As I read The New York Times article, Nagin Guilty of 20 Counts of Bribery and Fraud, yesterday, I was struck by the parallels of the incompetence of the recovery efforts, and the mismanagement of federal recovery funds and programs, after Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy. The victims of Hurricane Sandy are being betrayed and let down by Governor Christie's incompetence and opportunism in a manner reminiscent of the citizens savaged by Hurricane Katrina. Both Nagin and Christie have become 'emblems of government dysfuntion,' in the aftermath of their storms, a dysfunctionality that is ongoing in the case of Christie as illustrated by ericlewis0 post this morning reporting second contractor being fired.
He was found guilty of all but one of 21 counts, including bribery, wire fraud and filing false tax returns. Sentencing has been set for June 11, Mr. Nagin’s 58th birthday. Mr. Nagin could face 20 years in prison by federal sentencing guidelines, said Tania Tetlow, a Tulane University law professor and a former federal prosecutor.
Over the eight-day trial, federal prosecutors and more than two dozen government witnesses had described Mr. Nagin’s involvement in a series of roughly similar schemes: city projects would be awarded to — or municipal problems fixed for — businessmen who in turn would give Mr. Nagin large payments, private trips to Jamaica and New York, free cellphone service, lawn care, do-nothing consulting jobs or free shipments of granite for the countertop company he ran with his two sons. ...
Ironically, Mr Nagin, known for his micromanagement of staff, tried to use inattention to detail and rogue staff as part of his defense, claiming "he had little control over the contracting process." Primary responsibility for that control rested with Mayor Nagin, just as it rests with Governor Christie in the case of Hurricane Sandy, an ongoing failure which still needs to be urgently addressed.
From the witness stand, he testified that the extensive paper trail on which much of the case rested — calendar entries, tax filings, legal documents and city paperwork — was mostly handled by others, like accountants or assistants. His lawyer asked whether a person taking bribes would really be so careless as to leave such a record, behavior that brazenly flouts the wisdom shared by a former Louisiana governor, Earl K. Long: that one should never put in writing what one can convey in a smile, a nod or a wink.
Perhaps, it is the distant perspective from across the Atlantic that allows The Guardian to most clearly articulate this parallel in, Chris Christie and Nagin Crumble Under Corruption and Scandal.
The Guardian notes:
The fall from grace can leave politicians broken, and those who believed in them feeling betrayed and bitter. This has been perfectly illustrated this week with the conviction on corruption charges for former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin relating to bribery and the expanding investigation into New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s role in the bridge scandal. Christie and Nagin are two men that have proved that political super heroes can crumble under the weight of corruption and scandal.
This attitude endeared him to his constituents during one of the worst storms in American history. Katrina would leave over 1800 people dead and thousands homeless. The landscape of New Orleans was changed forever. Through that calamity and uncertainty, Nagin guided the city back from the brink. But according to federal prosecutors, Nagin was a politician out for his own enrichment. There were over 30 witnesses lined up to corroborate the federal governments’ charges. The prosecutors’ case stated that Nagin, a Democrat accepted over half a million dollars in payouts and even a first class trip to Jamaica. Throughout his time as mayor there were many times Nagin was not present as the city struggled. Many of those that supported him during Katrina, still believed in him. The consensus was that he was an ineffective leader but at least he was clean. But that all went out the window when the jury handed down its decision this week.
Chris Christie knows a thing or two about losing adulation due to failed expectations. The bridge scandal that embroiled the Christie office is still heating up and threatens to boil over. The investigative probe has just been expanded this week. Christie who was once the political world’s wonder man, had the rare ability to garner praise from both Republicans and Democrats. He now has a hard time getting photo ops with members of his own party.
The biggest take away for me is that Governor Chris Christie's biggest scandal is not the isolated incidents of the George Washington Bridge, and Hoboken scandals, which Republicans want to put behind us, but the ongoing bungling of New Jersey's recovery effort while Governor Christie galavants around the country raising funds for the RGA
But, rather than buckling down and focusing on fixing New Jersey's choatic Sandy recovery response, and finding legitimate contractors to administer it Christie is choosing instead to blame the media as well described by Aliyah Frumin:>
“I know you guys are obsessed with this. I’m not, I’m really not,” Christie said. “It’s not that big a deal just because press runs around and writes about it both here and nationally,” he said at a news conference. “Let’s not pretend that it’s because of the gravity of the issue. It’s because I am a national figure and anything like this will be written about a lot now. So, let’s not pretend.” ...
“The blame the media strategy simply won’t save you,” said Jeanne Zaino, a professor of political science at Iona College and at New York University. “It won’t stop the investigation, it won’t stop people from looking at the actual facts of the case,” she said. ...
“Part of the hope in Christie’s bunker seems to be transforming the story into one about media bias rather than the underlying offense, thereby rallying red-meat Republicans to his side,” Noam Scheiber, a senior editor at the New Republic, wrote.
It's time for Governor Chris Christie to stop stonewalling, blaming the media, and electioneering and return to New Jersey and refocus on getting the federally funded recovery efforts back on track with fully competent administrators and vigorous and transparency oversight monitoring.
And, Republicans need to stop playing this media game with Christie and focusing on the fact that Christie's bungling of the federally funded Sandy recovery effort is on ongoing crisis and not a lane closing incident long over in September. It's a question of ongoing leadership and Christie is failing the test while sneaking through back doors in his RGA fundraising efforts.