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Tuesday, May 10, 2011

A Lawless Governor? Christie has threatened to act in a lawless manner.

NJ Spotlight | Op-Ed: A Lawless Governor?

Op-Ed: A Lawless Governor?
In at least three recent instances involving the state's public education system, Christie has threatened to act in a lawless manner.

It’s jarring when any lawyer publicly threatens to ignore constitutional requirements, statutory provisions and processes, and court decisions. Indeed, it may well violate a Rule of Professional Conduct (RPC) that governs lawyer behavior. RPC 8.4 expressly admonishes lawyers not to "engage in conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice."

When the lawyer in question is a former U.S. Attorney and the sitting governor of New Jersey, the concern deepens greatly. After all, the U.S. Attorney for New Jersey is the chief law enforcement officer for this federal district. And as to the governor, whether or not he or she is a lawyer, assuming the position adds another dimension. The Oath of Allegiance sworn to during the inauguration includes a commitment to uphold the state’s constitution and laws

Yet Gov. Chris Christie has repeatedly engaged in behavior that raises questions under both the RPC and the Oath of Allegiance.

In at least three recent instances involving the state's public education system, Christie has threatened to act in a lawless manner.

First, when the subject of Mark Zuckerberg’s