Christie is history - they knew investigations were coming

[malaise]

http://blog.nj.com/njv_editorial_page/2014/01/christie_officials_fire_sandy.html
<snip>
So we're not sorry to see HGI go. But now here's the bad news: The administration fired HGI last month, and we are all just finding out about this now.

State officials apparently saw it fit to quietly terminate their contract with the firm, posting a notice of the settlement reached Dec. 6 on a Treasury Department website, without advising the public. HGI officially ended its $68 million contract Jan. 6.

Just two days later, Richard Constable, who oversees the state's rebuilding programs, testified for the first time before the state Assembly. He's in charge of these grant programs that HGI was screwing up. Did he not think it necessary to mention this firing when he defended the administration against its critics?

-----------
Remember when this Bridgegate story broke?
"appropriate enquiries" anyone?

[jaysunb]

1. Well...Brother Constable will probably be the first to go to jail.

By next month I expect him to remember he's black, that his whole family and friends are also, and the Baptist church he was raised in will be asked to pray for him. Once he gets to Rahway State, none of the brothers there will know or care that he was a pretty big shot in State politics.

[Cha]

7. Not lookin' good.. can imagine how

he might be a little worried now. So many signs point to corruption and coverup.

[Historic NY]

2. Another gift......

you can bet he'll be on the stand along with any one connected to the firm.

[malaise]

3. $1.7 m for the re-election and $25,000 for the RGA

compliments of the handpicked Louisiana ReTHUG firm and just when bridgegate hit the news the contract was terminated in silence.

[Cracklin Charlie]

28. Please excuse my density...

So the "law firm" was in charge of the grant money, right? The "law firm" gave big donations to Christie, right?

Were they, in effect, giving Sandy grant money back to the Christy campaign, to build Christie's 2016 war chest? That sure sounds like something they would really need to hide.

And would you mind explaining, in a little more detail, the benefits to the "law firm" of the quiet firing? Or were they simply trying to hide that relationship?

[malaise]

31. That is my suspicion since they didn't just give money to Christie's campaign

I am speculating that this firing in secret is just another part of a huge incestuous corrupt story.
Ending contract and hiding it just as the bridgegate story was being discussed?
'appropriate enquiries'?
subpoenas for the Campaign and NJ ReTHUGs?

And don't forget who vetoed the bill for more transparency re Sandy funds.

[Cracklin Charlie]

36. Thanks for the reply.

This would be really,really bad. People not paying attention might not be able to follow the sequence of events surrounding the "traffic study". But anyone could understand taking federal funds for Sandy relief, and putting that money in your pocket. And that was the first thing that came to my mind, when I saw the story of the law firm, and their donations to Christie, and the Republicans.

I just can't help thinking that this is the part of the scandal that they really wanted to hide. But, who knows, there may be even more.

And that veto you speak of...was that a New Jersey bill, or the federal one?

Sorry to keep picking your brain, but your take on this story is amazing, and quite frankly, this scandal just has been moving just a little too fast for me. Thanks for adding the implications.

[MoonRiver]

4. Chrispy Toast, that's why they're thinking about recycling Mittens.

Babs put the HEX on Jeb, so where or where do they go now?

[malaise]

5. My take

Christie was the front runner because he had money - mostly American taxpayers Hurricane Sandy recovery money - this firm even gave money to the RGA.

American taxpayers hard earned money was going to run the campaign.
Now I understand why the Campaign and the NJ ReTHUGs.
This is going to be something else.

[OmahaBlueDog]

29. The money was part of it

There are three reasons Christie was (and still might be) the front-runner.

1) He's blunt to the point of rudeness: Put another way, many find him to be someone who sounds both plain spoken and tough minded. One thing you have to keep in mind is that for every one of us who thought Junior Bush sounded like an idiot, there is someone else who found his butchery of the language endearing, as it made him "relatable".

