NY lawmaker blasts NJ governor on counterterror
Mar 21, 2012, 9:10 PM
Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) – New York Congressman Peter King says New Jersey’s governor should show more gratitude toward the New York City Police Department for its counterterrorism work.
King told Fox Business Network on Wednesday that Gov. Chris Christie is letting emotions get in the way of preventing attacks.
Christie has criticized the NYPD for doing surveillance of Muslim communities in New Jersey without notifying local police or the FBI.
“I think, in this case, Governor Christie was letting his personal feelings get in the way of protecting us against terrorism,” King told Fox host Don Imus. “He should be welcoming New York City and anyone else who wants to come in or out of his state, work with them and cooperate with them because terrorists go back and forth across city and state lines all the time.”
The head of the FBI in New Jersey has said those operations damaged the relationship between Muslim leaders and law enforcement. Civil rights groups also have urged the U.S. attorney general to take action against the NYPD.
Christie responded Wednesday by accusing King, a fellow Republican, of trying to attract publicity.
“Congressman King, he should really just keep quiet,” Christie told reporters. “He should worry about running for election. I think this is probably part of it because whenever he mentions my name he gets himself on TV.”
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg says the NYPD will operate anywhere in the United States if it believes it’s necessary to prevent terrorism.
Christie said he has no problem with that as long as local police are informed and briefed on the findings.
“If I ever sent New Jersey law enforcement over there and we didn’t share the information with the NYPD, can you imagine the screaming and yelling that would be going on from New York City about that?” Christie said.
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Associated Press Reporter Beth DeFalco contributed to this report from Trenton, N.J.
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