Gov. Chris Christie today expressed skepticism over the Supreme Court’s speedy decision to hear a case that would exempt the judiciary from pension and benefit reforms.
Christie pointed to Chief Justice Stuart Rabner’s decision to abstain from the decision in favor of Justice Virginia Long.
“For them to be without their leader on such an important decision is mystifying,” Christie said.
The court ruled today that it will grant certification to the suit filed by Judge Paul DePascale.
A lower court had ruled in the judge’s favor that the landmark overhaul of pensions and benefit contributions by public employees did not apply to the judges, and the Christie administration announced it would appeal.
Christie said he was surprised at the speed with which the court took up the case, and wondered whether it had anything to do with Long’s imminent retirement, scheduled for March 1.
“It seems as if they are trying to shoehorn this into a very truncated time period,” Christie said. “I hope it’s not that Justice Long, – who is now presiding over this case – if it’s not decided before March 1st cannot participate.”
