Looks like there’s more trouble on Chris Christie’s sail barge. We heard yesterday that Christie failed to disclose a loan that he made to one of his top deputies, and now he’s being dinged for not reporting the income on his tax returns:
Christopher J. Christie, the Republican challenging Gov. Jon S. Corzine, failed to report income on his tax returns from a loan he gave to a top aide while he was New Jersey’s ranking federal prosecutor, Mr. Christie’s campaign staff disclosed on Tuesday.
Mr. Christie also failed to report the $46,000 loan as required under federal and state ethics rules.
The aide, Michele A. Brown, borrowed the money in 2007 from Mr. Christie while he was United States attorney for New Jersey and she was his executive assistant and counsel, according to mortgage records in Morris County.
So far this week, there’s been something new about this story each day. I wouldn’t be surprised, then, if it turns out that there was still more to this story that hasn’t yet been reported. And I have to hand it to the Corzine camp — they’re really doing a good job of fanning the flames on Christie’s ethical lapses in the media.
I mean Jon Corzine, that is.
I’m not sure why they would treat the loan as “income”. I’m a CPA (not a tax accountant), but if memory serves me right, Christie is only to report on his tax returns the interest received (or accrued) on the loans.
I think the bigger issue is that Christie may have violated the federal and state ethics rules.
Everything time I see Christie ads or his youtube channel he comes off as being very angry and unappealing while Corzine comes off as a sensible person. I get the idea from Christie ads that he’s demanding people vote for him. In addition, the polls are starting to tighten and Daggett is looking like he has the potential to get to 15% or even 20% of the votes. Corzine will come off better in the debates (which Daggett will also be in). Christie may continue to lead in the polls all through September but his lead will continue to drop. Once we get well into October, the polls will show the two even or Corzine slightly ahead. In end, I think that Crozine will win with a margin of victory of around 20,000 to 40,000 votes, but he will probably get below 50% of the total vote. Give this race some time but I think that Jon Corzine will be re-elected.
The facts: Christie gave a very large undisclosed “loan” to a female subordinate/employee at the US Attorney’s office who was rapidly promoted under his watch. The loan continues to accrue interest which is required to be disclosed on tax returns. The employee continues to be employed at the US Attorney’s office and continues to have correspondence with the Republican gubernatorial candidate.
Question: How many bosses could or would lend $46,000 to an employee, let alone an employee of the opposite sex, while giving her multiple very quick promotions, and who continues to be employed at the US Attorney’s office?
Speculation: It’s a ransom or other kind of payoff for some indiscretion, and Corzine is just the kind of politician who will gladly pump up the volume on this. The best case scenario for Rove’s spawn is an amended tax return and a few weeks of bad press, the worst is that yesterday was the last day that anyone thought Cristie would be governor.
Rothenberg you partisan hack, you are wrong yet again: http://rothenbergpoliticalrepo…
This poor woman didn’t have to sleep with Christie to get the loan. (SHUDDER)
I thought only Phil English got a sail barge, or are the Republicans buying them at police auction now? (Perhaps it’s the same one, now that English has fallen into the Dahlkemper Sarlacc pit.)
Also, good. I’m no fan of Corzine, but Christie is about infinity times worse. Even if we probably lose VA, I’d like to see NJ be a squeaker in our direction.
Slight chance we’ll finally catch a break here.