quid pro quo

Mayor: Christie Ransomed Sandy Aid

For her support on a business project.

Hoboken mayor Dawn Zimmer broke her silence on Saturday about what she claims amounts to New Jersey governor Chris Christie holding Hurricane Sandy relief funds hostage unless she cooperated with a redevelopment plan favored by the administration. In an interview with MSNBC, Zimmer said she had requested $127 million in relief funds for Hoboken, which was 80 percent underwater after Sandy. Instead, she got $142,000 for one back-up generator and $200,000 in recovery grants. ”The bottom line is, it’s not fair for the governor to hold Sandy funds hostage for the City of Hoboken because he wants me to give back to one private developer,” she said. She named Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno and community affairs commissioner Richard Constable as the officials who delivered messages on behalf of the governor. Both Constable and Christie, through spokespersons, denied Zimmer’s claims.