Chris Christie fires education secretary

[Modbert]

Chris Christie fires education secretary - Abby Phillip - POLITICO.com

By dismissing Schundler, however, Christie reneged on his pledge earlier this week to take the blame himself because, as governor, he is “ultimately responsible for everything that happens here.” And on Tuesday, Christie slammed the Obama administration for “checking boxes like mindless drones” and disqualifying an otherwise top-level application for what amounts to a clerical error.

Education department officials said New Jersey lost crucial points because it provided information about the upcoming 2010-11 school year — not the 2008-09 school year as the application required. Christie conceded that his state made a mistake, but argued that one error in a 1,000-page application should not be used to keep his state from hundreds of millions of dollars for its schools.

Still, the Department of Education is holding firm. The deadline was July 1, the application wasn’t correct, and New Jersey won’t get a do-over.

Schundler reportedly told The (Newark) Star Ledger that he asked to be fired, rather than submit his resignation, so that he could collect unemployment benefits.

Thoughts USMB?

 

[ConHog]

Dude deserved to be fired.

Are you implying that the Gov should have resigned or took the blame?

 

[theDoctorisIn]

Dude deserved to be fired.

Are you implying that the Gov should have resigned or took the blame?

Well, since he stated that he would take the blame last week, it's a bit hypocritical to turn around and fire the guy a week later. But yeah, he probably deserved to get fired.

 

[skookerasbil]

Know why the k00ks hate this guy? 'Cause he has some balls!!!!

 

[ConHog]

Dude deserved to be fired.

Are you implying that the Gov should have resigned or took the blame?

Well, since he stated that he would take the blame last week, it's a bit hypocritical to turn around and fire the guy a week later. But yeah, he probably deserved to get fired.

I don't know about you, but I'm well past the point of expecting politicians to be honest or responsible.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

Dude deserved to be fired.

Are you implying that the Gov should have resigned or took the blame?

Well, since he stated that he would take the blame last week, it's a bit hypocritical to turn around and fire the guy a week later. But yeah, he probably deserved to get fired.

Why is it hypocritical? What do you expect him to do? Apologize for someone in his administration for fucking up and then do nothing about it? That'll do a lot of good. He removed the guy from the position and in doing so hopefully solved the problem so that it doesn't happen again. That doesn't make him a hypocrite. He's taking responsibility.

 

[Modbert]

Why is it hypocritical? What do you expect him to do? Apologize for someone in his administration for fucking up and then do nothing about it? That'll do a lot of good. He removed the guy from the position and in doing so hopefully solved the problem so that it doesn't happen again. That doesn't make him a hypocrite. He's taking responsibility.

Christie probably shouldn't of vowed to not fire anybody in the first place. By vowing that, and then going back on it by firing someone is hypocritical.

 

[Greenbeard]

It's really the story that's entertaining. Christie told us whose fault it really is on August 25:

Christie said officials at the U.S. Department of Education could have easily either called New Jersey or found the information on the internet. State Education Commissioner Bret Schundler gave the correct information to the U.S. Department of Education when giving his presentation two weeks ago, Christie said.

“That’s the stuff the Obama administration should answer for. Are you guys just down there checking boxes like mindless drones, or are you thinking?” said Christie. “When the president comes back to New Jersey, he’s going to have to explain to the people of the state of New Jersey why he’s depriving them of $400 million that this application earned.”

But the very next day on August 26:

But today, the U.S. Department of Education released video footage contradicting Christie’s claim. The video shows state officials struggling and failing to provide correct budget information during a 90-minute presentation. In addition, a federal official said the state never provided the required information.

About one hour into the presentation, held on Aug. 11 in Washington, D.C., a soft-spoken reviewer asked for help locating missing information in the state’s application for Race to the Top funding. After a few moments of silence, New Jersey Education Commissioner Bret Schundler turned to the assistant commissioner to his left.

"No I cannot. I don’t, um..." said the assistant commissioner, Willa Spicer.

