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The peaceful transition of power between presidential administrations has long been a hallmark in American politics, even between presidents of different political parties. Although many Americans closely follow presidential campaigns and elections, few know what happens behind the scenes between a major party’s convention, when a candidate becomes the party’s presidential nominee, and Inauguration Day, when a new president takes office.

Takes effect Friday! https://www.google.com/amp/s/patch.com/new-jersey/lacey/amp/26541281/n-j-lawmakers-pass-christie-backed-23-cent-gas-tax-hike-set-to-take-effect-friday#

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie on Tuesday proposed overhauling the state’s education funding formula to provide all public school districts with a flat rate of $6,599 per student. Calling it his “Fairness Formula” in policy statements on Tuesday, Christie said aid for special needs students would continue even with any potential formula change. Schools are funded through property taxes, which in New Jersey are some of the highest in the nation because of the state’s “unaffordable and broken school funding formula propped up by special interests and misguided Supreme Court precedent,” Christie said in a statement. …

The school board last night adopted a new policy that proponents hope will make the public schools more accommodating to transgender students. >>>>>>>The new policy requires the district to issue student ID cards in the name that reflects the student's gender identity; requires school staff to address students by the names and pronouns corresponding to their gender identity, even if the students have not obtained court-approved name changes; and allows students to dress in accordance with their gender identity. The policy also bans the district from forcing students to use restrooms or locker rooms that conflict with their gender identity....

N.J. Gov. Chris Christie is upset about the attack on LGBT nightclub Pulse in Orlando. In response, he wants the U.S. to respond with military action overseas. “You’ve got to get over there and make them pay where they live,” Christie said yesterday on WFAN’s Boomer & Carton Show (yes, a sports talk show). He was filling in for Boomer Esiason. “It is unacceptable to allow this type of stuff in our country and for us to not fight back. We’ve got to fight back.” Christie is a top adviser to presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and the head...

Link only: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-06-13/christie-pans-democratic-proposal-to-double-new-jersey-gas-tax

New Jersey lawmakers on Thursday sent Gov. Chris Christie legislation to keep Atlantic City from running out of cash, throwing the financially strapped resort a life preserver just before the unofficial start to summer this weekend. The Democrat-led Assembly and state Senate approved the measures by wide margins just as the state’s 127 miles of beaches prepare for the Memorial Day holiday. Republican Gov. Chris Christie, who earlier supported legislation allowing for an immediate state takeover of the city’s finances, has said the bill gives him the authority he needs. He stopped short of saying whether he will sign the...

Presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump is helping dig former rival Chris Christie and the New Jersey Republican Party out of big debt they incurred from the George Washington Bridge scandal and the governor’s presidential campaign.

Both will be speaking at 7:00 pm EST Lawrenceville, New Jersey National Guard Armory Doors Open at 5:00 pm

Donald Trump climbed to the top of the real estate world in the most ruthless, cut-throat, predatory and brutally competitive venues in the world, New York City. Trump did not become the multi-billion-dollar successful deal-maker through naive decisions or suffering with fools – that’s not how success in that business venue works... Understand this and you understand why Donald Trump’s inner circle is life-long or multi-decades deep. Understand this – and you also understand that everything outside of that nucleus is disposable. Everything outside that circle is a tool.

Donald Trump has tapped Chris Christie to lead his transition team, which would prepare the political neophyte turned presumptive GOP nominee for the White House if he wins in the general election. “Governor Christie is an extremely knowledgeable and loyal person with the tools and resources to put together an unparalleled Transition Team, one that will be prepared to take over the White House when we win in November,” Trump said in a quote released Monday morning as part of a campaign statement.

The reconstruction of Sandy-battered Route 35 is soaking New Jersey taxpayers with tens of millions of dollars in cost overruns, an Asbury Park Press investigation reveals. The newspaper found that the project, announced by Gov. Chris Christie in 2013, is already $76 million over budget and a year behind schedule. The potential final cost of $341 million means that the 12.5-mile road construction in Ocean County will cost a jaw-dropping $27.3 million per mile — making it one of the most expensive road projects in the state. The Asbury Park Press, which called the project a “boondoggle,” found that the...

