ASBURY PARK PRESS

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IM BACK
TO WORK
Christie says he has
continued to serve
New Jersey public

Refuses calls from

state newspapers,
lawmakers to resign

FRIDAY 03.04.16

EDITORIAL: Christies
claim of nonsupport
an absolute lie. 10A

I know who I
wanted to be
president of the
United States
you're looking
at him! It didn't
work out.

All travelers
will share in
the pain of
a rail strike
Contingency plans include increased
bus service, cross-honored ticketing
MIKE DAVIS @BYMIKEDAVIS

THOMAS P. COSTELLO/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie holds a nearly two-hour news conference in his Statehouse office in Trenton on Thursday.

SECAUCUS - Ten days before a potential strike by

its railroad workers, NJ Transit and state Department
of Transportation officials announced contingency
plans in the event of a systemwide shutdown.
NJ Transit will offer enhanced bus service including new service from large park-and-ride locations
and cross-honor fares with the PATH and Hudson River ferries.
This will not be a normal commute by any means,
NJ Transit interim executive director Dennis Martin
said at a news conference. Bus and light rail cannot
duplicate our rail service. We need the general public
to know this and plan accordingly.
At best, the NJ Transit contingency plan can only account for about 40,000 New York commuters. That
means about 10,000 extra cars on the road during peak
periods, resulting in massive backups on bridges and
tunnels.
This will not be a normal commute. All travelers
will share in the pain, Martin said.

Wheels on the bus...

Wide-ranging address
looks forward, back

Shore residents split

on governors future

RUSS ZIMMER @RUSSZIMMER

AND BOB JORDAN @BOBJORDANAPP

KAREN YI @KAREN_YI

TRENTON - Gov. Chris Christie says hes not going anywhere.

Especially not rejoining Donald Trump on the
campaign trail at least not anytime soon.
I am here. I am back to work, Christie told reporters Thursday, pushing back against calls for him
to resign, insisting he is doing the business of the
people of New Jersey and asserting that he is a supporter, but no full-time surrogate, of Trumps bid for
the presidency.
He also lashed out at the Gannett-owned Asbury
Park Press and its five sister newspapers as well
as The Star-Ledger for editorials saying Christie
should quit because hes doing a poor job, spending
too much time outside New Jersey, and putting his
narrow political interests ahead of New Jerseys.
Ive been out of the presidential race for 22 days
and Ive been here for 19 days, and Ive been working, Christie said during a nearly two-hour news

RED BANK - Self-interested, opportunistic, an

embarrassment to the state that is what some
people called Gov. Chris Christies endorsement of
Donald Trump for president.
That somehow felt like a betrayal, said John
Heide, an independent from Riverside.
For others, it was no surprise just politics.
This is what people do in the election cycle,
said John Lock of Little Silver.
Christies endorsement of Trump and his subsequent out-of-state campaigning for the GOP frontrunner has fueled calls for Christie to resign. Its
also unleashed critiques of his commitment to the
Garden State.
If youre going to be a governor here, youre
obliged to the people of the state, said James Walker, a Democrat in Keansburg. His constituents are
noticing his absence.
But word along the coffee shops and businesses
of Red Bank was far from unified. A few echoed

See CHRISTIE, Page 9A

See REACTION, Page 9A

25%

MORE INSIDE

Petitions demanding a recall

election have to be signed by
25% of the states registered
voters. There are 5,451,816
registered voters, so 1,362,954 valid signatures are required.

Star-Ledger joins Asbury Park Press in calling for Christie

resignation. STORY, 9A
Ocean County GOP poised to mull Christies Trump
endorsement. STORY, 9A
Recall of Chris Christie from office a longshot. STORY, 9A

Follow us at APP.com for the latest news, and like us on Facebook

at facebook.com/asburyparkpress and talk about the hottest topics.

If a shutdown occurs, NJ Transit will operate five

park-and-ride locations throughout the state, with a toSee TRANSIT, Page 12A

ASBURY PARK PRESS FILE PHOTO

New Jersey-bound commuters board an NJ Transit bus at the

Port Authority Bus Terminal in midtown Manhattan last year.

Business

Shore tourism
up 5 percent
Boosted by sunny skies and an improving economy, the tourism
industry generated nearly $7 billion in Monmouth and Ocean
counties last year. STORY, 6A

Gov. Christie responded to the Asbury Park Press editorial calling for his resignation saying the paper had
never supported him. The Press editorial board endorsed him during both of his gubernatorial campaigns.

Soccer star Brandi Chastain

says she will donate her
brain to CTE research. 1B

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VOLUME 137
NUMBER 55
SINCE 1879