State Supreme Court Nominees to be Named Soon, Says Chris Christie

The Senate Judiciary Committee rejected Governor Chris Christie's last two choices to fill spots on the State Supreme Court. Prosecutor Phil Kwon and Chatham Mayor Bruce Harris both fell shy of the votes needed to force a vote in the full Upper House. Christie says he’ll soon name his next two nominees.

“I’ll be naming two and I’ve pretty much made up my mind, but some other issues have gotten in the way,” said Christie this morning referring to super-storm Sandy. “I expect that I’ll be doing it very soon, but I will tell you that I’ve made up my mind and I made up my mind before the storm hit, but then the storm hit.”

The Governor says he has talked with State Senate President Steve Sweeney about the nominees, but neither he nor Sweeney will say if a deal has been struck to move on the nominations. A majority of the Senate must confirm the Governor's nominees.

Christie says, “We’ve been having regular conversations for seven or eight weeks. He (Sweeney) and I have been talking regularly so they’ll be no surprises.”