The Christie Record

 

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A Conservative Record In Blue New Jersey

 

 

"New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has one of the most impressive records from a conservative standpoint, and it's a record that deserves more attention from primary voters. ... When looking at the nine current and former governors running for president, Gov. Christie's ability to rein in the growth of government stands out amongst his peers."

 

- Patrick Gleason, Americans For Tax Reform, "The Conservative Case For Christie," Forbes, 8/17/15

 

Governor Chris Christie Has Brought Unprecedented Conservative Reform To One Of The Bluest States In America:

 

• Holding Discretionary Spending Below 2008 Levels: Governor Christie has held Fiscal Year 2016 discretionary spending $2.3 billion below 2008 levels.
• Six Years With No New Taxes: In the 8 years before he took office, taxes and fees were been increased 115 times. Since then, Governor Christie has signed six balanced budgets without raising taxes once, and repeatedly vetoed tax increases passed by the Democrat-controlled legislature.
• Sweeping Pension And Benefits Reform: Governor Christie signed into law landmark pension and health benefit reform, savings for New Jersey taxpayers over $120 billion.
• Over 9,400 Fewer State Government Employees: There are more than 9,400 fewer State government employees than when the Governor took office.
• Nearly 400 Bills Vetoed: Since taking office, Governor Christie has vetoed more legislation passed by the Democrat-controlled legislature than any governor in state history. And not a single veto has been overturned. Americans for Tax Reform: "Christie's record is unparalleled among 2016 contenders when it comes to killing bad bills."
• Cutting Burdensome And Unnecessary Red Tape: On his first day in office Governor Christie initiated a comprehensive review of all government rules and regulations which led to the elimination of over 2,200 pages of onerous and unnecessary regulations.
• A More Conservative State Supreme Court: The Governor has successfully added three new Republican justices to the Court despite facing strong opposition in the Democrat-controlled legislature.
• Ending New Jersey Participation In The Ineffective Energy Tax RGGI: The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative was nothing more than a tax on electricity. Christie pulled NJ out of the scheme in 2011.
• State-Based Educational Standards: Common Core is not working. Rather than cede increased control to Washington over education, Christie is implementing higher standards that come directly from New Jersey teachers, parents and communities.
• Historic Changes To The Nation’s Oldest Tenure Law: Christie passed a sweeping overhaul requiring tenure to be awarded and retained based in part on student achievement. Teachers in Newark have also begun earning raises and bonuses based on evaluations and student progress.

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Protecting The Rights Of Gun Owners

 

Chris Christie will not allow political agendas to further restrict the rights of law-abiding gun owners, and as Governor of New Jersey he has fought to defend gun rights.

 

• National Rifle Association: "New Jersey: Governor Christie Vetoes Major Anti-Gun Bills and Gun Owners Secure a Significant and Rare Victory" (Press Release, 8/16/13)
  • Vetoed bans on entire class of rifles
  • Vetoed a ban on so-called "high capacity" magazines
  • Vetoed a massive new licensing bureaucracy designed to harass law-abiding gun owners
  • Vetoed bill forcing state police to breach confidentiality of federally protected gun trace data
  • Vetoed bills that would have banned state investments in firearm manufacturers.

• Vetoing Gun Control Legislation: Governor Christie has vetoed several bills he viewed as legislative overreaches infringing on the rights of law abiding gun owners.
• Protecting Individuals From Legal Overreach: Governor Christie has also protected law-abiding citizens from being unfairly ensnared by the state’s restrictive gun laws, pardoning gun owners Shaneen Allen and Steffon Josey-Davis, and commuting Brian Aitken’s sentence.
• Protecting The Privacy Of Gun Owners: Governor Christie signed legislation that prevents public disclosure of personal information of licensed firearms owners through freedom of information requests.
• Giving Priority To Those In Danger: Governor Christie implemented common-sense changes to gun regulations to ensure victims of domestic violence have their firearms applications processed quickly and without delay.