2) The GOP Calculus is that he'd take states out of the Blue column: East of the Appalachians/Alleghenies/Adirondacks and north of the Potomac, it hasn't looked good for the GOP for some time. This would be a chance to get New Jersey, and -- who knows -- maybe make the Republicans competitive in Delaware and Pennsylvania.

3) Sandy made him appear as a good leader in a crisis: He took withering heat within his party, but the voters loved that he appeared with Barack Obama when touring storm damage. His response to the crisis outwardly appeared forceful and intelligent.

That said, while he might be their best hope in a national election, it's unclear he could even make it through the GOP primaries. The Tea Party is running the show over there right now, and their electoral litmus test is ...interesting.

[malaise]

33. I think if McConnell takes down the tea baggers in his early primary

and I suspect he will, things won't be that easy for the Tea Party this year.

[napkinz]

40. I love toast!

[Cha]

6. And, all this bungling from Hammerman and Gainer

gets covered up by the NJ press? Since Christie's had such a "success" with the aftermath of Super Storm Sandy?

from your link, malaise..

"Just two days later, Richard Constable, who oversees the state's rebuilding programs, testified for the first time before the state Assembly. He's in charge of these grant programs that HGI was screwing up. Did he not think it necessary to mention this firing when he defended the administration against its critics?

Constable didn't disclose it last week, either, when he cited new signs of progress in the state's relief efforts, including more grants finally being doled out, and letters sent to applicants on the waiting list to let them know where they stand. Could this be because the state is now trying to remedy HGI's mistakes?"

Hmmm.. the very same Constable who Mayor Zimmer is accusing of tying a request to moving Rockefeller project Forward to getting Sandy money for Hoboken..

Mayor of Hoboken, N.J.: Christie aides tied Sandy fund requests to support for project

"Zimmer said she was given the same message four days later by Richard Constable, Christie’s community affairs commissioner. As the two prepared to appear on a television program about Sandy recovery, she said Constable told her she needed to support the project for her city to receive aid.

“If you move that forward, the money would start flowing to you,’” Zimmer wrote that Constable said."

Moving Rockefeller Project Forward

thanks malaise~

[malaise]

8. Zimmer looks even more credible by the moment

Why has Constable remained silent on this subject?
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm! Bet Christie didn't know about that either - Bwaaaaaaaaaaaah!

[Cha]

9. Yes, Mayor Zimmer does! It's Christie's

business to know everything his staff and cabinet does.. that's why the majority doesn't believe he didn't know shit from shinola. Mr former prosecutor.

[Laxman]

19. Factor In...

that every day there is a briefing memo on all department activities, clipping services, activity logs, staff meetings, not to mention that staff liaisons attend events, hearings and meetings and report back to the governor's office via text in real time. Their best defense may be that there was simply too much information coming in to digest.

[Cha]

21. I love it when sneaky corrupt bullies get the

light shining on them for all the world to see. Finally finally.

Too much corruption is more like it.

[malaise]

32. Why was this kept in the dark?

Weigh in please

[Laxman]

45. That's A Good Question...

probably because most reporters don't know what questions to ask. Unless you have some concept of how information is disseminated within an administration (each is slightly different) you don't know when a "reasonable" sounding denial of knowledge is just bull. Three lanes for Fort Lee is excessive? Sounds plausible unless you really understand the traffic sources and patterns. Hoboken not really in need of all that much Sandy funding? I guess its believable unless you truly understand the facts and circumstances of the effects of the storm and future vulnerability. Governor didn't know what's going on. Well, there's just so much going on, how could he know? Unless you know just how information is shared and what reports are made on a daily basis, you just might buy it.

That's their whole methodology of defending the charges so far. Say things that just might sound true unless you know better. Then you know just how laughable they are. If you know how lobbying takes place, if you know how controlling Christie really is, if you know what's behind the curtain, then you know they're full of it.

[malaise]

46. Thanks Laxman

[George II]

24. Why? Taking the Fifth like Wildstein!!!

[demwing]

10. It's a bit crass, but so what?

Multiple Republican scandals and indictments could be fucking great news for Dems in the midterms!

