State Senator Anthony Bucco

CONVENE LEGISLATIVE SERVICES COMMISSION IMMEDIATELY
Decision To Challenge U.S. Attorneys Subpoenas Must Be Explained

Senator Anthony Bucco, (R-Morris), a member of the Legislative Services Commission, (LSC), issued the following statement calling on his colleagues on the LSC to immediately convene to obtain information surrounding the decision to challenge subpoenas delivered by United States Attorney Christopher Christie to the Office of Legislative Services.
Senator Anthony Bucco, (R-Morris), a member of the Legislative Services Commission, (LSC), issued the following statement calling on his colleagues on the LSC to immediately convene to obtain information surrounding the decision to challenge subpoenas delivered by United States Attorney Christopher Christie to the Office of Legislative Services.

It is incomprehensible that the non-partisan Office of Legislative Services, (OLS) would secretly hire outside counsel to fight subpoenas issued by United States Attorney Christie, especially after subpoenas delivered to the Senate and Department of the Treasury were promptly complied with.

It would be prudent for the Legislative Services Commission to immediately convene and that OLS managers make themselves available to the LSC to report to the Legislature and the people the rationale behind the decision to fight the Subpoenas from the U.S. Attorney. Specifically, the LSC should endeavor to find out who decided to hire outside counsel, who signed the contract with the outside counsel and if the outside counsel being paid the rate authorized by the State Attorney General and if not why the rate is different.

Additionally, who made the decision to ignore the subpoenas, what members of the Legislature were consulted with on the decision not to cooperate with the U.S. Attorney, how many other outside counsels have been hired in the last two years and why was the decision to ignore the U.S. Attorney’s subpoenas kept from the public.

OLS has a long and honorable history. I would hope that they live up to that history and reconsider this decision and fully cooperate with the U.S. Attorneys office in the fight against public corruption.