“Governor Pence was pleased to welcome Mr. Trump back to Indiana and hear firsthand his plans for the country. The Governor was also grateful for the opportunity to describe Indiana's economic success and expressed his desire to have a partner in the White House who will help advance pro-growth economic policies, reduce burdensome regulation and curb the size and scope of government. With more than 130,000 new private sector jobs created since he took office, Governor Pence believes addressing these issues is critical in order for Indiana to continue to be a great place to live, work and raise a...

Sen. Ted Cruz said on Tuesday that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie got trapped in his "own private hell" by endorsing Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. In a Tuesday interview with Glenn Beck, the conservative commentator who has endorsed the senator for president, Cruz expressed sympathy for the governor, saying that he looked like he wanted to scream when he stood behind Trump at a rally in March.

TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie is "in his own private hell" over his February endorsement of GOP front-runner Donald Trump, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas said Tuesday. Appearing on "The Glenn Beck Show," Cruz told the conservative host that Trump seemed to insist on behaving like the famous fictional Mafia don depicted in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather," Michael Corleone. "The presidency should not be La Cosa Nostra," said Cruz, adding that the real estate tycoon seemed to demand a similar level of "Godfather"-like deference and respect from the governor. "You know what gets me," Cruz said. "The servility...

Governor Christie of New Jersey is pushing to make some incremental changes to improve the arcane and inconsistent New Jersey firearms licensing system. From capemaycountyherald:TRENTON — Acting on Governor Chris Christie’s commitment to ensure fair and consistent application of the state’s gun laws that respects individual’s Second Amendment rights and protects public safety, the Office of Attorney General announced a directive and guideline issued by Acting Attorney General Robert Lougy, and a regulatory change to align the regulations governing the issuance of a carry permit with New Jersey Supreme Court precedent interpreting the statutory standard of justifiable need. Taken...

Chris Christie is looming large behind the scenes of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, coaching him before the last GOP debate and lining up policy experts, donors and big-name backers, according to a report Friday. The New Jersey governor is far more than just a high-profile supporter and has become one of Trump’s most trusted advisers, NJ.com reported. “Christie is clearly making the transition from endorser to enabler and positioning himself to be a major player in the Trump camp,” David Kennedy, a presidential historian, told NJ.com. Edward Newton, who vetted Christie when he was considered a possible running mate for...

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) on Friday said Donald Trump was speaking figuratively when he predicted “riots” if the GOP blocks him from winning the presidential nomination. “I don’t think he meant literal riots,” Christie said during a press conference in New Jersey, according to The Wall Street Journal. "I think he meant political riots." Still, Christie, who has endorsed Trump and appeared with him at campaign rallies, predicted that a contested convention selecting the Republican nominee would generate outrage. “If someone goes in with the most delegates, the most votes, and then they are denied the nomination by...

Chris Christie In an announcement that surprised almost everyone, Christie endorsed Trump in February. As Trump’s running mate, Christie could be an effective attack dog against Hillary Clinton. A Trump-Christie ticket would also reinforce the narrative that both men are tough Washington outsiders who “tell it like it is.” Rick Scott When he ran for Governor of Florida in 2010, Scott self-funded his campaign and spent upwards of $75 million of his own money. Scott, who recently called for his fellow Republicans to “coalesce behind” Trump, could help the New York billionaire in Florida -- a key swing state. Scott’s...

Miami — “I loved watching Michael Jordan play basketball, because he could do things with the basketball that were not teachable,” Whit Ayres, a highly regarded Republican pollster, said in between sips of coffee in a downtown D.C. hotel conference room. “Marco Rubio is the Michael Jordan of American politics.” It was March 31, 2015, just 13 days before Rubio, long considered the GOP’s brightest star, would launch his campaign at the Freedom Tower here in his hometown. Ayres, Rubio’s polling guru, had written a book with detailed, data-driven prescriptions for Republicans to take back the White House in 2016....