McDonnell indicted, D'Souza indicted (and D'Souza's as yet unnamed candidate). Of course, there's Christie's on going meltdown which just keeps getting meltier, and lest we forget, DUer "laserhaas" is suing Mitt Romney and Bain under RICO! Can we be looking at a perfect storm of high-profile corrupt GOPers facing justice?

I know it's the end of January, but it's beginning to look a LOT like Christmas!

[malaise]

11. It's a hell of a great start for 2014

Hope the year ends with us laughing the same way

[Mr.Bill]

12. They'll have to schedule the Republican presidential candidate debates

around their court dates.

[George II]

25. Or hold it in the community room at Rahway

[okaawhatever]

44. lolz. Good one. I'm wondering when it will be appropriate to start making reference to the

Orange is the new Black tv show? Tomorrow?

[Cha]

22. Is it our fault that republicons

are their own worst enemy?

[dorkzilla]

13. I didn't get to hear it all, but here is Steve Kornacki on WNYC's "The Brian Lehrer Show"

http://www.wnyc.org/story/what-we-know-about-hoboken-development-deal/

[malaise]

14. Thanks dorkzilla

[dorkzilla]

18. Just gobbled down a piece of chocolate for you, my friend!

not as good as Christie popcorn, but there you are!!

[Orrex]

15. How does Benghazi figure into all of this?

[malaise]

16. We might find some Ben in here somehow

The ghazi is history

[ReRe]

17. Christie surrounded himself with....

... "Yes men." Stoolies who would do anything for him. He probably has something on everyone who works for him, so he can keep them in line with his wishes. Wouldn't it be a shame if everyone but Christie is held accountable?

[rocktivity]

23. ANOTHER thing that happened behind poor, innocent "Governor Soprano's" back?

rocktivity

[PATRICK]

20. What is the REAL game plan in Jersey?

Just some reflections pulled out of the air-

First: It's a Dem state with GOP blood in the water. Second, it's a guy vulnerable and still distracted by national politics(which is still obscuring, I should think, the normal state political intra-murals). Third, it's a doubly vengeful guy and the issue is about what he does to enemies with a FULL TERM left unhindered by any need at all to play nice with Dems or the state for that matter, someone who makes Corbett(Gov. PA-R) look good. Fourth, they have already chosen sides and the entire local establishment seems to have a stake in getting him out now.

I should think the threat/benefit arrangements have been shredded and it's now him or us. And, definitely if there are grounds for impeachment this would be better than wrangling for years with someone who minimally weathered the destruction of his ambitions with nothing left to lose except the gifts that come from above to those who fearlessly screw over everyone for the sake of the Koch brothers.

Anyone digging into the real possibility of these intuitions, maybe on the state discussion group?
Probably, at this time, not even close to a resignation deal stage though?

[spanone]

26. these losers were drunk on power. still are.

[Cracklin Charlie]

27. They thought they were going places. n/t

[Mosaic]

30. No disrespect to the poster

I am completely ignoring this east coast corporate media story. I believe it's just a way to distract from the outrage over spying and other plutocratic power grabs. It's proof to me our society is not only manipulated by a Corporate media complex, it's mainly an east coast phenomena, that probably 95% of the rest of the country couldn't give two shits about.

[Skidmore]

34. We complain incessantly about corruption in government.

Addressing this is very important especially in light of the aspirations of Christie. Either you root it out or leave it in place. Some well placed procecutions may send messages to others elsewhere to not jump on these gravy trains and to evaluate whether their activities pass the smell test. RICO prosecutions, if that is where this heads, are federal charges and can be brought against similar nests of corruption in other states as well. Not everything is a conspiracy writ large found in a novel with a bad plotline. Sometimes a thing is what it is.

[dorkzilla]

35. Since 36% of the country's population lives on the east coast, i doubt it

Also, no disrespect to you, but if you don't give two shits about it, why bother to comment?