"We can come back to that, if someone wants to take a look, that would be fine," said a reviewer, one of five who would grade the state’s application.

Though Christie has portrayed federal officials as nitpicking and begrudging about the state’s application, the video shows that toward the end of the session, federal reviewers asked the New Jersey delegation a second time if they had found the correct information.

"No. No, we all searched," Spicer said.

Whoops.

 

[rightwinger]

Schundler is a right wing conservative Republican who has failed in general elections numerous times. He was appointed by Christie as a token to the Conservatives

Turns out the NJ voters were right about Shundler

 

[Yurt]

Dude deserved to be fired.

Are you implying that the Gov should have resigned or took the blame?

Well, since he stated that he would take the blame last week, it's a bit hypocritical to turn around and fire the guy a week later. But yeah, he probably deserved to get fired.

obama said the bucks stops with him....yet how many times has he taken responsibilty? the NY flyover? nope...someone else got got canned....

next

 

[Yurt]

Why is it hypocritical? What do you expect him to do? Apologize for someone in his administration for fucking up and then do nothing about it? That'll do a lot of good. He removed the guy from the position and in doing so hopefully solved the problem so that it doesn't happen again. That doesn't make him a hypocrite. He's taking responsibility.

Christie probably shouldn't of vowed to not fire anybody in the first place. By vowing that, and then going back on it by firing someone is hypocritical.

link to where he vowed not to fire anybody....

 

[The Rabbi]

Chris Christie fires education secretary - Abby Phillip - POLITICO.com

By dismissing Schundler, however, Christie reneged on his pledge earlier this week to take the blame himself because, as governor, he is “ultimately responsible for everything that happens here.” And on Tuesday, Christie slammed the Obama administration for “checking boxes like mindless drones” and disqualifying an otherwise top-level application for what amounts to a clerical error.

Education department officials said New Jersey lost crucial points because it provided information about the upcoming 2010-11 school year — not the 2008-09 school year as the application required. Christie conceded that his state made a mistake, but argued that one error in a 1,000-page application should not be used to keep his state from hundreds of millions of dollars for its schools.

Still, the Department of Education is holding firm. The deadline was July 1, the application wasn’t correct, and New Jersey won’t get a do-over.

Schundler reportedly told The (Newark) Star Ledger that he asked to be fired, rather than submit his resignation, so that he could collect unemployment benefits.

Thoughts USMB?

Do you live in NJ that you keep posting stories about Christie, junior? Or is it the fact that he is popular among conservatives that drives you dig up stories that migth be unfavorable to him?
In this case it is damned if you do, damned if you dont. He took responsibility for what happened. That means fixing it. That means finding the people who screwed up and holding them responsible. Unlike the Democrats, responsibility means something to Republicans.
And Christie was right btw that the FedGov is a mindless bunch of monkeys, kicking out applications not on the merits but on some obscure clerical error.

 

[Dr.House]

Why is it hypocritical? What do you expect him to do? Apologize for someone in his administration for fucking up and then do nothing about it? That'll do a lot of good. He removed the guy from the position and in doing so hopefully solved the problem so that it doesn't happen again. That doesn't make him a hypocrite. He's taking responsibility.

Christie probably shouldn't of vowed to not fire anybody in the first place. By vowing that, and then going back on it by firing someone is hypocritical.

Depends...

The guy fucked up and deserved to be fired...

Sometimes you have to revisit a situation... Doesn't make it necessarily hypocritical...

 

[Dr.House]

Schundler is a right wing conservative Republican who has failed in general elections numerous times. He was appointed by Christie as a token to the Conservatives

Turns out the NJ voters were right about Shundler

Complete bullshit...

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Chris Christie fires education secretary - Abby Phillip - POLITICO.com

By dismissing Schundler, however, Christie reneged on his pledge earlier this week to take the blame himself because, as governor, he is “ultimately responsible for everything that happens here.” And on Tuesday, Christie slammed the Obama administration for “checking boxes like mindless drones” and disqualifying an otherwise top-level application for what amounts to a clerical error.