 

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Protecting The Rights Of The Unborn

 

As both a candidate and as Governor in one of the most heavily-Democratic states in the nation, Governor Christie has stood by his principles and strongly defended the rights of the unborn.

• The First Pro-Life Candidate Elected Statewide Since Roe Vs. Wade: Governor Christie: “And when they said it could never be done, now twice – twice, for the first time since Roe vs. Wade, New Jersey has elected a pro-life governor of New Jersey.”
• Vetoing Funding For Planned Parenthood Every Year In Office: Each year since taking office, Governor Christie has vetoed $7.5 million for Planned Parenthood and other family planning clinics.

• Supporting 20 Week Ban: Governor Christie has voiced support for the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which would ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
• The First New Jersey Governor To Address A Pro-Life Rally: Christie was the first New Jersey governor to address New Jersey Right To Life at their annual rally on the steps of the New Jersey Statehouse.
• Supporting Parental Notification And A 24-Hour Waiting Period: Governor Christie has called for requiring parental notification before minors could get an abortion, saying it should be "something we can agree on, Republicans and Democrats." Governor Christie also supports a 24-hour waiting period, stating it "makes sense when someone's making as difficult a decision as terminating a pregnancy. …"

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The Christie Economic Record

 

"Gov. Christie's record of protecting taxpayers, even with a hostile legislature, is well established...New Jersey taxpayers have been fortunate to have Christie standing between them and a legislature that wants to hike their already exorbitant tax burden. While Christie's leadership led to more conservative outcomes in his state, other governors with more favorable political landscapes have done less."

 

- Patrick Gleason, Americans For Tax Reform

 

Governor Christie has taken aggressive action to promote economic growth and put New Jerseyans back to work.

 

• 224,100​ Private-Sector Jobs Created
• New Jersey's unemployment rate has dropped to 5.3%, the lowest rate since July 2008, and down from a high of 9.8% in January 2010.
• State jobless claims are at their lowest levels in 15 years.
• $2.3 billion in targeted, job-creating business tax cuts
• Vetoed more tax hikes than any other Governor in modern American history
• A 50% increase in the Earned Income Tax Credit
• The elimination of over 2,200 pages of onerous and unnecessary red tape
• A sweeping overhaul of New Jersey's Economic Incentive Programs
• Over $12 Billion in Public-Private Investment

 

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• "N.J. Jobless Claims Fall To Record Lows" "The number of people claiming unemployment insurance in New Jersey last week hit the lowest point in 15 years, well below the level at the start of the recession at the end of 2007, prompting economists to suggest the figures provide evidence of underlying strength in the job market." (The Record, 10/24/15)
• Over 224,100​ Private-Sector Jobs Created: Since Governor Christie took office, New Jersey has created 224,100 private-sector jobs. New Jersey’s unemployment rate has dropped to 5.3 percent, the lowest level since September 2008. New Jersey is on pace for six consecutive years of positive private-sector job growth under Governor Christie. 
• $2.3 Billion In Targeted, Job-Creating Business Tax Cuts: Governor Christie secured bipartisan passage of overdue reforms to New Jersey’s tax code. Among the reforms were long-awaited changes to a single sales factor formula; income/loss netting and loss carry-forward reform; a 25% reduction in the minimum tax on S-Corporations; R&D incentives; and a phase out of the Transitional Energy Facility Assessment.
• Vetoed More Tax Hikes Than Any Other Governor In Modern American History. Grover Norquist: "Governor Chris Christie has vetoed more tax hikes than any other governor in modern American history ... And he made those vetoes stick. Without the Christie governorship, New Jersey would be somewhere between Detroit and Greece."
• A Tax Cut For Working Families: Governor Christie delivered direct tax relief to working families with a 50% increase in the Earned Income Tax Credit. The Governor’s tax cut benefited over 500,000 New Jersey households.
• Cutting Burdensome And Unnecessary Red Tape: On his first full day in office Governor Christie initiated a comprehensive review of all state government rules and regulations. His Review Commission’s efforts resulted in the elimination of over 2,200 pages of onerous and unnecessary regulations and the implementation of a more rigorous rules review process to measure the costs against the benefits of each proposed new rule.
• Bipartisan Job-Creation Legislation: In September 2013, Governor Christie signed the bipartisan Economic Opportunity Act (EOA), a sweeping overhaul of New Jersey’s Economic Incentive Programs. The EOA streamlined New Jersey’s confusing array of economic incentive programs, simplified the application process and targeting incentives to better encourage investment in New Jersey’s most distressed communities.
• Over $12 Billion In Public-Private Investment: Through the Christie Administration’s pro-growth policies, New Jersey has once again become a home for business. From Fortune 500 firms to small and medium-sized businesses, companies have committed to generating and retaining nearly 80,000 jobs, bringing more than $12.6 billion in total public-private investment to the Garden State since January 2010.

