Christie warns apathy breeds public corruption Urges voters to hold officials accountable in Middletown speech BY KAREN E. BOWES Staff Writer PHOTOS BY SCOTT PILLING staff U.S. Attorney Chris Christie talks about the ongoing problem of political corruption in New Jersey, at Middletown High School North on April 26. MIDDLETOWN - If a politician says he can stop government corruption by making a new law, don't believe him. So said U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie during an appearance Thursday at Middletown High School North's auditorium. It was Christie's first public appearance in the township since his office charged former Middletown Committeeman Raymond O'Grady and a number of other officials in the Bayshore and Monmouth County areas in a 2005 sting called Operation Bid Rig. According to Christie, unethical politicians and violent street gangs are similar because they both feed on the fears and apathy of the public. It's a human condition that cannot and will not be eradicated simply by introducing new laws. If real reform is ever to come to New Jersey, Christie said, the public must demand justice. "For 170 years in our country, there's been a law against bribery on the books in federal criminal statutes," Christie told the crowd, made up largely of politicians. "Yet, however, 65 percent of my cases involve public officials taking bribes. Do you think there is anybody left in the state of New Jersey who does not know that it is illegal to take an envelope of cash in return for official action? Is there anybody left who doesn't know that?" Christie received a standing ovation before speaking a word at last week's town meeting. Christie, the man behind Operation Bid Rig and other corruption roundups, said he has convicted over 100 elected and appointed officials in the last five years. Besides rooting out dirty politicians, Christie's office spends much of its time investigating violent street gangs and their growing presence in New Jersey. It's a problem he likens to organized crime. But unlike the old Mafia, Christie said, the street gangs of today do not play by any rules; they will kill anyone for anything at any time. It's an obstacle that may take a decade to overcome, Christie said. "It's going to take at least that long," he said. "But if you think about the long fight we had against the Mafia, which we now have under fairly good control here in New Jersey, we can do it if we work together." It will be a battle that affects the suburbs as well as Newark, Trenton and Camden. "Because as [famed bank robber John] Dillinger said, criminals go where the money is," Christie said. "If they can no longer entice our children to come to the cities to buy their drugs, they will come to us, and bring with them their guns and their violence and their death and their destruction." According to Christie, violent gangsters and crooked politicians are not such different animals. "Minus the violence," he said, both are major contributors to the decline of effective democracy. "It is an attack on the entire way we govern this country," Christie said. "The idea is that we the people can come together and self-govern, and we can hand over our power to a group of people that we elect and allow them to make laws that our society must live by to have a civilized society. That entire concept is under threat by what's going on in New Jersey today." The problem is apathy, Christie said. The public has lost faith in the democratic process. "We are giving away the gift of democracy," Christie said. "We are falling prey to the song of cynicism. You know it's true. Cynicism could be the state song of New Jersey. And you know how the lyrics go to the song of cynicism. The problem's too big. I can't fix it. It's not my problem. It's somebody else's problem. They're all crooked. It doesn't matter who we vote for. They're all the same. Politics is dirty. Government is corrupt. We can't fix it. Those are the lyrics of cynicism. We can no longer afford the luxury of singing that song." Christie admitted he was probably preaching to the choir. But he had his reasons, he said. "I preach to the choir so you'll sing," he said, quoting a Christian minister he once heard. He encouraged the crowd to get more involved in local politics, not necessarily by running for public office, but by attending town council meetings. "So few people do," he said. By simply showing up at a township committee or freeholder meeting, where hardly anybody goes, the public can gain valuable insight into their leaders. "If they run for office and they make you promises and they don't keep them and they don't have a darn good excuse - Kick. Them. Out," Christie said. "Republicans or Democrats - Kick. Them. Out. Believe me, there's nothing that a politician understands like losing." State Sen. Joseph Kyrillos, Assemblyman Sam Thompson and Assemblywoman Amy Handlin, all Republicans from District 13, hosted the event and were in attendance.