The Department of Justice's Criminal Division has opened an internal inquiry into a multi-million-dollar, no-bid contract awarded by New Jersey U.S. attorney Chris Christie to former attorney general John Ashcroft.
Christie awarded the contract for a federal monitor position, worth as much as $52 million,last fall, but it only recently came to the attention of the Justice Department. Christie said he chose Ashcroft "because he trusted him" and insisted that the contract -- awarded to monitor a $311 million settlement among manufacturing companies -- "will be a real bargain at the end of the day." As Blue Jersey notes, Ashcroft was Christie's former boss and may have helped get him the U.S. Attorney job. "[Christie's] office has made a significant dent in the massive problem of public corruption in our state, but also has made a significant dent in the non-partisan image of the US Attorney's office," the website noted. In November, Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) wrote to Christie saying he was "troubled" by reports of the contract, telling Christie that he should have hired a third party "to remove even the appearance of impropriety that is so easily created when such a large amount of money is being directed to a former employer or colleague."
1 comment:
This has been going on with all the ex Bush appointees. As they leave their jobs they line up with companies who hire them to get these deals as insiders. What's interesting in this case is this is coming from the former Attorney General and that says volumes about crime and corruption.
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