Christie Acts to Replace a Supreme Court Justice

Christie for President?

Once again showing that he means to shake up Trenton, Gov. Christopher J. Christie declined on Monday to reappoint a sitting justice to the New Jersey Supreme Court, instead appointing someone who he said would show the restraint that was missing from the court. ...

Speaking to reporters in Trenton, Mr. Christie had only kind words for Justice Wallace, but he described the historically liberal court as “out of control” over the last three decades, usurping the roles of the governor and the Legislature in setting social and tax policies.

Mr. Christie, a Republican, campaigned last year as a conservative bent on changing the state’s back-scratching, free-spending political culture, and as governor he has not shied away from fights. In particular, he has proposed deep budget cuts, clashed with the teachers’ union and with much success encouraged voters to reject local school budgets and the related property tax increases.