Carl Golden was press secretary to Gov. Tom Kean, then to Gov. Christie Whitman, then to the late Chief Justice Robert Wilentz. He was always a Willie Nelson fan, who sometimes wore cowboy boots in the State House. He was always a sharp observer of the scene. These days he writes columns about it in his home in Burlington Township where he sat down with NJTV News Chief Political Correspondent Micheal Aron to discuss the upcoming new year and what the state could see happen in politics.
Heading into 2015, Golden said that there will be important political occurrences at the start of the new year.
“Well there’s a number of really important things going on in a very compressed time frame,” said Golden. “One of the most overwhelming, obviously, was waiting for U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman to announce whatever his findings are in the Bridgegate, so-called Bridgegate, investigation. But besides that if you look at the number of things that are going on, the new Legislature convenes in a week or two. The governor is delivering his State of the State message, about six weeks later he will deliver the budget message. The Transportation Trust Fund is up for renewal, replenishment and all of the gasoline tax increase implications that that involves. The entire Assembly is up for election in November. The governor has said repeatedly that he is going to announce what his plans are to seek national office if he decides to do that some time in the spring.”
Golden also said that the fate of Atlantic City is still hanging in the balance, as well as the question of the $2 billion shortfall in the public pension system.
According to Golden, the outcome of the U.S. Attorney’s investigation on the George Washington Bridge lane closures could impact Gov. Chris Christie, depending on his findings. He said that if indictments were brought against people in the lower level staff, it would validate the governor’s comments that the lane closures were done by rogue staffers. Golden said that outcome could end up being a short-term embarrassment for Christie. If indictments are made against staff members closer to Christie, then Golden said that it would be much more serious.
“If they reach that high, that’s going to be a serious problem for him,” Golden said. “And the difference is, the legislative committee really didn’t have much at its disposal in the way of trying to force testimony. The best they could do would be hold someone in contempt which is pretty meaningless. In contempt of a legislative committee is pretty meaningless. Paul Fishman on the other hand has a great deal of leverage. You know John Wisniewski could hold you in contempt. Paul Fishman could put you in jail. That’s a lot of leverage.”
On whether he thinks Christie will run for president, Golden says that he takes Christie at his word that he hasn’t decided on what he wants.
“If he decides to run he is going to spend the year away from his family and from all I’ve seen, he’s a very strong family man. And that’s got to be one of his major considerations. I think right now its probably 50/50,” he said.
On the Transportation Trust Fund, Golden said that he could see Christie signing a gas tax increase only if it is part of a much larger package.
“I think that the Democrat leadership in the Legislature would be making a very serious mistake if all they sent him was an increase in the gasoline tax and nothing else,” Golden said. “Then he’d be able to veto it and would veto it. The veto will be sustained I suspect. And blame Democrats in the Legislature for killing the Transportation Trust Fund for crass political reasons. So it would be a mistake for them to do that.”
In 2015, the list pf possible 2017 gubernatorial candidates will begin to take form. Golden said that it is early to determine who the frontrunner is at the moment but there are some possible candidates. According to Golden, Senate President Steve Sweeney is a potential candidate because he has taken a pretty extensive statewide tour. He also said that Sweeney has taken on the issue of the Transportation Trust Fund.
Other possible candidates, according to Golden, are Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop and Phil Murphy, the former ambassador to Germany. Golden also acknowledged Assemblyman Wisniewski as another possible candidate, for the way he has handled the GWB investigation hearings.
Golden says the possible gubernatorial candidates depend on Christie’s decision on whether or not to make a presidential run.