment for the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee. On Monday, New Jersey Democrats announced a new committee to investigate the closings.



This is not the first time Mr. Christie has come under criticism for the Hurricane Sandy funds: Many of the television advertisements used in the campaign, called �Stronger than the Storm,� prominently featured the governor and his family.



This is really one issue. The feds who gave the relief money gave him

permission to use some for tourism commercials (getting tourism back is

as important as rebuilding for relief, and it's good that they know

that.) so the first paragraph above is not a problem, but the problem

is that, according to what's alleged, another advertising company would

have done the commercials for half the money, or maybe it is 2 million

less, or both, but they wouldn't include Christie, or his wife or kids,

in the commercials. It's charged that the ads ran during the campaign

for governor and amounted to free publicity for him. But even that

might be okay if it were free. It's charged that he spent millions extra

so he and his family could be in the commercials.

The company that produced the commercials has already issued
a statement saying that
at the time the contract was awarded they had not proposed nor
was there plans to put Christie in the commercials.

And that might be true, or they might be defending their buddy. I
certainly don't know.

They also claim
that the total cost of the work they did was less than what was
proposed by the other bidders.

There should be a paper trail for this, one way or the other.

Christie's people have said that
HUD reviewed and approved using the money for the commercials.

Yes, I said that, and I heard it on the TV as part of part of his
defense, but I doubt very much that HUD reviewed the various bidders and
approved any particular bid. I'd be surprised if they did more than
approve the idea of using the money for commercials, leaving the rest up
to the state.

There are Democrats here who are supporting Christie on this. He
was governor and very prominent in the response to the Sandy disaster.
To have him as part of the commecial saying that "NJ is stronger than
the storm", standing on the shore, showing NJ is open for business,
was a big boost in getting tourism back to businesses at the shore.

If the investigation finds nothing wrong, Palone should resign
from Congress. Those ads helped the state and people he represents.
IMO, he should be ashamed of himself.

David Smith Jr. wrote:
Christie Faces Audit Over Use of Hurricane Relief Money

Federal investigators have ordered an audit to determine whether Gov.
Chris Christie’s administration improperly spent millions of dollars
of relief meant to encourage tourists to visit New Jersey after the
devastation of Hurricane Sandy.

The audit comes as Mr. Christie is struggling with the most difficult
crisis of his political career after it was revealed that people in
his administration schemed to close local lanes onto the George
Washington Bridge as political punishment for the Democratic mayor of
Fort Lee. On Monday, New Jersey Democrats announced a new committee
to investigate the closings.

This is not the first time Mr. Christie has come under criticism for
the Hurricane Sandy funds: Many of the television advertisements used
in the campaign, called “Stronger than the Storm,” prominently
featured the governor and his family.

Were the commercials run in New Jersey? That would say a lot.

On Tuesday, January 14, 2014 10:52:57 AM UTC-5, Bob F wrote:
David Smith Jr. wrote:

Christie Faces Audit Over Use of Hurricane Relief Money



Federal investigators have ordered an audit to determine whether Gov.

Chris Christie�s administration improperly spent millions of dollars

of relief meant to encourage tourists to visit New Jersey after the

devastation of Hurricane Sandy.



The audit comes as Mr. Christie is struggling with the most difficult

crisis of his political career after it was revealed that people in

his administration schemed to close local lanes onto the George

Washington Bridge as political punishment for the Democratic mayor of

Fort Lee. On Monday, New Jersey Democrats announced a new committee

to investigate the closings.



This is not the first time Mr. Christie has come under criticism for

the Hurricane Sandy funds: Many of the television advertisements used

in the campaign, called �Stronger than the Storm,� prominently

featured the governor and his family.



Were the commercials run in New Jersey? That would say a lot.


Good grief, another lib totally unaware of even the most basic
facts.

wrote:
On Tuesday, January 14, 2014 10:52:57 AM UTC-5, Bob F wrote:
David Smith Jr. wrote:

Christie Faces Audit Over Use of Hurricane Relief Money



Federal investigators have ordered an audit to determine whether
Gov.

