Audio: Christie agreed to help Oliver remain as Speaker for help passing employee benefits overhaul
TRENTON — Leaked audio from Governor Christie's closed-door speech to conservative donors in Colorado gives new details on the heated final days in the battle to cut public employee benefits.
In particular, Christie said Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-Essex) personally asked him for Republican support to stay in power if dissident Democrats tried to oust her to stop the cuts. Then Christie delivered, asking surprised members of his own party to cross the aisle and back Oliver if there was a coup attempt.
A coup never materialized, and public employee benefits were cut in June, one of the signature accomplishments of Christie's administration so far. But the episode raised questions about whether Oliver will have enough support to stay on as speaker after her two-year term ends in January.
A transcript of the audio was posted online by a reporter from the magazine Mother Jones.The recording was made during an event hosted by the Koch brothers, two wealthy conservatives, on June 26, three days after the Assembly approved