Last night during the NJ Gubernatorial debate between Chris Christie (R), Governor Jon Corzine, and Chris Daggett (I), Christie was so short on specifics it was painful to watch, unless of course you were a Democrat. It was obvious to this Jersey blogger in particular that Christie assumed he could just coast to victory based on the timing of one of the most interesting trials to hit NJ in years. The trial of Boss Joe Ferriero began yesterday.
However, I have been blogging about Joe Ferriero and Dennis Oury regularly for nearly 3 years on Blue Jersey, and have a more historically accurate version of the Joe Ferriero story. It was ridiculous for Christie to try to tie Governor Corzine and Lt Governor Candidate Loretta Weinberg to Jersey corruption by tying them to Ferriero when everyone in NJ politics knows that they spent the last 4 years FIGHTING Ferriero's corruption in particular.
Here is the real documented (blogged) history of the past 4 years that show clearly that Loretta Weinberg and Jon Corzine repeatedly stood up to Joe Ferriero on the subject of Pay to Play. Christie may like to take credit for indicting Ferriero, but I was there and these events unfolded just as I lay them out for the public to know the WHOLE story.
Christie played the Ferriero card last night by bringing his name up in the debate, but Loretta Weinberg not only has many ideas for how to improve NJ and the legislative record to back it up, she has the political street cred with NJ progressives that she earned the hard way by fighting Ferriero and Pay to Play long before Chris Christie did.
Consider this a good primer on just how Loretta Weinberg fought corruption here in Bergen County, and Joe Ferriero in particular.
The very first ever Lt Gov debate is next Thursday night and it should be entertaining. It will be streamed live. You can bet Ferriero's name will come up again, because of Christie's choice of Lt. Gov candidate. He really hopes to ride Ferriero's corruption trial to the Governor's mansion but those who know the whole story, credit Senator Weinberg more for Joe's untimely exit from his Boss chair, than the trial going on right now.
Trust me. I was there.
Update:
The events recounted in great detail on Blue Jersey are the reason the Party Democracy Act was sponsored by Senator Loretta Weinberg in the first place. Governor Corzine actually signed that bill into LAW today. This is THE single MOST important ethics law to be passed in NJ - ever.