Chris Christie?s administration improperly spent millions of dollars

of relief meant to encourage tourists to visit New Jersey after the

devastation of Hurricane Sandy.



The audit comes as Mr. Christie is struggling with the most
difficult

crisis of his political career after it was revealed that people in

his administration schemed to close local lanes onto the George

Washington Bridge as political punishment for the Democratic mayor
of

Fort Lee. On Monday, New Jersey Democrats announced a new committee

to investigate the closings.



This is not the first time Mr. Christie has come under criticism for

the Hurricane Sandy funds: Many of the television advertisements
used

in the campaign, called ?Stronger than the Storm,? prominently

featured the governor and his family.



Were the commercials run in New Jersey? That would say a lot.


Good grief, another lib totally unaware of even the most basic
facts.

Do all Righties know exactly where these ads were run?
Do you? Do tell.

Exactly where (and when) were they run?

On Tue, 14 Jan 2014 14:07:15 -0800 (PST), "
wrote:

On Tuesday, January 14, 2014 4:07:58 PM UTC-5, Bob F wrote:
wrote:

On Tuesday, January 14, 2014 10:52:57 AM UTC-5, Bob F wrote:

David Smith Jr. wrote:



Christie Faces Audit Over Use of Hurricane Relief Money







Federal investigators have ordered an audit to determine whether

Gov.



Chris Christie?s administration improperly spent millions of dollars



of relief meant to encourage tourists to visit New Jersey after the



devastation of Hurricane Sandy.







The audit comes as Mr. Christie is struggling with the most

difficult



crisis of his political career after it was revealed that people in



his administration schemed to close local lanes onto the George



Washington Bridge as political punishment for the Democratic mayor

of



Fort Lee. On Monday, New Jersey Democrats announced a new committee



to investigate the closings.







This is not the first time Mr. Christie has come under criticism for



the Hurricane Sandy funds: Many of the television advertisements

used



in the campaign, called ?Stronger than the Storm,? prominently



featured the governor and his family.







Were the commercials run in New Jersey? That would say a lot.

Good point.




Good grief, another lib totally unaware of even the most basic

facts.



Do all Righties know exactly where these ads were run?

Yes, they do. It was in the newsletter.


Do you? Do tell.

On Tue, 14 Jan 2014 14:07:15 -0800 (PST), "
wrote:

On Tuesday, January 14, 2014 4:07:58 PM UTC-5, Bob F wrote:
wrote:

On Tuesday, January 14, 2014 10:52:57 AM UTC-5, Bob F wrote:

David Smith Jr. wrote:



Christie Faces Audit Over Use of Hurricane Relief Money







Federal investigators have ordered an audit to determine whether

Gov.



Chris Christie?s administration improperly spent millions of dollars



of relief meant to encourage tourists to visit New Jersey after the



devastation of Hurricane Sandy.







The audit comes as Mr. Christie is struggling with the most

difficult



crisis of his political career after it was revealed that people in



his administration schemed to close local lanes onto the George



Washington Bridge as political punishment for the Democratic mayor

of



Fort Lee. On Monday, New Jersey Democrats announced a new committee



to investigate the closings.







This is not the first time Mr. Christie has come under criticism for



the Hurricane Sandy funds: Many of the television advertisements

used



in the campaign, called ?Stronger than the Storm,? prominently



featured the governor and his family.







Were the commercials run in New Jersey? That would say a lot.





Good grief, another lib totally unaware of even the most basic

facts.



Do all Righties know exactly where these ads were run?

Do you? Do tell.



Exactly where (and when) were they run?

They were promoting the NJ shore for tourism so they ran
starting in May 2013 and continued during summer.
I saw them on NYC stations. They ran on Philly TV too,
radio, and online.

GA, too (though they may have been national commercials).