New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie doesn't need to know what ALEC is to do its bidding. (Brian Snyder/Reuters)
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie denies any connection with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), but a
Star-Ledger investigation finds plenty of
evidence to the contrary, particularly when it comes to Christie's union-busting, privatizing education agenda. First off:
At least three bills, one executive order and one agency rule accomplish the same goals set out by ALEC using the same specific policies. In eight passages contained in those documents, New Jersey initiatives and ALEC proposals line up almost word for word. Two other Republican bills not pushed by the governor’s office are nearly identical to ALEC models.
This includes policies on teacher tenure, pay, and hiring and firing; easing training requirements for charter school teachers; waivers of environmental regulations that businesses don't like; and more. Beyond the similar legislation and executive actions:
[...] Christie’s then-chief of staff and former health commissioner were involved in an ALEC policy seminar in Trenton in December. Legislative liaisons inside the governor’s office have mined ALEC for advice on budgetary matters, Medicaid changes and privatizing government services, according to e-mail records, beginning in the earliest days of Christie’s governorship and as recently as December.
But a Christie spokesman says, "The governor said to me, 'Who's ALEC?'" so case closed. Clearly the similarity in the policies advanced by Christie and by ALEC, down to passages of identical wording, is a coincidence and all those staffers going to ALEC for advice were, uh ... look, Christie had a spokesman say he didn't know who ALEC is, so just shut up already unless you want Chris Christie to come personally yell at you and post the video on YouTube.