Education department officials said New Jersey lost crucial points because it provided information about the upcoming 2010-11 school year — not the 2008-09 school year as the application required. Christie conceded that his state made a mistake, but argued that one error in a 1,000-page application should not be used to keep his state from hundreds of millions of dollars for its schools.

Still, the Department of Education is holding firm. The deadline was July 1, the application wasn’t correct, and New Jersey won’t get a do-over.

Schundler reportedly told The (Newark) Star Ledger that he asked to be fired, rather than submit his resignation, so that he could collect unemployment benefits.

Thoughts USMB?

The guy lied to him, how is that reneging on his pledge?

 

[jillian]

Interestingly, Schundler's nomination was released by the senate judiciary committee 'without comment'.

either way... he cost NJ an awful lot of money. Christie had to fire him.

 

[jillian]

Schundler is a right wing conservative Republican who has failed in general elections numerous times. He was appointed by Christie as a token to the Conservatives

Turns out the NJ voters were right about Shundler

Complete bullshit...

how do you explain his nomination when it's clear he wasn't thought of very highly by the committee?

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Dude deserved to be fired.

Are you implying that the Gov should have resigned or took the blame?

Well, since he stated that he would take the blame last week, it's a bit hypocritical to turn around and fire the guy a week later. But yeah, he probably deserved to get fired.

Let me get this straight.

You think Christie should accept the blame when the guy lied about what he told the feds, and they posted a video to prove it was a lie. He is not firing him for screwing up the paper work, or even the presentation, he is firing him because he lied about the whole thing, and that is inexcusable. I would expect Modbert to ignore a little thing like a lie, but I would hope that would make you realize that this changes the entire dynamic of the situation.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

It's really the story that's entertaining. Christie told us whose fault it really is on August 25:

Christie said officials at the U.S. Department of Education could have easily either called New Jersey or found the information on the internet. State Education Commissioner Bret Schundler gave the correct information to the U.S. Department of Education when giving his presentation two weeks ago, Christie said.

“That’s the stuff the Obama administration should answer for. Are you guys just down there checking boxes like mindless drones, or are you thinking?” said Christie. “When the president comes back to New Jersey, he’s going to have to explain to the people of the state of New Jersey why he’s depriving them of $400 million that this application earned.”

But the very next day on August 26:

But today, the U.S. Department of Education released video footage contradicting Christie’s claim. The video shows state officials struggling and failing to provide correct budget information during a 90-minute presentation. In addition, a federal official said the state never provided the required information.

About one hour into the presentation, held on Aug. 11 in Washington, D.C., a soft-spoken reviewer asked for help locating missing information in the state’s application for Race to the Top funding. After a few moments of silence, New Jersey Education Commissioner Bret Schundler turned to the assistant commissioner to his left.

"No I cannot. I don’t, um..." said the assistant commissioner, Willa Spicer.

"We can come back to that, if someone wants to take a look, that would be fine," said a reviewer, one of five who would grade the state’s application.

Though Christie has portrayed federal officials as nitpicking and begrudging about the state’s application, the video shows that toward the end of the session, federal reviewers asked the New Jersey delegation a second time if they had found the correct information.

"No. No, we all searched," Spicer said.

Whoops.

Which is my point. No one expects Obama to keep someone who allows his staff to make a fool of him in front of a reporter, but they call Christie a hypocrite because he is made to look like a fool by a lie someone who works for him told.

 

[Dr.House]

Schundler is a right wing conservative Republican who has failed in general elections numerous times. He was appointed by Christie as a token to the Conservatives

Turns out the NJ voters were right about Shundler

Complete bullshit...

how do you explain his nomination when it's clear he wasn't thought of very highly by the committee?

I don't hold a position within the Christie administration...

"See, the problem with speculation is you make a speck out of you and some guy named lation." - Gregory House, MD