politician = scumbag

Not to mention the fact Lautenberg illegally replace Toricelli when looked like Bob would lose to a republican. But a democrat led court disagrees with the law as it was written.

Quote:

The only reason that a special election exists is because Christie didn't want Booker's name on the same ballot. In short, Christie is wasting state money under some false guise and Booker, the guy everyone expects to win, is going along with this mummer's farce to play nice.

In short, they're both acting like scum. I put the bigger onus on Christie since there were quite a few options that would have saved the state money.

As an aside, Lautenberg should never have ran for re-election. He's also a dick. He couldn't do the work, yet pushed anyway and wouldn't give up the seat. When Booker pointed out that he was going to run for it at the end of the term, Lautenberg and a bunch of NJ Dems got upset over the presumption. That is quite the absurdity.

I agree. Christie should have just appointed Lautenberg's replacement to completel his term, then have it part of the regular next Senatorial election cycle.

Which would have been perfectly legal. And given the shenanigans that took place when the Dems were afraid that the Torch would lose they had their activist judges get Lautenberg on the ballot-you could figure a Democrat Governor would do what Christie didn't do.

But the Dems would be crying even more about that-I guess you just can't please everyone all the time! :)

September 17, 2013
Gov. Christie is still sticking to his flimsy excuses for making New Jersey voters go to the polls twice in less than three weeks. Christie first refused to hold a special election to replace the late Sen. Frank Lautenberg on the same date as the general election, Nov. 5, saying voters deserved to choose Lautenberg's successor as soon as possible. Then, last week, he vetoed a bill that would have moved up the general election to the Oct. 16 special-election date. This time, the governor suggested New Jerseyans aren't adroit enough to handle changing the date. "Moving the date of the general election has the potential to cause unnecessary voter confusion, as the general election takes place at the same time each year," Christie said. He said he also feared some voters wouldn't find out about the date change. The Democratic-controlled Legislature expected Christie's veto, but the ploy served to further reveal the weakness of his arguments. Anyone paying attention can see Christie likely feared the potential impact on the governor's race if that election's candidates shared the ballot with the Senate candidates, including Cory Booker, Newark's popular, Democratic, African American mayor. An unusually high turnout of minority voters might not propel Christie's Democratic opponent, State Sen. Barbara Buono, to victory, but it could significantly reduce the size of his projected landslide in the gubernatorial election and consequently raise new doubts about Christie's potential to be the Republican Party's best hope to run for president in 2016. Christie's insistence on back-to-back elections certainly looks like an effort to stay off the same ballot as Booker. One sponsor of the bill to combine the special and general elections said Christie's veto reaffirms that he is willing to spend $12 million in public money to pay for an extra election just so he can pad his reelection stats. "He could have done what is most cost-effective for New Jersey taxpayers, and more convenient for New Jersey voters," State Sen. Shirley Turner (D., Mercer) said. "But Gov. Christie will instead inconvenience voters and have taxpayers foot the bill to increase his margin of victory and ensure that he remains a viable candidate for national office." Of course, voters outside New Jersey may be paying attention, too. If they are, they will see a politician who touts himself as a fiscal conservative spending taxpayer money on two separate elections when clearly one would suffice.
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/ ... .html#yo5gyf1kkYFpM3MR.99