Corzine must release '09 charitable contributions, Christie says

Republican gubernatorial candidate Christopher Christie today released a full list of all contributions made by the Christie Family Foundation through last month and has called on Gov. Jon Corzine to do the same.

"Yesterday, Jon Corzine released just a part of his foundation's financial contributions, omitting the last 10 months," said Christie campaign manager Bill Stepien.  "Does the Governor think we wouldn't notice that he failed to disclose his election year contributions?

Stepien and Assemblyman Jay Webber (R-Morris Plains), the Republican State Chairman, says that Corzine didn't go far enough when he released contributions made by his charitable foundation through the end of 2008, and wants to know who got contributions this year.

"Given the questions that have been raised about the excessive influence Governor Corzine has sought with his large financial contributions to individuals and groups throughout the state, it is imperative that the Governor immediately release all his financial gifts, contributions and loans for the last ten months," Stepien said. "In 2005, Governor Corzine himself stated that he would make his foundation transparent.  He must hold to that pledge.  This partial release is a slap in the face of the commitment he made to New Jerseyans to be transparent.

Webber wants Corzine to release a list of the entities his foundation has given gifts or contributions to in 2009.

"This is not a difficult task. Release of this year's records would demonstrate that the Governor's disclosure on this issue is more than a reluctant and incomplete gesture to avoid criticism," Webber said.  "Chris Christie has already provided full disclosure - Governor Corzine must match Chris' high standard of transparency by releasing his foundation's records from 2009 immediately."