Despite Ethics Rule, Christie's Ticket And Travel To Game Paid For By Jones

boozeman

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Despite Ethics Rule, Chris Christie's Ticket And Travel To Cowboys Game Paid For By Jerry Jones

By David Sirota @davidsirota d.sirota@ibtimes.com on January 05 2015 5:55 PM


New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s ticket and travel to the Dallas Cowboys playoff game on Sunday was paid for by team owner Jerry Jones, according to a spokesman for the governor. The gifts from the NFL team owner follow the Christie administration giving millions of dollars worth of tax subsidies to the NFL.

The announcement from the governor’s office followed International Business Times first reporting today on Christie appearing in the NFL owner's box despite strict New Jersey ethics rules. Those rules subject public officials to “a zero tolerance policy for acceptance of gifts ... that are related in any way to [an officeholder’s] official duties.” As governor, Christie has overseen the state’s business with the NFL, most prominently during the 2014 Super Bowl.

Christie has cited those same ethics rules in barring other New Jersey officials from getting special access to tickets to events at state-owned arenas.

According to NJ.com, Christie officials said the gifts from Jones are legal since an executive order signed by a previous governor says governors “may accept gifts, favors, services, gratuities, meals, lodging or travel expenses from relatives or personal friends that are paid for with personal funds.”

However, along with being a friend of Christie’s, Jones is also an owner of a team in a league that has business with the state of New Jersey. Under the state’s ethics rules, gifts to public officials are prohibited from “any person or entity” that an official may “deal with, contact or regulate in the course of official business.”
 
Cotton

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Sounds like a reporter trying to make a story out of nothing.
 
ravidubey

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I think an Executive Order focused on one position trumps any laws written for a broad set of officials.

If that rule stood, the Governor of NJ couldn't be invited to special events by any private citizen. That would be a ridiculous limitation for prominent official, let alone a state governor.

Seriously, like NJ gave the NFL all these perks just so Jerry would invite him to Jerry World.
 
L.T. Fan

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ravidubey said:
I think an Executive Order focused on one position trumps any laws written for a broad set of officials.

If that rule stood, the Governor of NJ couldn't be invited to special events by any private citizen. That would be a ridiculous limitation for prominent official, let alone a state governor.

Seriously, like NJ gave the NFL all these perks just so Jerry would invite him to Jerry World.
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It will probably never be procecuted but the media will have a field day with it. The subjects are all top contraversial figures. Cant pass up those headlines. You will hear about it for several days regardless of whether any one officially refutes it as being illegal.
 
skidadl

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Probably gonna be federal charges for Jerry. Mostly likely a 30 year term. :art
 
UncleMilti

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That fucking kid bugs the shit out of me.
 
boozeman

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Jerry Jones sidesteps Chris Christie’s ethics issues, embraces the mojo

Posted by Mike Florio on January 7, 2015, 8:46 PM EST


In the aftermath of New Jersey governor Chris Christie’s orange-sweatered soiree with Jerry and Stephen Jones, a serious question emerged regarding the decision of the Cowboys owner to pay for Christie’s plane fare and ticket to the Lions-Cowboys playoff game.

Jones co-owns Legends Hospitality, which does business with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. As a result, Christie’s acceptance of those gifts raises ethics questions, because he runs the Port Authority along with New York governor Andrew Cuomo.

Since the controversy first emerged, the International Business Times has reported that “government documents show Christie personally pushed the Port Authority to approve a lucrative contract” with Legends Hospitality. New Jersey ethics rules prevent public officials from accepting gifts from persons whom public officials “deal with, contact, or regulate in the course of official business.”

On Wednesday, Jones appeared on ESPN’s NFL Insiders. And he was asked about the controversy.

“There has been some controversy out here on the East Coast, the fact that you are picking up the tab for Governor Christie and they are disappointed that he would take advantage of that,” Chris Mortensen said to Jones. “How do you respond?”

While the question didn’t specifically mention business interests or ethics rules, Jones completely avoided the subject of paying for Christie to come to the game.

“Let’s be true,” Jones said. “One thing about him, does anyone think he doesn’t tell it like it is and tell the truth? Now, the truth is he’s been a Cowboy fan his entire adult life. He and his wife used to on a vacation use their money to come all the way to Texas to come to a Cowboy game. [They] were so limited on their money that they couldn’t even buy parking. They had to park far enough away to walk without paying. Now, all I’m saying is that’s a Cowboy fan. But more important than anything, and you hit it right, Mort, is the mojo. Let me tell you, if he’s got enough mojo to pull this thing off for this Cowboy team this year, I’m for him being president of the United States. U.S. could use mojo.”

Jones also made it clear that Christie and his mojo will be in Green Bay.

“Yes he will, if I’ve got anything to do about it,” Jones said. “And I’m going to try to have a lot to do about it. And I want that orange sweater. We want him there. You know, we’ve had him in the locker room. It feels good to have him there. And we do need all hands on deck to get past these — come close to these Packers.”

It’s unclear whether Jones once again will pay for Christie’s plane fare and/or ticket. If neither believed there was anything wrong with it last weekend, they presumably think it’s OK this weekend.
 
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