The Morning Briefing - February 12, 2015
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL – Gov. Chris Christie will be in Chicago today to proclaim, “Hey, New Jersey isn’t as screwed as Illinois!” Illinois has – at the latest estimates – at least $111 billion in unfunded pension liabilities, yet still gives employees a guaranteed 3 percent raise each year, surpassing the inflation rate year after year. Christie may be proud to note New Jersey has “only” $37 billion in unfunded pension liabilities with no clear idea on how to pay for it, and has proudly slapped around the unions, promising contributions and then reneging. Take that, Illinois!
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL – When Gov. Chris Christie is not chastising Illinois for its reckless pension mess, he will be joining in two roundtable discussions with the underlying goal of looking inquisitive, polished, and, well, so darn Presidential. He will also be delivering the keynote address at a GOP Lincoln Day dinner, maximizing the well-timed, well-coordinated Lincoln birthday celebration in Illinois. It’ll be $250 for a photo op with Christie; $1,000 if you want to contribute to the New Jersey pension fund.
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL – Gov. Chris Christie may be looking for a life-sized cardboard cutout of Abraham Lincoln today to ask the burning question: How did Lincoln handle book deals? Because, as The Star-Ledger notes on its front page, the governor has yet to pen a book that outlines all his hopes and dreams for America. The newspaper is quick to note that every winning President in the past 60 years had first published a book. Apparently the issue is about money, as it always is, as state law prevents the sitting governor from taking side gigs. If Christie wants a book, he’ll need to modify the law. And that means striking a deal with Democrats.
BELLEVILLE – Could Belleville officials be the next gaggle of politicians to be taken down by the law? No clue; authorities are not telling NJ.com why they raided two government buildings in Belleville. We do know that cops with the Essex County Prosecutor's Office official corruption unit searched the Municipal Building and the Public Works Department, confirming an investigation exists. This is red meat for whichever reporter wants to learn more.
SOUTH BRUNSWICK – People apparently have children for many reasons. But using your 4-year-old daughter as an accomplice to steal a purse is not likely what the gods intended. A young New Brunswick mom is sitting behind bars on $120,000 bail, after police say she had her willing offspring lift a purse from a woman who was shopping for greeting cards in a store last month. The victim’s credit card was quickly used elsewhere. “Worst Mom Ever” now faces charges of child endangerment and theft.
IN OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS
IN THE AIR – It seemed too good to be true. And, alas, it wasn’t. Thousands of travellers were downright giddy when they discovered first-class airfare on United Airlines being sold for just $69, CNN reports. The airlines says there is no friggin’ way it will honor the thousands of tickets it sold yesterday with first-class flights from Europe to the U.S. for as little as $69. The airline takes no responsibility (surprise, surprise), blaming a third-party software vendor applying the wrong currency exchange rate. United is not saying how many tickets were sold in what we assume was a rush on the website.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
It was one year ago the Philippine government recovered yet another $29 million from Swiss bank accounts – 28 years after dictator-for-life Ferdinand Marcos was finally ousted. That brings the tally to $712 million in recovered cash from the autocrat’s secret accounts – proving once again that running air-tighttotalitarian governments can offer robust and endless growth opportunity, until you die in exile.