Christie Compares Democratic Senators To “Pigs In A Trough”

More name calling for Governor Chris Christie?

Three Democratic Senators from Bergen County recently said they would not support the governor's plan higher-education reorganization plan that includes the merger of Rutgers-Camden and Rowan unless the state borrowed more than $2 billion for capital improvements to all state colleges and universities.

Christie responds, "I would say to them...if they are going to play a game of trying to hold up the modernization of the state's higher education system to feed like pigs at the trough, they should think twice about it."

In a published report in the The Record of Bergen County, Senators Paul Sarlo, Loretta Weinberg and Robert Gordon likened Christie's comment to more name-calling and a typical response.

Christie's comment could backfire, though.

Earlier this week the non-partisan Office of Legislative Services issued an opinion that Christie must seek legislative approval to move forward with his merger plan.

"I am not opposed to legislation, but I would rather do it by executive order if I could. Those are just the details now. The biggest thing is that we get everyone on board with this idea. I've been talking with the Senate President and Assembly Speaker about this plan and there have been meetings across the state discussing how this will work, so it will get done."

Christie said he does believe he would have support of the legislature should he need to use that option to get the merger passed.