John Inglesino

Chris Christie ally John Inglesino tried to staunch the wound of an ongoing news story tonight about his receipt of a state pension for part-time work performed for state Sen. Joe Pennacchio (R-Montville) by asking Pennacchio to remove him from the state pension system.

"As a 15 year public official, I have devoted a substantial amount of time to public service.  Over the past few days, my friend, Chris Christie, has taken harsh and unfair criticism because I am legally in the State pension system as a part-time legislative aide to Senator Joe Pennacchio.  I share Chris's view that part-time employees should not be in the State's pension system," Inglesino said in a statement released tonight.  "My job with Senator Pennacchio has never been about remaining in the pension system.  To prove this, I have asked Senator Pennacchio to remove me from the pension system effective immediatley.  I will remain an aide to Senator Pennacchio, but I will not be in the pension system.  I hope this will serve as an example for others to follow."

State Sen. Joseph Pennacchio (R-Montville) has provided PolitickerNJ.com with some detailed work product completed by his $3,000-a-year part-time legislative aide, John Inglesino.  According to correspondence and e-mails, Inglesino has helped Pennacchio with legislation involving the Council on Affordable Housing, legal questions concerning illegal alien inmates in the state's correctional facilities, the Transparency in Government Act, anti-discrimination and harassment policy, and the State Investment Council's purchase of Lehman Brothers stock.

An aide to Pennacchio says that Inglesino reviewed more than 500 pages of OPRA documents regarding Lehman Brothers and has had numerous meetings with the Morris County Senator to discuss legislation.

Earlier today, State Sen. Joseph Vitale (D-Woodbridge) called on Pennacchio to release Inglesino's work product.

Former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan

The Lonegan campaign cut and issued a radio ad and amplified its outrage today in the aftermath of an Associated Press story highlighting Christie campaign confidante John Inglesino’s collection of a pension in connection with part time work as a state senate legal consultant.

“The fact that one of Christie’s closest associates is double dipping from the same part time pension funds that Christie promises to end is not only alarming but also insulting to the taxpayers of New Jersey,” Lonegan said in a statement.  “If he can’t prevent this type of disingenuous behavior within his own campaign, he cannot expect the voters of New Jersey to believe that he will follow through with his promise to end it in the state. 

“Considering his questionable record regarding ethics, sadly this news isn’t very surprising,” added the former mayor of Bogota.  “As governor, I will end the pension program for part times state employees and I can assure you that my closest friends and advisors will not be exempt. Christie failing to denounce the actions of Inglesino, and choosing once again to avoid questions proves that Christie will be another Trenton empty-suit.”

Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani, left, joins GOP frontrunner for governor Chris Christie in Cranford this morning.

UPDATED 

CRANFORD – A day after Mitt Romney gripped a podium and celebrated Chris Christie, the latter was back to the 2008 presidential candidate who by virtue of geography or resume has most frequently and fervently championed the GOP frontrunner for governor.

The appearance with former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani at a table beside firefighters in the station house on Springfield Avenue occurred as Democrats fired off a press release savaging Christie for daring to promise the eradication of patronage jobs from Trenton while old chum and former Morris County Freeholder John Inglesino nurses a state pension for a $3,000 part-time gig he as a consultant for state Sen. Joe Pennacchio (R-Montville).

“It’s for the two of them to work out, it’s not for me to get into what they know I’m going to change when I’m governor,” said Christie of Inglesino and Pennacchio.

From afar, state Sen. Joe Vitale (D-Woodbridge) demanded that Christie get Pennacchio and Inglesino to produce a “work product,” making public exactly what work Inglesino fulfills in his capacity as a Pennacchio aide de camp.

Legislators Call For Investigation Into Top Christie Adviser

TRENTON - After reading a Newark Star-Ledger report that Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie’s senior political adviser, top fundraiser and beneficiary of a no-bid contract, John Inglesino, tried to bribe Assemblyman Richard Merkt to quit the Governor’s race, Assemblyman Reed Gusciora and Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri-Huttle today called for the state Attorney General and the United States Attorney’s office to open an investigation.

Democratic Chairman Calls on Christie to Return Pay-to-Play Money

“It's time for Christie to do as he says”

TRENTON – Following a Wednesday Newark Star-Ledger editorial that asked for Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie to explain a variety of no-bid contracts he handed out to associates while United States Attorney, New Jersey State Democratic Chairman and Assemblyman Joseph Cryan today called on Christie to return contributions from, and solicited by, recipients of these no-bid contracts.  The Star-Ledger editorial follows previous editorials in the Asbury Park Press and Philadelphia Inquirer questioning the candidate's judgment in handing out no-bid contracts to people he had previous relationships with.

State Democratic Chairman Joe Cryan

Apparently not content to sit in the stands and let Chris Christie and Steve Lonegan duke it out on their own as the Christie campaign today unleashed a Republican Primary attack ad, State Democratic Chairman Joseph Cryan called on the front-running Christie to return campaign contributions given and solicited by recipients of no-bid contracts Christie awarded while serving as U.S. Attorney.

“It has been well-established by news reports, editorial pages and Chris himself that he used remarkably bad judgment in handing out multi-million dollar no-bid monitoring contracts to a variety of people he had previous dealings with,” said Cryan, specifically citing a Thursday Star-Ledger editorial that upbraided Christie for failing to fully explain his role in awarding no bid federal monitoring contracts.  

Mercer’s Hughes Calls on Christie to Return Pay to Play Campaign Contributions From No-Bid Contract Recipient

County Executive: Ex U.S. Attorney Should Refund State Taxpayer Matching Funds

TRENTON- In response to published reports that Republican gubernatorial candidate Christopher J. Christie has accepted significant campaign contributions questionable under pay-to-play and no-bid contract rules, Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes is calling on Christie to pay back the money.

State Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-says that GOP gubernatorial candidate Christopher Christie should return nearly $24,000 in campaign contributions from a law firm that received a lucrative federal monitor contract while Christie was the state's U.S. Attorney. 

Christie entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in 2006 after it admitted to committing Medicare fraud.  He named Herbert Stern, a former federal judge and prosecutor, to the $500-per-hour post as monitor.  His law firm, Stern and Killcullen, received a reported $8 million in legal fees from the contract.

Citing reports filed with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, Weinberg says that Stern and his partners, former Morris County Freeholder John Inglesino and Kevin Killcullen, and their wives each gave the maximum contribution of $3,400 to the Christie campaign.