Dawn Zimmer and Chris Christie
Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer claims that Gov. Chris Christie's team blackmailed her, telling her to approve a real estate project or lose Sandy aid.
(Star-Ledger staff)
NEWARK — Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer said this afternoon she did not take the decision to accuse Gov. Chris Christie's administration of political extortion lightly.
"It’s a big decision," Zimmer said in an interview with The Star-Ledger. "It’s probably one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done."
Earlier today Zimmer gave an interview on MSNBC alleging Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno and Department of Community Affairs Commissioner Richard Constable pressured her to approve a development deal or face losing a fortune in federal aid.
She reaffirmed her allegations in an interview with The Star-Ledger late this afteroon.
"I was stunned by his words," Zimmer said of the exchange with Constable. She said the former federal prosecutor made the threat minutes before the two appeared on television to discuss Sandy recovery one year after the storm.
"I couldn’t believe we were mic'd," Zimmer said. "It was a couple of minutes before we went on air."
DCA spokeswoman Lisa Ryan said Zimmer's allegations were "categorically false."
At issue is one of Hoboken’s last undeveloped patches – a 19-block area in the north end of town. Zimmer said Christie officials wanted her to approve a deal with the Rockefeller Group to develop the area but she resisted.
It was then, Zimmer said, she was told that if she played ball, she would receive a sizeable portion of the federal hazard mitigation funding she requested.
"The lieutenant governor stood in the parking lot and pulled me aside and made it very clear that there was a clear connection between the Sandy funds and the Rockefeller project," Zimmer said.
Zimmer recorded the events in her journal at the time but waited until today to go public. She said she felt she was obliged to come forward.
"I'm most concerned about Hoboken and making sure that we get our fair share of funding and I did feel like I had an ethical obligation to come forward," she said.
The funding in question is part of annual program distributed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. After Sandy, New Jersey was allocated roughly $450 million.
"We requested $100 million in hazard mitigation funding and we received $142,000," Zimmer said.
The money is not among the allocations listed on the state Sandy recovery website.
Zimmer said she could not recall who told her the city would not be getting the money but said she was "stunned" when she heard the news.
"I don’t think it’s fair. I think it’s outrageous," she said.
Christie spokesman Colin Reed accused Zimmer of playing politics.
"It’s very clear partisan politics are at play here as Democratic mayors with a political axe to grind come out of the woodwork and try to get their faces on television," Reed said.