The “Spirit of Sandy” is Corruption, Greed, and Secrecy

Christ Christie said in his re-election victory speech that he would “govern in the spirit of Sandy.”

Let us consider the job he has done responding to hurricane Sandy.

Governor Christie was given $1.8 billion from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, but with the stipulation that 60% of those funds would be spent on low to moderate income families and their home rebuilding needs.

To date, Governor Christie refuses to release information about how that money is being spent.  What little we do know comes from information gleaned through a lawsuit filed by Fair Share Housing Center (an advocacy group for affordable housing), who sued the Christie administration for failing to provide any documentation explaining why thousands of families have been denied assistance.

The lawsuit showed that only 36.9% of the HUD money has been distributed to those families that the money was intended to help.  More than a year after hurricane Sandy, thousands of families are still displaced, waiting for insurance payouts and government aid that has never come.

Where has the rest of the HUD money gone?   In the “spirit of Sandy,” Governor Christie refuses to disclose that information.

In addition to the HUD aid, Governor Christie received other federal aid.  With that money, he chose to spend over $25 million on campaign advertising.  One particular ad, which featured his family, cost $4.7 million in federal aid dollars.  It is interesting to note that another firm bid 40% less to produce that TV ad, but was turned down because they did not want to use the governor’s family in their ad.

That’s $2 million dollars to get his family on TV, for anyone keeping track of his “spirit of Sandy” priorities.

When Governor Christie says he will “govern in the spirit of Sandy,” it is not only victory speech promise, it is a blueprint of the continued corruption to come.

Thanks to “All In” with Chris Hayes for the video.