 

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Bringing Fiscal Sanity To New Jersey

 

"Gov. Christie's ability to rein in the growth of government stands out amongst his peers...Gov. Christie has kept state spending below the rate of inflation, vetoed new tax increases, took the first step to reform the state's pension system and enacted a historical property tax reform that for the first time in decades will finally slow the growth of the highest property taxes in the nation... And he did this with strong Democratic majorities in the legislature."

 

- Patrick Gleason, Americans For Tax Reform

 

After decades of gross mismanagement and shortsighted budgeting practices, Governor Christie came into office and acted decisively to bring the State’s budget back into balance and struck a path of responsibility and reform.

 

• More pension contributions than any governor in history - $4.2 billion
• Closing $13 billion in combined deficits in his first six months
• Holding discretionary spending $2.3 billion below 2008 levels
• Six Years with no new taxes including repeatedly vetoing income and business tax increases
• Vetoed more tax hikes than any other Governor in modern American history
• 400 bills vetoed without a single veto being overturned
• 9,400 fewer state government employees
• Sweeping Pension and benefits reform saving taxpayers over $120 billion
• Signed 2 percent property tax cap resulting in the slowest rise "in more than two decades"
• Capped arbitration awards to union employees, reining in the cost of government

 

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Holding Discretionary Spending Below 2008 Levels: Governor Christie has reinforced his commitment never to return to the reckless spending and fiscal irresponsibility in Trenton that brought New Jersey to the brink of catastrophe, by holding Fiscal Year 2016 discretionary spending $2.3 billion below Fiscal Year 2008 levels.

 

Six Years With No New Taxes: In the eight years before Governor Christie took office, taxes and fees had been increased 115 times making New Jersey the most heavily taxed state in the nation and placing an undue burden on residents and job-creators alike. Since then, Governor Christie has signed six consecutive balanced budgets without raising taxes once, and repeatedly vetoing tax increases passed by the legislature.

 

Vetoed More Tax Hikes Than Any Other Governor In Modern American History. Grover Norquist: "Governor Chris Christie has vetoed more tax hikes than any other governor in modern American history...And he made those vetoes stick. Without the Christie governorship, New Jersey would be somewhere between Detroit and Greece."

 

Nearly 400 Bills Vetoed: Since taking office, Governor Christie has vetoed more legislation passed by the Democrat-controlled legislature than any governor in state history. And not a single veto has been overturned. Americans for Tax Reform: "Christie's record is unparalleled among 2016 contenders when it comes to killing bad bills."

 

9,400 Fewer State Government Employees: Governor Christie's responsible management has resulted in a more efficient and streamlined State government. There are more than 9,400 fewer State government employees than when the Governor took office.

 

Sweeping Pension And Benefits Reform: Governor Christie signed into law landmark pension and health benefit reform in June 2011, marking months of hard work, negotiation, compromise and ultimately bipartisan support. While Governor Christie made clear that more work was needed, critical savings were achieved – over $120 billion in savings for New Jersey taxpayers.

 

More Pension Contributions Than Any Governor In History: Through FY ‘16, Governor Christie will have contributed more to the pension system than any other governor in New Jersey state history – nearly $4.2 billion, compared to the $3.4 billion in contributions made by all previous governors from 1995 through 2010.

