Newly-Rebellious Kyrillos takes on the Port Authority

Joe Kyrillos at 2012 RNC in Tampa, Florida

By Matt Rooney | The Save Jersey Blog

It’s no secret that Governor Christie’s relationship with Republican legislators isn’t what it used to be, Save Jerseyans. So much so, that I’m told there was recently a meeting between the Governor and some of them where it was communicated, in no uncertain terms, that they’re either with him… or against him.

One guy the Governor is worried about: his old friend, Joe K.

Senator Joe Kyrillos (R-Monmouth), who served as Christie’s ’09 campaign and was introduced to his wife by Christie, has rebelled lately in very visible fashion, most notably by venturing over the Hudson River to dine with Christie primary rival Jeb Bush in Manhattan. I’ve heard 15 different version of why/how the relationship soured, most of which begins with disagreements over Kyrillos’s ill-fated 2012 U.S. Senate campaign against incumbent Bob Menendez (D-Ecuador/Dominican Republic). After awhile, folks, who remembers? That’s always the way with this stuff. 

In any event, here’s another angle to keep a close eye on: a new 250-acre Monmouth County park. 

Huh?

HAPPIER TIMES: Christie (center) with former BFF Joe Kyrillos (left)
HAPPIER TIMES: Christie (center) with former BFF Joe Kyrillos (left)

Long story short, the NY/NJ Port Authority allegedly reneged on a promise to help fund the park project (I say allegedly, btw, because the Port Authority denied such an agreement existed); Monmouth County consequently had to dip into its own pocket to include 87.88 acres of open space in Aberdeen Township to the 250-acre park situated in Aberdeen and Marlboro townships. The total cost of the purchase? $10.6-million, now coming exclusively out of Monmouth’s open space coffers.

Kyrillos pounced on Thursday. “The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, on the other hand, has once again demonstrated government at its worst and proved to be an untrustworthy public entity by reneging on its years-long obligation to fund about half of this project,” the veteran senator said in a statement. “The Port Authority further lost the public’s trust by failing to hold up their end in a compromise with the freeholders that would have allowed the agency to reduce its cost share by $2 million to fulfill its obligation. Thank goodness for the leadership of Monmouth’s freeholders along with the Baykeeper.”

Tough words from a guy who is better known for his backroom mechanical abilities than partisan fire-breathing! You can tell he’s legitimately pissed.

Okay… so with all of that in mind, what makes this latest Port Authority flash point extra-interesting? On March 16th, Democrats will conduct a scheduled override vote of Governor Christie’s veto of S-2181, the Port Authority reform “transparency” legislation, and they’re working hard to pick off Republican legislators. Among the widely-rumored possibilities? Joe Kyrillos, along with two other familiar Monmouth Republicans. Democrats require only a handful of GOP defections.

Is it likely to happen? Maybe. But then again, if you had told me in 2012 that Joe Kyrillos would be breaking bread with presidential contenders who weren’t named Christie, I’d have called you crazy…

Matt Rooney
About Matt Rooney 8390 Articles
MATT ROONEY is SaveJersey.com's founder and editor-in-chief, a practicing New Jersey attorney, and the host of 'The Matt Rooney Show' on 1210 WPHT every Sunday evening from 7-10PM EST.

2 Comments

  1. If Joe Kyrillos is truly “rebellious,” he will call out the governor on raising NJ Transit rates and criticizing the appointment of Christie friend, Micheal Drewniak, to a 6-figure position. A position that never existed before; a position that was not even posted.

    Looks like Drewniak is the new “Wildstein.”

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  1. Port Authority “reform” bill override fails | The Save Jersey Blog
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