Changes

Prior to his election as governor, Christie's only elected experience was serving on the Morris County board of Freeholders from 1995-1998. His colleagues praised him as effective, such as requiring as policy that the freeholder board go out for three quotations even on no-bid contracts. They also noted that he was unusually ambitious, when he unsuccessfully ran for State Assembly just two months into his term.<ref>http://www.politickernj.com/max/26275/political-career-three-parts-chris-christie-freeholder</ref> During his tenure in office county taxes decreased by 6.6%.<ref>http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/05/gop_candidate_chris_christie_l.html</ref>

Prior to his election as governor, Christie's only elected experience was serving on the Morris County board of Freeholders from 1995-1998. His colleagues praised him as effective, such as requiring as policy that the freeholder board go out for three quotations even on no-bid contracts. They also noted that he was unusually ambitious, when he unsuccessfully ran for State Assembly just two months into his term.<ref>http://www.politickernj.com/max/26275/political-career-three-parts-chris-christie-freeholder</ref> During his tenure in office county taxes decreased by 6.6%.<ref>http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/05/gop_candidate_chris_christie_l.html</ref>

After serving as a top fundraiser for [[George W. Bush]]'s 2000 presidential campaign, the [[Bush administration]] appointed Christie as U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey and served from 2002-2008. He was also one of the 17 U.S. Attorneys on [[Attorney General]] [[Alberto Gonzales]]'s advisory commitee. Christie's most high profile prosecutions included State Senator and [[Newark]] Mayor Sharpe James for mail fraud, wire fraud, and conspiring to rig the sale of nine city lots to his mistress.<ref>[http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/04/newark_ex_mayor_sharpe_james_convicted.html] Mayor James convicted</ref> He also led the felony conviction of State Senator Wayne Brant of mail and wire fraud, and bribery for soliciting a job at the School of Osteopathic Medicine.<ref>http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/topstories/index.ssf/2008/11/exlawmaker_bryant_guilty_of_br.html</ref> As attorney, Christie won convictions or guilty pleas from over 130 public officials, without losing a single case.  

After serving as a top fundraiser for [[George W. Bush]]'s 2000 presidential campaign, the [[Bush administration]] appointed Christie as U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey and served from 2002-2008. He was also one of the 17 U.S. Attorneys on [[Attorney General]] [[Alberto Gonzales]]'s advisory committee. Christie's most high profile prosecutions included State Senator and [[Newark]] Mayor Sharpe James for mail fraud, wire fraud, and conspiring to rig the sale of nine city lots to his mistress.<ref>[http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/04/newark_ex_mayor_sharpe_james_convicted.html] Mayor James convicted</ref> He also led the felony conviction of State Senator Wayne Brant of mail and wire fraud, and bribery for soliciting a job at the School of Osteopathic Medicine.<ref>http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/topstories/index.ssf/2008/11/exlawmaker_bryant_guilty_of_br.html</ref> As attorney, Christie won convictions or guilty pleas from over 130 public officials, without losing a single case.  

Christie's service as a prosecutor had an influence in [[national security]], when he led the team that prosecuted Hemant Lakhani, who had the desire to broker the sale of shoulder-fired missiles to shoot down American passenger jets.<ref>http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-6229181-details/%27Del+Boy%27+trader+on+arms+charge/article.do;jsessionid=2F40D75F1AFD0FA79E8E876DCB944F88 {{dead link}}</ref> When leaving office in December 2008 he was praised by every major newspaper in New Jersey. The Philadelphia Inquirer editorialized "Christie has already done more good for New Jersey than some previous governors." The [[New York Times]] wrote that Christie "won widespread admiration for his aggressive fight against political corruption." <ref>http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=14677&ShowAllPoll=Y</ref>  

Christie's service as a prosecutor had an influence in [[national security]], when he led the team that prosecuted Hemant Lakhani, who had the desire to broker the sale of shoulder-fired missiles to shoot down American passenger jets.<ref>http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-6229181-details/%27Del+Boy%27+trader+on+arms+charge/article.do;jsessionid=2F40D75F1AFD0FA79E8E876DCB944F88 {{dead link}}</ref> When leaving office in December 2008 he was praised by every major newspaper in New Jersey. The Philadelphia Inquirer editorialized "Christie has already done more good for New Jersey than some previous governors." The [[New York Times]] wrote that Christie "won widespread admiration for his aggressive fight against political corruption." <ref>http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=14677&ShowAllPoll=Y</ref>  

In August 2011, Christie raised controversy by dismissing legitimate concerns voters and members of the New Jersey state legislature had raised concerning his appointment of Sohail Mohammed, a Muslim attorney with a history of defending Muslims after [[September 11, 2001 attacks|9/11]], as a judge on the state bench.  Christie used profanity in referring to concerns that Mohammed would institute [[Sharia law]] from his position as state judge, and called citizens concerned about the Islamization of America "crazies."<ref>http://nation.foxnews.com/chris-christie/2011/08/04/christie-defends-appointing-muslim-judge-sharia-law-business-crap</ref>

In August 2011, Christie raised controversy by dismissing legitimate concerns voters and members of the New Jersey state legislature had raised concerning his appointment of Sohail Mohammed, a Muslim attorney with a history of defending Muslims after [[September 11, 2001 attacks|9/11]], as a judge on the state bench.  Christie used profanity in referring to concerns that Mohammed would institute [[Sharia law]] from his position as state judge, and called citizens concerned about the Islamization of America "crazies."<ref>http://nation.foxnews.com/chris-christie/2011/08/04/christie-defends-appointing-muslim-judge-sharia-law-business-crap</ref>

Governor Christie has endorsed a plan to to merge part of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) with Rutgers University.  The plan would include UMDNJ’s New Brunswick-Piscataway campus — Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, the School of Public Health and the Cancer Institute of New Jersey. The change would help raise Rutgers’ profile and draw more research dollars to the state, according to the recommendations.<ref>[http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/09/umdnj-rutgers_partial_merger_r.html Gov. Christie strongly endorses partial merger of Rutgers and UMDNJ]</ref>  Rutgers, one of the few state universities without its own medical school, has been lobbying for a merger since another state task force headed by former New Jersey Gov. [[Thomas H. Kean]] first suggested the idea in January 2011.  The reorganization has an “aggressive” target date of July 1, 2012.  By adding a medical school, Rutgers’ rank among universities in spending on research and development would rise dramatically<ref>[http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/12/no_time_wasted_creating_rutger.html No time is being wasted creating Rutgers medical school]</ref>

Governor Christie has endorsed a plan to merge part of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) with Rutgers University.  The plan would include UMDNJ’s New Brunswick-Piscataway campus — Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, the School of Public Health and the Cancer Institute of New Jersey. The change would help raise Rutgers’ profile and draw more research dollars to the state, according to the recommendations.<ref>[http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/09/umdnj-rutgers_partial_merger_r.html Gov. Christie strongly endorses partial merger of Rutgers and UMDNJ]</ref>  Rutgers, one of the few state universities without its own medical school, has been lobbying for a merger since another state task force headed by former New Jersey Gov. [[Thomas H. Kean]] first suggested the idea in January 2011.  The reorganization has an “aggressive” target date of July 1, 2012.  By adding a medical school, Rutgers’ rank among universities in spending on research and development would rise dramatically<ref>[http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/12/no_time_wasted_creating_rutger.html No time is being wasted creating Rutgers medical school]</ref>

He has also failed in getting the New Jersey Grand Prix ready for 2013, it will now be held in 2014.

He has also failed in getting the New Jersey Grand Prix ready for 2013, it will now be held in 2014.