Among Christie donors, a slew of state contractors
Among the donors to Gov. Christie's presidential campaign are individuals who work for companies in New Jersey that have been awarded more than $60 million in state and local government contracts, campaign finance records show.
Among the donors to Gov. Christie's presidential campaign are individuals who work for companies in New Jersey that have been awarded more than $60 million in state and local government contracts, campaign finance records show.
Many of these firms are restricted by New Jersey pay-to-play laws in what they can contribute to state campaigns. Those rules do not apply to federal elections, such as the presidential campaign, however.
"It's not illegal, but if you're going to abide by the principles we set forth in our state law, it's certainly unethical," said Bill Schluter, a former vice chairman of the New Jersey State Ethics Commission.
Christie's campaign on Thursday disclosed it had raised $4.2 million and had $1.4 million on hand as of the quarter ending Sept. 30, among the lowest figures in the GOP field.
About half his money came from New Jersey donors, including contractors. Three executives from Crisdel Group Inc., for example, each gave $2,700 to the campaign.
Federal election law allows individuals to contribute up to $2,700 for the primary election and another $2,700 for the general election.
The super PAC supporting Christie's candidacy, America Leads, disclosed over the summer that it had received tens of thousands of dollars from New Jersey companies that had been granted a total of more than $100 million in state contracts.
Super PACs can raise unlimited sums of money but may not coordinate with campaigns.
Crisdel, a construction company based in South Plainfield, N.J., has been awarded $43.5 million in contracts by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and the state Department of Transportation since 2010, state records show.
The firm did not return a message seeking comment Friday.
Under state law, New Jersey cannot award contracts worth more than $17,500 to firms that have donated more than $300 to gubernatorial candidates or state or county party committees. Similarly, companies that have received contracts worth at least that much cannot solicit or contribute more than $300 to the governor during his tenure.
The law also applies to employees who have a 10 percent interest in the firm's profits or assets.
Two top executives with Hesse Construction - including its president, Lawrence Hesse Sr. - each donated $2,700 to Christie's campaign. Another employee gave the same amount.
Hesse has nearly $8.7 million in state and municipal contracts, including with the Turnpike Authority. The firm did not return a message seeking comment.
Also contributing to the governor's campaign were lawyers with Connell Foley L.L.P. It has about $878,000 in state and municipal contracts, including one worth $197,000 to provide legal services to the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, according to state records.
Six lawyers, plus a political action committee created by the law firm, donated a combined $13,050.
Among the donors was John P. Lacey, a partner in the firm's Roseland office, who gave $1,000. He also is treasurer of Connell Foley PAC.
In New Jersey's 2009 gubernatorial race, Lacey gave $300 each to incumbent Democrat Jon Corzine and Christie, who won. Lacey did not respond to a request for comment.
Three partners at another law firm, Inglesino, Webster, Wyciskala & Taylor, each donated $2,700. The firm has about $1.7 million in state and local contracts. A message left with the firm's founding partner, John P. Inglesino, one of the donors, was not returned.
A senior vice president with the renewable energy firm Covanta, based in Morristown, donated $2,700, as did another employee. The firm has been awarded $7.3 million by various municipalities in authorities since 2013, records show. The official, Paul Gilman, did not return a message seeking comment.
"People who run for federal office will go to their friends, and people who are beholden to them, and seek them out for money," said Schluter, a former Republican state senator.
Christie's donor list also included some famous names, including John Bongiovi - Jersey rocker Jon Bon Jovi.
Donations also flowed from Christie's football team of choice. The New Jersey governor, spotted at games with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones last season, received more than $24,000 from people with the Cowboys organization or with the address of 1 Cowboys Parkway in Irving, Texas.
Other apparent Christie connections included employees of Wall Street firms Cantor Fitzgerald and Angelo Gordon, where Christie's wife, Mary Pat Christie, once worked.
Of the $2.2 million Christie received from New Jersey donors, $118,255 came from donors in his hometown, Mendham.
Outside New Jersey, top states for Christie included New York ($401,081), Texas ($207,595), Florida ($139,600), and Maryland ($129,303).
Christie landed a donation from a Minnesota media mogul who was a backer of Scott Walker's before the Wisconsin governor dropped out of the race last month.
Stanley Hubbard is not committed to Christie. "I've given to five of them, because I think they're all good," Hubbard said. He said he also gave the maximum amount to former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, neurosurgeon Ben Carson, former CEO Carly Fiorina, and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio. "Hopefully out of that group will come a good quarterback."
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