 

2 Percent Property Tax Cap: Governor Christie signed a two percent hard cap on property taxes, cutting out loopholes and putting control back in the hands of property taxpayers. The Result: Property taxes are rising at their slowest pace "in more than two decades" in a "hard-fought milestone for one of the highest-taxed states in America."

 

Interest Arbitration Reform: Governor Christie signed into law interest arbitration reform that provides municipalities with the help they need to keep property taxes down. The reform provides a meaningful cap of two percent on arbitration awards to union employees, reining in the cost of government.

 

 

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Changing The Conversation On Addiction

 

Chris Christie Has Consistently Called For Changing The Conversation On Drug Addiction, And Enacted Sweeping Reforms To Emphasize Treatment

 

 

• Focusing On Treatment For Drug Offenders: Governor Christie championed the use of drug courts in New Jersey, which give first time, non-violent offenders, the opportunity to get the treatment they need rather than serving jail time. Christie expanded mandatory drug court for drug offenders across the state, and is calling for the expansion of drug courts to every state. New Jersey has also implemented an innovative initiative to integrate substance abuse treatment with employment services like job training, skills acquisition, and job-search and placement resources.
  • David Murray & John Walters, Weekly Standard: "What Presidential Candidates Can Learn from Chris Christie About the Drug Problem": "So, Christie has it right: prison for drug dealers, but those who have the behavioral disease of drug use need to get "drug treatment, rather than prison." And getting many people the treatment they need is best accomplished by enlisting law enforcement in referring them to a treatment program."
• Saving The Lives Of Overdose Victims: Christie implemented a statewide program to help reduce the number of heroin-related deaths by training and equipping police officers and first responders to administer the antidote Narcan to overdose victims.
  • Roseanne Scotti, NJ State Director, Drug Policy Alliance: "[This] gives the green light to EMTs across the state and will save lives ..."
• Bipartisan Overdose Protection Act: Governor Chris Christie signed the bipartisan Overdose Protection Act into law, which provides legal protection to people who are in violation of the law while they are attempting to help a drug overdose victim.
  • Asbury Park Press: "Lives put ahead of prosecutions": "It's not often we come straight out of the gate with cheers for a group of politicians, particularly both Democrats and Republicans together, but it is in order for Gov. Chris Christie and state legislators in Trenton. They compromised last week on most of the provisions of the "Good Samaritan" bill. … The bill, at its core, is about prioritizing the saving of lives over putting people behind bars."
• One-Stop Access To Help Ex-Offenders Battling Drug Addiction: In New Jersey, a single physical location in each participating city was established to provide access to the services proven most critical to help ex-offenders move forward from addition, find stability and re-enter their communities: Addiction Treatment, Housing & Employment Services.
  • The Bergen Record: "For the second time this year, Governor Christie went to Jersey City to promote programs that give drug addicts second chances": It's an issue Christie has spoken about passionately – he made it mandatory for nonviolent offenders to be sentenced to treatment – and one his re-election campaign highlighted last year. Some hope he could take the issue to a national level if he runs for president in 2016, a point that was underscored during Monday's ribbon cutting at Martin's Place, a one-stop facility for drug treatment, transitional housing and employment assistance."
• Ending The Stigma Through The Facing Addiction Task Force: Christie created the Facing Addiction Task Force, a 12-member team of community leaders and drug treatment experts. Chaired by Pastor Joe Carter of Newark’s New Hope Baptist Church and former Governor Jim McGreevey, the task force serves as a catalyst for the development of additional reforms to provide treatment and support to those facing addiction.
  • The Star-Ledger: "Christie celebrates anniversary of task force fighting drug addiction": "Former Gov. Jim McGreevey, the task force's co-chairman, praised Christie for his work with battling drug addiction in the state. 'I humbly believe that no governor is the state has done more to address the scourge of addiction in New Jersey than Gov. Christie,' McGreevey said. ‘I can't thank the governor more profusely.'"