[Jim Lane]

41. It's more than an East Coast story because of Christie's national prominence.

The whiff of corruption in Christie's vicinity has gotten more attention than McDonnell's indictment. As between these two East Coast governors, McDonnell is in more trouble. But which of the two has been the subject of a Top Ten list on Letterman?

[jsr]

42. Eh, Christie is a national figure and a leading GOP contender.

[Coyotl]

37. Sandy Contractor Draws Fire in Home-Reconstruction Effort - attorney made $25,000 donation

Sandy Relief Contractor Used Local Lawyer in Its Bid
Sept. 22, 2013 http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887323808204579087883460608014

The Louisiana firm awarded a contract to run New Jersey's main federally funded housing programs for superstorm Sandy victims received some local help when it submitted its 2013 bid.

Glenn Paulsen, the former chief of the Burlington County Republicans, acted as Hammerman & Gainer Inc.'s legal counsel when they submitted a bid in April to run two Sandy relief programs, according to their bid. ........

As the state was completing contracts for Sandy, the law firm where Mr. Paulsen is a managing shareholder, Capehart Scatchard, made a $25,000 donation to the Republican Governors Association in May .......

Mr. Christie's office referred questions to the Department of Community Affairs. The agency's chief, Richard Constable, said he knew nothing about Mr. Paulsen's work on the bid or his firm's contributions. "It's of no moment whether Glenn Paulsen works for HGI or not in terms of the rationale and the rational of giving HGI the contract," he said. ...........

======================

Sandy Contractor Draws Fire in Home-Reconstruction Effort
HGI Also Faced Criticism for Its Katrina Work
Heather Haddon
Sept. 22, 2013 http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887323808204579087420937630290

A Louisiana contracting firm that faced criticism for its handling of a Hurricane Katrina rebuilding program is accruing new complaints as it runs New Jersey's main superstorm Sandy home-reconstruction efforts.
Enlarge Image

Hammerman & Gainer Inc., or HGI, was chosen by state officials in May to administer two programs distributing $780 million in federal money to Sandy victims, including New Jersey's biggest homeowner-relief initiative, the $600 million Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation and Mitigation Program.

In interviews and testimony at state legislative hearings, some homeowners say they have struggled to get answers to basic questions, that their paperwork has been misplaced and that it has been difficult to reach HGI employees by phone.

Housing advocates say the company's nine recovery centers change rules midstream and are largely staffed with temporary workers.

The reconstruction program has received 12,254 applications, and 3,497 have been deemed eligible, the state records show. No grants have been awarded yet. Contractors are still collecting documentation from homeowners and conducting property inspections ..............

=====================

Sep 30, 2013
Sandy Contractor Criticized at New Jersey Hearing
Heather Haddon http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2013/09/30/sandy-contractor-criticized-at-new-jersey-hearing/

A state legislative hearing Monday on New Jersey’s progress recovering from superstorm Sandy took up issue with the contractor administering home rebuilding grants.

Homeowners featured in stories in The Wall Street Journal last week testified about troubles applying for the grants in the program, run by Hammerman & Gainer Inc., or HGI.

“They are undertrained and not very pleasant and everyone I talked to gave me a different answer of what we should do,” said Kathleen Fisher about her experience in applying for a grant. Ms. Fisher’s Ventnor City home was damaged by Sandy.

The Louisiana-based company is administering New Jersey’s main rebuilding effort, the Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation, and Mitigation program. HGI was a key contractor running a reconstruction program for homeowners recovering from Hurricane Katrina, and some applicants reported troubles in applying for the grants there.

Democrats Monday said the company’s work should be further examined. .................

[malaise]

38. Oops!!

Where are my chocolates - delish!!!

[rocktivity]

39. Richard Constable -- that name rings a bell

Isn't he the other Christie appointee who the mayor of Hoboken says shook her down for development money? Well, what do you know -- it IS!

And all of this was going on behind poor, naive, innocent "Governor Soprano's" back. Cue the DU "Cry Me A River" String Quartet!


rocktivity

[malaise]

43. Yes it is

The constable may be looking for Constable soon and very soon