Chris Christie Gave Mayors He Liked Pieces of Steel From Twin Towers

Governor Chris Christie‘s administration did not only punish mayors who dared to cross him, it also rewarded those who were in its favor. A new report from The New York Times reveals the New Jersey Republican handed out piece of steel from the World Trade Center to 20 handpicked mayors who he most wanted to endorse him ahead of the 2013 election.

While the top 20 mayors received physical remnants from the Twin Towers, which were destroyed in the September 11th, 2001 attacks, mayors further down Christie’s list received other gifts from the Port Authority such as “an intimate tour of the National September 11 Memorial, or the new World Trade Center construction site, or Port Authority money for jobs programs or new firefighting equipment, even in towns far from the port,” according to the Times.

The report, based on newly-released emails from the Christie Administration, goes on to demonstrate how the Port Authority “became a means to reward friends (or hire them) and punish adversaries, and a bank to be used when Mr. Christie sought to avoid raising taxes.”

Read the full article at NYTimes.com.

[photo via Flickr/Gage Skidmore]

— —

>> Follow Matt Wilstein (@TheMattWilstein) on Twitter

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!