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Keeping America Safe As US Attorney

 

"The U.S. attorney for New Jersey, Christopher Christie ... stands out as of one of the most active and successful of [outgoing federal prosecutors] ... Several lawyers' groups and The Star-Ledger editorial page said he lacked the experience to be a good federal prosecutor. All of us were wrong."

 

- Editorial, "An Impressive Record," The Star-Ledger, 11/17/08

 

Over seven years as U.S. Attorney, Chris Christie prosecuted several of the first major anti-terrorism cases post-9/11 while working to prevent future attacks.

 

• Initiated a restructuring of the US Attorney's office to place more emphasis and resources on pursuing anti-terrorism cases
• Created a terrorism unit within the US Attorney's office
• As US Attorney, called the Patriot Act "the single biggest reason why we have been able to prevent another terrorist attack."
• Prosecuted post-9/11 terror cases:
  • The Hemant Lakhani Case
  • The Fort Dix Plot
  • The Daniel Pearl Case
  • Operation Arabian Knight

 

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Chris Christie Initiated A Restructuring Of The US Attorney's Office To Place More Emphasis And Resources On Pursuing Anti-Terrorism Cases. "The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey, which prosecutes cases and coordinates investigations with the FBI, also is refocusing its efforts to reflect a new top priority of preventing terrorism. Changes unveiled last week by U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie included establishing a terrorism unit to be staffed by as many as eight prosecutors." (The Star Ledger, 5/30/02)

 

• Christie Created A terrorism unit Within The US Attorney's Office. "In 2002, he established a terrorism unit with eight assistant U.S. attorneys to focus on domestic terrorism and said frequently that terrorism, not corruption, was his office's top investigative priority." (Chris Christie, St. Martin's Press, 2012)
• Christie Called The Patriot Act "The Single Biggest Reason Why We Have Been Able To Prevent Another Terrorist Attack." "Christie has defended the Patriot Act, including one highly controversial portion of the law that allowed the government to investigate what materials people had taken out of public libraries. 'The USA Patriot Act is, I believe, the single biggest reason why we have been able to prevent another terrorist attack in the last five years,' he said in 2007." (Chris Christie, St. Martin's Press, 2012)

 

"Christie also deserves credit for reorganizing the U.S. attorney's staff into the well-oiled machine that accomplished so much in the six years he was at the helm." (Editorial, "An Impressive Record," The Star-Ledger, 11/17/08)

 

Prosecuting Post-9/11 Terror Cases:

 

The Hemant Lakhani Case: Hemant Lakhani made it clear he was willing to broker the sale of shoulder-fired missiles to shoot down American passenger jets. The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force infiltrated the operation and, after a lengthy trial led by Christie’s office, Lakhani was convicted of attempted material support to terrorists.

 

The Fort Dix Plot: In 2007, Christie and FBI Special Agent in Charge J.P. Weis announced the arrests of six local Islamic men for their alleged plot to kill U.S. soldiers at various installations, including the Fort Dix Army base. The prosecution of the six men accused was uncovered through sixteen months of hard work from the Joint Terrorism Task Force and U.S. Attorney’s Office.

 

The Daniel Pearl Case: Wall Street Journal Bureau Chief Daniel Pearl was kidnapped in 2002, by Islamic radicals in Pakistan and beheaded on videotape. Through a creative venue approach, Christie’s office secured the indictment of Ahmad Omar Saeed Sheikh, the lead perpetrator of the kidnapping. As a result of exceptional international law enforcement and intelligence community cooperation, Omar Sheikh was arrested shortly after the murder and sentenced to death.

 

Operation Arabian Knight: In an investigation started four years earlier by the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office, Carlos Eduardo Almonte and Mohamed Mahmood Alessa were arrested in 2010 at JFK International Airport while attempting to board flights to Egypt. Almonte and Alessa had intended to travel to Somalia to join al Shabaab, an Al Qaeda-linked militant Islamic organization. The two were charged with conspiring to kill, maim and kidnap people outside the United States.

 

Christie’s office secured authorization for physical surveillance through the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. For the next three years, Almonte and Alessa were tailed and photographed, their phones were tapped and their computer activity was monitored.

 

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