LEGISLATORS RENEW CALL FOR INVESTIGATION INTO TOP CHRISTIE ADVISER
“Now that the election is over we need to get to the bottom of this”
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For Immediate Release June 5th, 2009 |
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TRENTON – Assemblyman Reed Gusciora and Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri-Huttle today renewed their call for the state Attorney General and the United States Attorney’s office to investigate Republican gubernatorial nominee Chris Christie’s senior political adviser and top fundraiser John Inglesino, for his alleged attempt to bribe former candidate and Assemblyman Richard Merkt to quit the Governor’s race.
"Three weeks ago, Assemblyman Gusciora and I called on law enforcement to investigate a report of impropriety and see if the law had been broken, said Vainieri-Huttle. “The politicking of the primary election is now behind us, but the specter of corruption remains. Now is the time to determine if, and to what extent an illegal act took place. Now that the election is over we need to get to the bottom of this."
At a Statehouse news conference last month, Merkt, a six-term assemblyman, said that Inglesino offered him “a role in Christie’s campaign or administration if he decided not to run”. In December 2007, former Mayor John M. Lake was convicted of attempting to bribe a political rival to quit the race for Carneys Point Township Committee. Lake was found guilty of bribery and sentenced to three years in state prison.
A former Morris County Freeholder and long-time Christie confidant, Inglesino has contributed the maximum allowed campaign contributions and co-sponsored a fundraiser for Christie. Inglesino was handed a no-bid contract by Christie while he was still United States Attorney. Most recently, it came to light that Inglesino was hired on the public payroll of State Senator Joe Pennacchio as a “political adviser” for the minimum required to stay in the state pension system immediately after losing his freeholder position. After Christie ignored days of public outcry for him to follow through on one of his many campaign pledges and ask his friend to stop pension padding at state taxpayer expense, Inglesino decided on his own that he should resign. He has refused to give back the pension credits from the adviser job that have him more than halfway to state taxpayer funded, lifetime, medical benefits and he has not ruled out getting back into the pension system under his friend Christie.
"It has been very well-established that Chris Christie and John Inglesino are the best of friends,” said Gusciora. “Inglesino is a top adviser, a chief fundraiser and, apparently, even a phone banker for Christie. The allegations made by Assemblyman Merkt that Christie’s long-time friend tried to bribe him are very serious and need to be properly investigated. If the Assemblyman’s allegations are true then they represent an infringement on the most basic principles of our electoral system. Protecting the rights of our citizens merits an investigation.
"Three weeks ago, Assemblyman Gusciora and I called on law enforcement to investigate a report of impropriety and see if the law had been broken, said Vainieri-Huttle. “The politicking of the primary election is now behind us, but the specter of corruption remains. Now is the time to determine if, and to what extent an illegal act took place. Now that the election is over we need to get to the bottom of this."
At a Statehouse news conference last month, Merkt, a six-term assemblyman, said that Inglesino offered him “a role in Christie’s campaign or administration if he decided not to run”. In December 2007, former Mayor John M. Lake was convicted of attempting to bribe a political rival to quit the race for Carneys Point Township Committee. Lake was found guilty of bribery and sentenced to three years in state prison.
A former Morris County Freeholder and long-time Christie confidant, Inglesino has contributed the maximum allowed campaign contributions and co-sponsored a fundraiser for Christie. Inglesino was handed a no-bid contract by Christie while he was still United States Attorney. Most recently, it came to light that Inglesino was hired on the public payroll of State Senator Joe Pennacchio as a “political adviser” for the minimum required to stay in the state pension system immediately after losing his freeholder position. After Christie ignored days of public outcry for him to follow through on one of his many campaign pledges and ask his friend to stop pension padding at state taxpayer expense, Inglesino decided on his own that he should resign. He has refused to give back the pension credits from the adviser job that have him more than halfway to state taxpayer funded, lifetime, medical benefits and he has not ruled out getting back into the pension system under his friend Christie.
"It has been very well-established that Chris Christie and John Inglesino are the best of friends,” said Gusciora. “Inglesino is a top adviser, a chief fundraiser and, apparently, even a phone banker for Christie. The allegations made by Assemblyman Merkt that Christie’s long-time friend tried to bribe him are very serious and need to be properly investigated. If the Assemblyman’s allegations are true then they represent an infringement on the most basic principles of our electoral system. Protecting the rights of our citizens merits an investigation.
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