Christie and several Republican candidates repeatedly called the 432 state-level judges 'elite' and drove a rhetorical wedge between them and the 430,000 other workers in the pension system Watch video
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Gov. Chris Christie, show in a file photo, wants the state Legislature to do something about a ruling last week that spares judges from contributing more to their pensions and benefits.TRENTON — Standing in front of more than 50 Republican lawmakers and candidates for state Legislature, Gov. Chris Christie this morning injected the issue of judicial pensions and health benefits into their campaigns.
The press conference at the Trenton War Memorial comes one week after state Superior Court Assignment Judge Linda Feinberg last week ruled the new law amounts to an indirect pay cut for judges and justices, which the state Constitution forbids.
Although the state is appealing her ruling, Christie wants a constitutional amendment that would bypass it.
“There is an election in two weeks, and everyone behind me has stood up and said if the courts do not do the right thing, we will do the right thing by the people and put this on the ballot in Nov. 2012,” he said. “Every Democrat in the legislature and every Democratic candidate should answer that question now: Where do they stand on the issue?”
Christie and several Republican candidates repeatedly called the 432 state-level judges “elite” and drove a rhetorical wedge between them and the 430,000 other workers in the pension system.
“They are public servants. They are not kings and queens in black robes. And their desire to be treated as such is really, really distasteful,” he said.
Christie shared the podium with Republican legislative leaders and two running in competitive races: Mount Laurel Mayor Jim Keenan, who is running for Assembly in the 7th District; and Assemblyman Vince Polistina (R-Atlantic), who is challenging state Sen. Jim Whelan.
Christie, who in recent months has cast doubt on the idea that Republicans could take a majority in either legislative house, sounded more optimistic today.
“We’re going to make history two weeks from today,” he said.
Democrats called the event a "photo-op."
"As if on cue, New Jersey's Republicans have called their biennial pre-election confab to pledge their unwavering support for an issue that doesn't register with the people they are seeking to represent ," said Derek Roseman, spokesman for the Democrats' legislative campaigns.
"Perhaps our opponents' time would be better spent walking their districts and actually talking to voters, as opposed to driving to Trenton for a photo-op with their party leaders. If they did, they'd know, like Democrats do, that voters care about their property taxes, their jobs, and the fact that the Republicans who are spending today fawning all over each other care more about giving millionaires special treatment than they do funding schools, ensuring a woman's access to health care, or even providing real property tax relief to middle-class families and seniors."
Related coverage:
• Gov. Christie to talk about ruling that allowed judges to avoid paying more into pensions
• Gov. Christie: Judge Feinberg's decision on judges' benefits 'is self-interested and outrageous'
• Judge rules state pension, benefits overhaul does not apply to N.J. judges