Before Bridgegate and Hoboken, there’s the scandal Christie ducks

By Mark Lagerkvist | New Jersey Watchdog

Before the Bridgegate and Hoboken scandals, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s administration has been trying to duck a pension probe that implicates Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno.

Christie and Guadagno were inaugurated for a second term Tuesday.

In its ongoing investigation that began in October 2010 – now dubbed “Doublegate” – New Jersey Watchdog has reported:

• As a county sheriff, Guadagno made false and contradictory statements that enabled her top aide to collect retirement checks in addition to public salary. The subterfuge cost a state pension fund $245,000.
• A state pension board asked authorities in May 2011 to begin a criminal investigation.
• Christie failed to appoint a special prosecutor to conduct the probe. Instead, a conflict-riddled investigation fell to the attorney general’s Division of Criminal Justice, where Guadagno had previously served as deputy director.

Thirty-two months later, the results of the probe remain a state secret. The Christie entourage has stonewalled inquiries, even refusing to acknowledge whether the investigation is ongoing or completed.

A New Jersey Watchdog reporter is suing DCJ for records in Mercer County Superior Court. State lawyers are arguing to keep all information about the probe confidential indefinitely.

For the complete story, here is a list with links to all 20 New Jersey Watchdog reports on Doublegate:

LT. GOV. GUADAGNO & THE $170,000 STATE PENSION FUND SCAM

NJ TREASURY BOTCHES MONMOUTH PROBE; STATE IGNORES $245K PENSION SCAM IMPLICATING LT. GOV. GUADAGNO

GUADAGNO-GATE: HOW NJ’S LT. GOVERNOR IS GETTING AWAY WITH $245,000 STATE PENSION SCAM

LT. GOV. GUADAGNO ON HOT SEAT AS STATE INVESTIGATES SHERIFFS’ MILLION-DOLLAR DOUBLE-DIPPING SCAMS

THE SECRET RECORDS BEHIND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR KIM GUADAGNO’S $245,000 STATE PENSION SCANDAL

CONFLICTS & CONTROVERSY PLAGUE YEAR-OLD CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION OF LT. GOV. GUADAGNO & $245K PENSION SCAM Note: This story was republished by NBCNEWS.com at http://investigations.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/05/14/11690662-gov-christies-pension-issue-nj-probe-looks-at-running-mate-double-dipping?lite

COUNTY COP’S CONNECTION TO CHRISTIE COMPROMISES STATE’S PROBE OF $245K PENSION SCHEME

NJ RECORDS COUNCIL ORDERS STATE TREASURY TO TURN OVER DOCUMENTS ON LT. GOV. GUADAGNO’S $245K PENSION SCHEME

NJ RECORDS COUNCIL REJECTS TREASURY’S BID TO AVOID REVIEW OF RECORDS ON LT. GOV. KIM GUADAGNO’S $245K PENSION SCHEME

COURT REJECTS STATE’S BID TO BURY RECORDS OF PENSION PROBE

TOO HOT TO HANDLE? NJ RECORDS COUNCIL QUITS GUADAGNO CASE

WHAT GOV. CHRISTIE WON’T TELL YOU IN ‘STATE OF STATE’ SPEECH

NJ RECORDS COUNCIL HELPS CHRISTIE AVOID ELECTION YEAR SCANDAL

GOV. CHRISTIE’S FRAUD SQUAD COULD START WITH GUADAGNO CASE

CHRISTIE KEEPS PENSION PROBE RECORDS FROM PUBLIC VIEW AS GOVERNOR EYES SECOND TERM & 2016 RACE FOR WHITE HOUSE

RECORDS OF PENSION PROBE ARE SO SECRET NEW JERSEY SEEKS TO ARGUE THE SECRECY IN SECRET

GUADAGNO PENSION PROBE: DOES THE PUBLIC HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW? OR WILL NJ AUTHORITIES KEEP LT. GOV’S SECRETS FOREVER?

LT. GOV. GUADAGNO BREAKS SILENCE ON DOUBLE-DIPPING SCHEME

COURT ORDERS STATE TO REVEAL PENSION PROBE SECRETS

‘DOUBLEGATE’ POSES CHALLENGE TO CHRISTIE IN WAKE OF SCANDAL

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