Christie Insists He's Staying In New Jersey, Announces Plans For State House Makeover
TRENTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- With rumors swirling that he is a contender for a position with the Trump administration, Gov. Chris Christie insists he is staying in New Jersey as he announces plans to completely renovate the State House.
Staff will be moved into other office space in Trenton by July as work gets underway on the four-year restoration project of the State House, Christie said Tuesday.
Parts of the building date to the 18th century, and Christie said the current condition of the State House is shameful. It hasn't had a major upgrade since 1958, and Christie said the part of the building used by the executive branch doesn't have fire sprinklers and there are a number of code violations.
"Attention needs to be paid to our State House immediately before the aging building and infrastructure deteriorate any further," said Christie. "I enter this building with a sense of pride each and every day and cannot leave office without addressing the serious issues that face the center of New Jersey government. This critical project will protect and preserve the State House for future New Jerseyans."
The New Jersey State House is the second oldest in continuous operation in the U.S.
The announcement was made Tuesday in the Statehouse Rotunda during an event that was initially billed as a news conference in which reporters could ask questions. But it was later billed on Christie's updated schedule as a "press announcement'' with no availability to question Christie.
Christie hasn't had an open question-and-answer session with reporters since before the Bridgegate trial, WCBS 880's Kelly Waldron reported. And the governor didn't take any questions Tuesday.
There has been speculation Christie could be tapped for a post in President-elect Donald Trump's administration, but Christie said Tuesday he has every intention of remaining in the Garden State.
"I have said, and for some reason people think I'm equivocal about this, and I'm not, I am completing my term," Christie said.
But if something happens and services are needed, he says he will consider any requests that are made.
"If I were announcing I was leaving to do anything else, I suspect I wouldn't be doing it here, and I wouldn't be doing it by myself, so everyone should just get logical about this and lower the hysteria," Christie said.
Christie was recently replaced as chief of Trump's White House transition team.
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