Todd Christie

The Christie Family Foundation contributed nearly $1.75 million to charitable organizations between 2004 and 2007, according to four years of tax returns released by Christopher Christie's campaign.  The foundation donated $292,000 in 2004, $589,421 in 2005, $386,940 in 2006, and $479,050 in 2007.

Contributions have included $200,000 to St. Barnabas Medical Center, $75,000 to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, $100,000 to Morristown Memorial Hospital and the Goryeb Children's Hospital, $50,000 to Tomorrow' Children, and $95,000 to the Child Abuse Prevention Program.  They also gave large contributions to DePaul Catholic High School and the Mendham PBA.

The foundation is largely funded through donations from the candidate's brother, Todd Christie, and the candidate's wife and father serve as officers.  The foundation runs on an October-September fiscal year.

Independent gubernatorial candidate Christopher Daggett responded to the Republican Governors Association (RGA) ad against him by laying it at the feet of Republican Chris Christie’s brother, Todd.

"This ad was essentially paid for by the $200,000 contribution that Todd Christie laundered through the Republican Governors Association to help his brother’s campaign in New Jersey in circumvention of the $3,400 limit that my campaign is honoring," said Daggett in a press release that accompanied a press conference he held in Trenton this morning.

“There’s two standards in New Jersey,’’ he said. “One for the Christie brothers and one for everyone else.’’

The 60-second RGA radio spot says that Daggett’s tax plan is like Gov. Jon Corzine’s, “only worse.”

Although Daggett says that his candidacy eats into support for both major party candidates equally, polls show him sapping anti-incumbent votes from Christie.  While Corzine has treated the independent gently, Christie recently has downplayed the significance of his candidacy, calling it “an amusement.”

As the campaign for governor intensifies, both Governor Corzine and Republican gubernatorial nominee Chris Christie have begun throwing some not-so-subtle personal jabs.

The latest example is a television ad Governor Corzine released yesterday.  More than a few observers and bloggers noticed the double entendre – whether intentional or not --when the voiceover says that Christie “threw his weight around” as U.S. Attorney to avoid traffic tickets and points on his license.  

Corzine spokesman Sean Darcy indicated today that the campaign did not intend for the comment to be taken literally.   But state Sen. Bill Baroni, who grew up overweight and lost 130 pounds 15 years ago, said that he “immediately” recognized a reference to Christie’s girth in the Corzine ad.

“Tens of thousands of New Jerseyans like me battle weight,” he said.   “To make reference to that in such a blatant way to distract from a discussion about the issues? We’re better than that.”

Corzine also got personal by launching a web ad accusing Christie of doing a favor for a fellow former U.S. Attorney who declined to prosecute his brother.  

But it has cut both ways.  Throughout the campaign, Christie has focused on portraying Corzine – who grew up in rural Illinois and moved to New Jersey in 1975 -- as not just out-of-touch, but out-of-town.  His campaign released a Web ad replaying a Corzine statement about the “Garden State Expressway”, which does not exist. 

The 100th Most Powerful Person in New Jersey politics is political satirist Stephen Colbert, a Montclair resident who hosts the popular Colbert Report on Comedy Central.  In a runoff election to capture the final spot on the prestigious list, which will be released this afternoon, Colbert defeated money manager Todd Christie, the brother of Republican gubernatorial candidate Christopher Christie, by a 36%-33% margin.  Tricia Mueller, a political operative who works for the carpenters union, finished third with 31%. 

PolitickerNJ.com allows our readers to vote for the final spot on the list.  Colbert was the top vote getter in the first round of voting, which featured a field of fifteen candidates.

Left to right: Todd Christie, Stephen Colbert and Tricia Mueller

Vote today to pick the final slot on the PolitickerNJ.com 2009 Power List, a runoff between the top three vote getters from last week's reader choice poll.  Competing for the #100 on our list of the 100 most politically powerful New Jerseyans are: Todd Christie, the brother of Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie; TV personality Stephen Colbert, a Montclair resident who hosts a popular news satire show on Comedy Central; and New Jersey Regional Council of Carpenters political director Tricia Mueller.  Over the last few years, this site has allowed our readers to pick the final slot on this prestigious list.

