Governor suggests effort being made to rush case before liberal justice retires in March Watch video
Gov. Chris Christie, seen here in October, today suggested the Supreme Court was rushing the appeal to a challenge of his law requiring judges to contribute more to their health benefits in order to get it heard by a liberal judge.TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie today suggested the state's Supreme Court justices are acting improperly in how they're handling an expedited appeal of the legal challenge to his new pension and health benefits law for jurists.
The same day the Supreme Court said it would hear the controversial pension and health benefits case, Christie unleashed another rant against the state's highest court, calling the justices "unelected and unresponsive servants" and "the exalted elite" who feel no need to answer to the public.
He suggested the court is rushing to hear the case before Justice Virginia Long, a tenured member who Christie considers one of the more liberal justices, retires on March 1 — before he would have a chance to appoint an associate more closely aligned with his views.
He also questioned why Long — and not Chief Justice Stuart Rabner — is presiding over the case.
"I am a little concerned about the swiftness with which they’re trying to get this resolved. I don’t know what deadline they’re working under," Christie said.
The Supreme Court is being asked to decide the constitutionality of the state's new pension and health benefits law, which requires all state employees &mdash including judges and justices — to pay more in contributions.
Superior Court Assignment Judge Linda Feinberg, sitting in Trenton, ruled last month the law is unconstitutional as it applies to jurists because it violates a provision of the state Constitution that prohibits the salaries of Superior Court judges and Supreme Court justices from being reduced during their terms.
"I hope that this is not a result in search of a rationale because the public is already, already very skeptical of the conduct of this court deciding its own compensation, not salary,'' Christie said.
Related coverage:
• Judge fighting Christie's pension, health benefits asks N.J. Supreme Court to review case
• Judge nixes Christie request to have N.J. judges contribute more toward pensions and benefits