Democratic Underground - Gov. Christie's battle over scrapped ARC tunnel costing N.J. $225K a month in interest alone

Even more pain and suffering for New Jersey at the hands of our incompetent buffoon and rising national Republican star, Chris Christie.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/05/gov_christies_battle_over_scra.html

Gov. Christie's battle over scrapped ARC tunnel costing N.J. $225K a month in interest alone

Published: Sunday, May 29, 2011, 6:00 AM
By Salvador Rizzo/Statehouse Bureau

TRENTON � Gov. Chris Christie�s fight with the federal government over abandoning a train tunnel under the Hudson has already cost New Jerseyans more than $1 million in legal fees and interest, records show.

For a month, Christie has been vowing to appeal a decision from the Obama administration ordering the state to repay $271 million for abruptly pulling out of what was the largest public works project in the country.

In the meantime, interest on New Jersey�s debt is adding up at the rate of $225,000 a month. In addition, bills from Patton Boggs, the Washington law firm hired by Christie in December to fight his battle, have averaged another $300,000 a month, invoices obtained by The Star-Ledger show.

The interest on the $271 million, which began accruing on April 29, could be frozen by a federal judge once an appeal is filed, but neither the governor nor Patton Boggs has said when the case will be brought to court.

A spokesman for the governor, Michael Drewniak, declined to comment, as did a Patton Boggs spokeswoman.

DREWNIAK had no comment? Drewniak who has a snide remark for every occasion suddenly has no comment?

And all this after Sen. Lautenberg brokered a deal that would have returned half the money to New Jersey in the form of other federal aid if Christie agreed to repay the money he literally threw in the garbage when he cancelled the ARC tunnel. Christie flat out refused the deal Sen. Lautenberg brokered and let the deadline for accepting the deal and ending this particular Christie created disaster.

Now New Jersey taxpayers are on the hook for $271 million for the canceled ARC tunnel PLUS monthly interest of $225,000 and over $1,000,000 in legal fees that increase by another $300,000 PER MONTH.

THIS is what Chris Christie calls leadership; ignorance, incompetence, corruption, arrogance and outright stupidity. But none of it matters to Chris Christie because New Jersey taxpayers are always forced to foot the bill for his epic, serial stupidity.

Gov. Christie's battle over scrapped ARC tunnel costing N.J. $225K a month in interest alone [View All]