In a reader poll that began Thursday morning, Christie led Colbert by a 24%-22% margin, with Mueller close behind at 20%.  Twelve other candidates divided the remaining 34%.

CLICK HERE TO VOTE IN THE RUNOFF

In 2008, Atlantic City radio personality Harry Hurley was the Reader's Choice for #100.  In a two-day online poll that attracted nearly 2,900 voters, Hurley defeated Republican State Chairman Tom Wilson by a 35%-15% margin. Public Policy guru Jon Shure finished third with 12%, just narrowly leading Union County Manager George Devanney (12%). None of the other six candidates -- Cape May County GOP Chairman David Von Savage, attorney and Democratic fundraiser Victor Herlinsky, conservative political strategist Rick Shaftan, Burlington County GOP Chairman Mike Warner, and Jersey City political activists Bobby Jackson and Joe Cardwell -- finished in the double digits. Hurley also won a 2007 Reader's Choice poll.

The list, first released in March 2000, is an Insiders List that includes policy makers, party leaders, fundraisers, lobbyists, labor unions, businesses, and associations and have assembled the ultimate list of New Jerseyans with clout, with an impact on politics and government in the Garden State -- everyone but elected officials and Judges.  Stay tuned!

PolitickerNJ.com will release our 2009 Power List of New Jersey's 100 most politically influential personalities on Tuesday, August 4. The list, first released in March 2000, is an Insiders List that includes policy makers, party leaders, fundraisers, lobbyists, labor unions, businesses, and associations and have assembled the ultimate list of New Jerseyans with clout, with an impact on politics and government in the Garden State -- everyone but elected officials and Judges.  Stay tuned!

In 2008, Atlantic City radio personality Harry Hurley was the Reader's Choice for #100.  In a two-day online poll that attracted nearly 2,900 voters, Hurley defeated Republican State Chairman Tom Wilson by a 35%-15% margin. Public Policy guru Jon Shure finished third with 12%, just narrowly leading Union County Manager George Devanney (12%). None of the other six candidates -- Cape May County GOP Chairman David Von Savage, attorney and Democratic fundraiser Victor Herlinsky, conservative political strategist Rick Shaftan, Burlington County GOP Chairman Mike Warner, and Jersey City political activists Bobby Jackson and Joe Cardwell -- finished in the double digits.

Hurley also won a 2007 Reader's Choice poll.

CLICK HERE TO VOTE!

U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-Long Branch) is asking former U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie for a "clarification" of his testimony before the House Judiciary Commercial and Administrative Law Subcommittee in June.  Pallone is the co-sponsor of legislation to reform the process used to select federal monitors in deferred prosecution agreements.  Christie, who was New Jersey's federal prosecutor from 2002 to 2008, is now the Republican nominee for Governor.

Pallone wants Christie to address his role in setting legal fees for former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft's firm to monitor a DPA with Zimmer Holdings.  Christie had initially said that he was not involved, but e-mails show that had some involvement.

"I would like to offer you the opportunity to try to reconcile your remarks to the subcommittee about your selection of federal monitors," Pallone wrote in a letter to Christie today.

The full text of Pallone's letter:

CHRISTIE CONTRADICTS THE FACTS . . . AGAIN

TRENTON- Democratic State Chairman Joseph Cryan today called into question statements made by Conservative Right Wing gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie during his testimony today before Congress.

“Christie cannot keep his facts straight,” said Cryan.  “In his testimony he said things that directly contradicted his previous statements and e-mails.  From the time he sat down until the time he abruptly left in the middle of questioning, Christie continues to be confused by the facts.”

It's no secret that Christopher Christie is the preferred candidate of Republican Governors Association, which clearly views the former U.S. Attorney as their best shot at defeating Gov. Jon Corzine this year.  That's why some party insiders are wondering why the national GOP appears to be sitting idly by as national Democrats - specifically the Mid-Atlantic Leadership Fund, has purchased about $900,000 worth of New York and Philadelphia TV ads attacking Christie in an attempt to influence the outcome of the GOP primary.