Gov. Christie Launches Preemptive Attack on Senator Gordon In Anticipation of Sandy Oversight

when the cartoons start, the issue is made

NJ lacks a climate change adaptation plan for the same reason that George Wallace’s Alabama Department of Education lacked a school integration plan to comply with the Supreme Court’s mandate in the Brown V. Board of Education decision:

the opposition of an intransigent, ignorant, powerful, and ideologically motivated Governor. 

[Update below]

Last week, I wrote about the Bergen Record’s poorly framed and narrow focus on the NJ Transit $120 million fiasco, instead arguing that the real story was the Christie Administration’s failure to prepare and plan for extreme weather and climate change (see:  NJ Transit $120 Million Failure Just Part of Larger Story).

In that post, I called for broader, more substantive, and focused media investigation and legislative oversight of the Governor.

I offered very specific policy and planning grounds for oversight, and highlighted the expertise and role that Senator Gordon could play in conducting that oversight.

I again strongly urged media and legislators to connect the dots I laid out.

In a followup post, to inform readers and document exactly why the Governor was accountable, I outlined the overall legal and planning framework that Governor Christie was operating under during Sandy, and outlined some basic and fatal mistakes the administration made (see: Gov. Christie Claims “No Knowledge” of NJ Transit “Storm Plan” Prior to Sandy).

Well, it looks like things are moving in that direction.

Today, Record columnist Charlie Stile wrote about Gov. Christie’s recent attack on Senator Gordon – and Stile used that attack to connect the dots to suggest why Gov. Christie is seeking to discredit Gordon.

As I’ve been suggesting for many months, Stile correctly surmised:

Democrats are considering holding a special oversight hearing to find out why NJ Transit ignored its own emergency plan and allowed railcars and locomotives to remain in low-lying areas as Sandy approached, resulting in roughly $120 million in damage. The idea, pushed by Weinberg, came in response to a report last Monday in The Record.

Gordon says the issue “cries out for oversight.”

A hearing could create unflattering publicity for Christie, who has made his leadership during Sandy the centerpiece of his reelection campaign. Revelations from the hearing could undermine that image and fuel Buono’s charge that Christie’s leadership is not all that it’s cracked up to be.

Gov. Christie is an incompetent fraud.

Despite NJ’s huge vulnerability due to a heavily developed coastline, NJ is the only state in the northeast without a climate adaptation plan.

Former Gov. Corzine began the process in 2006 with his “Climate Summit”: “Confronting Climate Change in NJ”. 

The Legislature began hearings.

At that time, I testified on how to strengthen NJ’s laws (also see more relevant  testimony).

Gov. Christie has dismantled those efforts (aside from limiting economic development and requiring tabooed government planning and “job killing red tape” regulations, adaptation is a “weak” strategy. In contrast, Gov. Christie thinks he’s “stronger than the storm”.)

The best way I can explain why this is the case is by analogy:

NJ lacks a climate change adaptation plan for the same reason that George Wallace’s Alabama Department of Education lacked a school integration plan to comply with the Supreme Court’s mandate in the Brown V. Board of Education decision:

the opposition of an intransigent, ignorant, powerful, and ideologically motivated Governor.

Make no mistake, he’s said it himself: Gov. Christie views climate change as an “esoteric” issue he has no time for.

He’s bragged about not considering extreme weather either BEFORE of AFTER Sandy struck – in storm planning & preparation or in recovery and rebuilding decisions.

In addition to the posts linked above, here are the documents that provide contrast and substantive content, and cry out for oversight that can prove it:

• Here’s what a competent Governor does prior to a major storm: http://tinyurl.com/k4m2ceu  Here is what incompetent Gov. Christie did: http://tinyurl.com/lgazqfu 

• Stunning Contrast Between NY Gov. Cuomo & NJ Christie. Cuomo Promises Action on Climate Change. Gov. Christie in Denial http://tinyurl.com/ajmdpus 

• While NY DEC was funding & building climate adaptation plans: http://tinyurl.com/lkoq4nz  Gov. Christie denied the problem, diverted funds, & DEP deregulated and dismantled climate and coastal adaptation plans: http://tinyurl.com/c3cv9td 

• NY City’s Hazard Mitigation Plan mapped storm surge & sea level rise http://tinyurl.com/kyz9dml  The Christie Administration had nothing and dismantled previous work: http://tinyurl.com/n3ugcmu 

We look forward to detailed investigations and oversight hearings – more to follow to provide even more ammo for all that.

[PS – let’s hope that Senator Gordon, Chair of Senate Legislative Oversight Committee, has a stiffer spine than Senator Smith, Chair of the Environment and Energy Committee, see:

• Democrats Blow Another Golden Opportunity to Hold Gov. Christie Accountable

• Joint Legislative Environment Committees Take Up Sandy Response Agenda

And of course, Senate President Sweeney may be blocking all this.]

[Update 8/27/13 – In another galling pre-emptive attack to divert attention from his own vulnerabilities for mismanaging Sandy recovery and misleading the public about dunes. Gov. Christie goes after Assemblyman McKeon on dunes:

Christie: Jersey Shore not ready for another major storm