Pascrell and Pallone to unveil regulations for federal monitors' process

U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-8), right, (with U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg).: Politicker photo 

Two New Jersey congressmen intend to announce tomorrow their plans for legislation to regulate how U.S. attorneys award federal monitoring contracts.

Their Washington, D.C. news conference comes as part of the fallout from U.S. Attorney Chris Christie’s having awarded his former boss, former Attorney General John Ashcroft, a federal monitoring contract in which Ashcroft could make up to $52 million.

As part of their investigation, U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-8) and U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-6) requested full disclosure of 85 deferred and non-prosecution agreements and lists of corporate monitors selected in 41 agreements.

According to Pascrell’s office, the Justice Department shared some of the information with Congress earlier this year, "but details of several other agreements remain outstanding."

From the start of their Congressional inquiry into the monitoring process, which included a House Judiciary Committee grilling of Ashcroft earlier this year, Christie maintained that he followed a legal and ethical process.

But Pascrell and Pallone want to unveil their nuts and bolts solution to what they see as a conflict of interest, using some of the basic principles Pascrell laid out last year.

Although he has not declared himself a candidate, Christie, among his party peers, is the Republican frontrunner for the office of governor.