Michael Drewniak

State Sen. Loretta Weinberg, the Democratic candidate for Lt. Governor, say GOP gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie should disclose the details of his involvement with the federal prosecution of former Assemblyman Morton Salkind (D-Marlboro). 

"While Christie has been quick to take credit for all the accomplishments of the U.S. Attorney's office during his tenure, he has run away from the office's failures even faster," Weinberg asked. "The people of New Jersey deserve answers to critical questions about Christie's role as U.S. Attorney.  What was the policy and criteria for cases being brought to his attention as U.S. Attorney?

The Star-Ledger reported on Wednesday that Samuel Yarosh has filed a lawsuit claiming that federal prosecutors allowed Salkind, his onetime business partner, to plead guilty to a single count of tax evasion, ignoring evidence of additional fraud.  Salkind was represented by a law firm headed by Herbert Stern and John Inglesino, both political allies of Christie, the Republican candidate for governor.

"There are only two possible explanations for Mr. Christie's  assertions that he was unaware of this case- either he mismanaged the U.S. Attorney's office so that a case of this size and import could be settled without his approval or knowledge, or he is not telling the truth about what he knew and when he knew it."

A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office says that allegations that a plea bargain that prevented a developer from collecting whistleblower payments was related to a connection between then-U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie and an attorney for another defendant is "absurd."

"The U.S. Attorney's Office stands by the prosecution and the plea agreement. All the facts are before the court as we await sentencing," Michael Drewniak told PolitickerNJ.com.

Drewniak also said he was disappointed that veteran reporters took the lawsuit "at face value" and impugned the integrity of Justice Department employees.

The Star-Ledger reported on Wednesday that Samuel Yarosh has filed a lawsuit claiming that federal prosecutors allowed his onetime business partner, former Assemblyman Morton Salkind (D-Marlboro), to plead guilty to a single count of tax evasion, ignoring evidence of additional fraud.  Salkind was represented by a law firm headed by Herbert Stern and John Inglesino, both political allies of Christie, the Republican candidate for governor.

"As a factual matter, Christopher Christie, the former U.S. Attorney, did not personally sign any documents associated with that prosecution," said Drewniak, noting that the federal prosecutor's office handles 900 to 1,000 criminal cases annually and thousands of civil cases.  "It is common practice under the current Acting U.S. Attorney and the U.S. Attorneys preceding him to delegate the duty of authorizing and signing charging documents and plea agreements after they have been exhaustively reviewed by experienced supervisors."

Drewniak says that Christie "had no role whatsoever in the decisions leading to the plea agreement and resolution of the case" and that "no defense attorneys involved in the matter sought or received any review of the case above the Assistant U.S. Attorney who prosecuted the case exclusively."

"The allegations in the lawsuit are absurd on their face, and it says plenty that the first time this plaintiff cobbled together a RICO lawsuit, it was thrown out of court.  He merely repackaged it into a 150-page novel full of allegations that are, at a minimum, the product of a disgruntled, litigious plaintiff who is suing the IRS commissioner for a big payday," Drewniak said. "It is disappointing that some experienced reporters took this lawsuit at face value and that others would use it, ultimately, to impugn the integrity of hardworking line assistants and their experienced supervisors."

No one is going to question the testicular fortitude of Michael Drewniak, the spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s office and a registered Democrat.  He took a short leave from his job with the Justice Department today to attend, on his own time, the campaign kickoff of his former boss, Christopher Christie, for the Republican nomination for Governor. 

Maybe Drewniak, a former newspaper reporter who has worked for federal prosecutors from both parties, wanted to see how Christie handled himself as he embarks on a new career.  Or perhaps Drewniak just wanted to make a point after First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Brown was criticized for attending a social gathering-turned-campaign meeting at Christie’s home two Sundays ago.

Getty Images Photo

Former U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie, left, with First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Brown and former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft at a 2003 news conference.

The gathering at the home of Republican gubernatorial candidate Christopher Christie two Sundays ago appears to have been more political than social - something that might force the Justice Department to suggest that First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Brown skip similar events in the future.  Brown wasn't just any prosecutor - she is a seventeen-year veteran who served as Christie's counsel when he was U.S. Attorney and recently received a promotion to the number two slot, just behind Acting U.S. Attorney Ralph Marra, Jr.

Multiple sources in attendance confirmed that in addition to food and beverages, there was a clear political program for the group of Republican County Chairmen and GOP legislators. 

Among the speakers were: Christie fundraiser John Hansen, who talked about fundraising strategies and the challenges of Gov. Jon Corzine's Executive Orders limiting campaign contributions from state vendors in funding a gubernatorial campaign; Christie consultant Michael DuHaime gave a presentation on the campaign strategy; and Bill Palatucci, a veteran GOP strategist and Christie's top advisor, discussed the current New Jersey political landscape and the work the campaign has done so far.

Christie also made some remarks, and introduced Brown to the rest of the group.