Governor Christie: Today Is A Moment Where We Can Right A Wrong

Rutgers Student Center, December 19th, 2012.
(Transcript Below)


"Nearly nineteen months ago, I nominated Martin Perez to serve on the Board of Governors of his alma mater, Rutgers University. I did so because he represented the type of leadership that I want all across government: qualified, experienced leaders that expand diversity in government whenever possible. ... Without a doubt, he is qualified to serve his state, his alma mater, and the students of Rutgers now and in the future. But nearly 600 days later, Martin has still waited for a confirmation hearing and a simple up-or-down vote in the Senate.

Well, unfortunately for Martin, he's not the only one. The Senate Democrats have decided to play politics with nearly every important nomination that I've tried to make over the last three years. ...Hundreds of others, who still have had the same problem that Martin has had for the last 600 days, an unwillingness even to have a hearing to listen to his testimony, to consider his credentials and experience, and to give him the fairness and the justice of a simple up-or-down vote.

You would think that advise and consent doesn't mean sit in the corner and hold your breath. But that's what it's meant for Senate Democrats over the course of time, and even worse for Martin, he's not even eligible to have a hearing because of the archaic practice of senatorial courtesy, where Senator Bob Smith and Senator Barbara Buono and Senator Joe Vitale have not even signed off on his nomination. Ironically, in the last administration, Martin was nominated to the School Development Authority. Sign off happened immediately, confirmation went through smoothly.

What can we conclude from this? First, that politics are afoot, and now, because Martin's been nominated by a Republican governor, not by a Democratic governor, somehow he's become unfit for office. Secondly, you look at the record of the Democrats over the last decade in their appointments to the Rutgers Board of Governors, and they almost every one of them looks like me. When I became Governor, there were no women on Rutgers Board of Governors. I put the only woman on the Rutgers Board of Governors. When I became Governor, there were no Latinos on the Rutgers Board of Governors, and despite the fact that I nominated Martin nineteen months ago, there still are not any Latinos there today.

As you can tell, I'm a little frustrated by this process, and I know many of you are as well, and despite this frustration, and despite the lack of respect that have been shown by these Senate Democrats to Martin and to the entire Latino community here in New Jersey, he has not backed down. He has continued to fight over the last nineteen months to get the fairness of a hearing.

Well, there are times in this job when you can end your frustration, and some of you I'm sure are aware of the fact that we passed legislation this past summer to merge UMDNJ with Rutgers University, and one of the things that I negotiated for in that legislation was the ability to make one direct appointment...

One of the things that I negotiated for in that legislation was the right as Governor to make one, one direct appointment to the Rutgers Board of Governors that did not have to go through the New Jersey State Senate. And I am proud today to tell all of you that I have signed the letter this morning, and you are seeing a Rutgers Board of Governors member Martin Perez.

I am tired of their obstructionist conduct. I am tired of not having the Rutgers Board of Governors have a representative who looks like and has had the same experiences of so many of our students who are currently at Rutgers and who aspire to come to Rutgers in the future. Martin will be a solid, smart, experienced, independent voice on the Rutgers Board of Governors... I'm proud to make this day a reality by giving our state university the benefit of Martin's leadership, his passion, his knowledge, as Rutgers enters a crucial period of expansion and opportunity with a new president and with new opportunities happening...

I want to thank all the people standing behind me, who have stood behind Martin, and there are rare moments in this job when you can actually right a wrong, when you can actually find your way around people who care more about politics than they care about doing the right thing. Martin and I don't agree on every subject. We've had a lot of spirited conversations over our relationship, both during my time as US Attorney and my time as Governor. But all through that time, regardless of those disagreements, we have both shared a mutual respect for each other, our abilities, and our passion for making public life in New Jersey better for everyone."