HOBOKEN — On Monday, Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer sent a letter to four high ranking members of the New Jersey State Senate in regards to comments Gov. Chris Christie made recently about a potential law that would punish elected officials for not promptly reporting misconduct.
In her letter, Zimmer argued that Christie’s law could have a “chilling effect” on whistleblowers, and uses herself as a case in point, since she revealed this past January her own allegations that Christie’s administration told her she might get more Hurricane Sandy aid for her city if she helped expedite a development for a Christie friend.
With the letter, Zimmer included journal entries from last spring further detailing allegations she has made about the governor’s aides. These particular entries apparently explain why Zimmer waited eight months to come forward.
The entries attached to Monday’s letter state: “I have now heard it from Lt. Gov & Com. Constable. Yes- this is illegal. I debated w/ Joe Maraziti whether or not to go to US Attorney- we decided that Christie has friends throughout US Attorney’s office – [therefore] not much chance in getting help from them & it could create a nightmare for us. A little bit scary to realize that there’s nowhere to turn for help against this threat from Gov Christie- my best defense is to stand up to the bully- my beloved Gov who wants to run for president.”
Zimmer’s April 21 letter was addressed to four ranking members of the state legislature, two of whom are currently investigating Christie’s alleged role in last October’s mysterious closing of lanes on the George Washington Bridge. Zimmer writes that it is important that Christie’s new legislation “be designed not to have a chilling effect, but to encourage people to tell the truth and protect those that do.”
Zimmer made her initial allegations – that Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno and other administration officials linked Sandy aid to her support of a commercial development project with ties to Christie – nearly eight months after the threats were allegedly made. The mayor has been criticized for waiting so long to come forward, and for choosing to do so on national television rather than going to the U.S. attorney. She has responded that she thought no one would believe her, and that coming forward could have placed Hoboken in a precarious situation with regard to other Sandy aid.
The journal entries released on Monday make reference to the city’s redevelopment attorney, Joseph Maraziti. Apparently, Zimmer told Maraziti last year of the aides’ comments, but “we decided that Christie has friends throughout US Attorney’s office.”
Zimmer also sent out Tweets last year praising Christie even after the time she was allegedly bullied. Zimmer was up for re-election this past November at the same time as Christie. She neither endorsed Christie nor his Democratic opponent.
Besides sending the letter to state Senate officials, Zimmer sent copies to members of the Hoboken City Council, who plan to hold a special meeting on budget and security issues Wednesday night.
In the letter, Zimmer noted that she will be unable to elaborate on her reasons for not coming forward sooner “beyond the specific language of the journal itself.”
For our prior stories on this issue, see linked articles below. Got comments? Leave them below, or email editorial@hudsonreporter.com, New Jersey’s community newspaper chain based in Hoboken. – Dean DeChiaro, hudsonreporter.com
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