Governor Christie: If You Give It, You Are Getting It Right Back

Statement

Governor Christie: Fourth rule is that there are, let's see, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen cameras here today, not counting iPhones and all the other type of individual devices--oh, I'm sorry. I forgot about you, you're on your knees here. They've, got fifteen, fifteen video cameras here today, not counting everybody's phones and the individual things that all of you are holding up here to record what's going on. What that does sometimes to people is it makes them think this is my moment. This is the moment when I can show off to my family and friends back at home. I am going to be a TV star, and the way to become a TV star, one of the most sure ways to become a TV star, is to decide that today is the day that I'm going to take the Governor of New Jersey out for a walk. Those of us from New Jersey know exactly what that means. Today is the day you want to show off a little bit and yell and scream at the Governor of New Jersey. That's OK. I understand that. Everybody's got their right to do what it is that they want to do. But we're all from New Jersey. And you know that what that means is if you give it you're getting it back, OK? So fair warning, fair warning.

Now let me say one other thing that is a new and recent phenomenon in the Christie town hall meetings. This new and recent phenomenon is brought to you by the Communication Workers of America. The state workers union has decided that one of their goals and missions in life is to recruit people to come here to the town hall meeting, and when you begin to ask questions they will stand up and start to scream and yell over you and over me. They are recruited by the people who we -- we, collectively, have been standing up against for the last 4 ½ years, the folks who want more and higher taxes from you so they can get bigger raises, and more benefits, and bigger pensions. And for 4 ½ years we have worked to make sure that the taxpayers are protected in this state first and foremost, that taxes are already too high in this state and we're not going to raise more taxes or force mayors to raise more taxes just to give more and more benefits to people like the Communications Workers of America. They have spent tens of millions of dollars over the last 4 ½ years trying to defeat me at the polls in 2009, tried to defeat me again at the polls in 2013, and they are 0 for 2. This has led to enormous frustration on their part, that they still have to deal with us, that we are finally standing together to say hey, we want everybody to get a fair deal. I want everybody to have a fair salary, but I am not going to continue to raise taxes on people to do it.

So, having failed at the polls against us in 2009, having failed at the polls against us in 2013, their latest gambit is to recruit people to come here and stand up and start yelling and screaming when you start to ask your question. Do me a favor. When they start to do it, they will be removed. Wait, be patient till they're removed, and then ask your question so I can answer it for you and for the benefit of all the other people here who aren't a part of the special interests who have polluted Trenton for all these years and who we have stood up against for the last 4 ½ years. So those are the rules. It's really four rules and now an addendum, an addendum which has been required by the fact that they have decided to be disruptive forces at town hall meetings rather than wait their turn and wait to be called on, so they can do what I said you can do in Rule Four, which is if I call on you and you want to yell at me, stand up and yell at me, and then I'll give it right back to you.

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