In a Monday evening press conference, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie fumed about Atlantic City's mayor with regard to evacuation orders in relation to Hurricane Sandy in the resort. On Tuesday, Mayor Langford responded.
NJ Gov. Chris Christie speaking with Atlantic City Mayor Lorenzo Langford in July 2010
THURSDAY: Mayor Langford on CNN, accuses Gov. Christie of 'double standard,' watch video from CNN below:
TUESDAY UPDATE: Mayor Langford Responds to Christie's Remarks
ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY — New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has made waves in relation to his comments about Atlantic City Mayor Lorenzo Langford during a 5:30pm (EST) press conference related to the state of New Jersey and Hurricane Sandy.
Politico and dozens of other national media outlets have been posting stories (some with video) on the spat and Twitter has been all aflutter with tweets defending both sides, with some wondering why the governor would have a public spat with one of the state's mayors during a state of emergency and others wondering why Langford didn't heed the governor's orders.
Christie's comments were in relation to Sunday's mandatory evacuation orders, by 4pm, and several residents still sheltered in the city, some he said, in flooded dwellings.
“Despite my admonition to evacuate, he gave them comfort for some reason to stay,” Christie said.
Christie spoke for a while on the subject, adding that there are still “a large number of people” in Atlantic City, “and at this juncture there’s no other way for us to go in and get them. They’re going to have to ride out the storm there until at least 7 o’clock tomorrow morning.
He added: “I cannot in good conscience send rescuers in as the storm is about to hit in the next hour, nor can I send them in in the dark given all the various hazards that would occur potentially for them."
“So for those of you who are on the barrier islands who decided it was better idea to wait this out than to evacuate, and for those elected officials who decided to ignore my admonition, this is now your responsibility,” the governor also said.
“We will not be able to come and help you until daylight tomorrow.”
Politico writes that "Christie described Langford’s stance this way: 'He said he didn’t want his people leaving Atlantic City.'"
Langford told the Philadelphia Inquirer on Sunday: “We want our residents to take every precaution to get out to town if they can. If they can’t or won’t, then at least go to a shelter.”
“I don’t have a feud with the guy, but I wish he’d do his job,” Christie said at the news conference, in which Politico reports Christie called Langford a “rogue mayor.”
The Atlantic City mayor and Gov. Christie have been at odds over the past two years regarding several facets of the city, including Christie's imposed Tourism District within the resort town (see related stories at right).
TUESDAY UPDATE: Mayor Langford Resonds to Christie's Remarks
Watch the video below:
Tuesday's responses and national media coverage on Sandy and Atlantic City.
Past Spats (click on past AC Weekly headlines:
@ACWeekly
With only one month until the June 4 city-wide election, residents were anxious to express their concerns and see what Democratic candidates envision for the future of Atlantic City. The well-organized event was sponsored by the local N.A.A.C.P., the Venice Park Civic Association and the Westside Neighborhood Protection Association.
The recently publicized statistics telling us there are still upwards of 30 percent of the population on the East Coast who think that the Boardwalk was completely ruined and that most casinos are still not fully operational means we have a lot of work to do.
FEMA even hired local residents to help out with the pick-up. One day, I saw at least 15 young people following Department of Public Works trucks because regular employees could not keep up with the amount of flood-damaged goods.
Not heeding pending-storm evacuation orders is never a wise move, but it can afford a better appreciation for what workers are up against when making barrier islands safe for return.
"I could almost guarantee that the ones who wanted the mayors to let them return home would also be the ones to protest if they had been put in danger by returning too soon. "
"Since the national media showed so many images of a city underwater and a broken Boardwalk, we launched the 'Can DO AC' blog. It includes pictures of the city ready and open for business."
Obama: "I want to thank all the first responders who have been involved in this process -- the linesmen, the firefighters, the folks who were in here shuttling out people who were supposed to 'get the hell out' and didn’t."
Obama: "You had a 15-year-old young man whose mother was disabled, and he was making sure that she was okay, and taking on extraordinary responsibilities for himself but also for his mom."
The latest Sandy storm coverage for the Atlantic City, New Jersey area.
Gov. Chris Christie signed legislation today to create an Atlantic City Tourism District and announced a breakthrough in the Revel Casino project.
As detailed in the Jan. 5 Atlantic City Weekly, a state-mandated Master Plan that outlines Atlantic City’s proposed Tourism District was given a Feb. 1 deadline by Gov. Chris Christie, one year to the date he signed the legislation designed to make the resort town a safer and more attractive place to visit.
"There are those that don’t believe the Atlantic City fathers are capable of handling this business. And again, that speaks to a level of arrogance and it also speaks to an underlying air of racism — point blank, as I’ve pointed out."
One year to the date Gov. Chris Christie signed landmark legislation designed to revitalize Atlantic City and set the surrounding region on a new course for economic growth, the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) adopted the Atlantic City Tourism District Master Plan in a special meeting Wednesday, Feb. 1, at the A.C. Convention Center.
"[B]ills and legislation affecting Atlantic City and the creation of a 'Tourism District' have been fast tracked, and despite promises and assurances to the contrary...."
The mayor spoke about several city-created objectives, which could dovetail with the state plan for the city, as long as the two entities work with each other and communicate better moving forward.
The day after New Jersey Governor Chris Christie sent staffers to visit Atlantic City Mayor Langford, the mayor says he doesn't feel much different about the concerns he raised last week and that the ball is in the governor's court now.
As in previous years, the Metropolitan Business & Citizens Association (MBCA) Winter luncheon kickoff event at Resorts in Atlantic City featured a keynote address — an unofficial state of the city address — by Atlantic City Mayor Lorenzo Langford.
Article:
Danielle Gomes on Her New Book 'Hit Me!'
Article:
Forsythe Refuge to Host Grand Reopening of Wildlife Drive
Article:
Waterfront Sculpture Park Announced for Atlantic City
Article:
Annette Funicello Dies at 70
Article:
Thumbs Down: Roger Ebert Dies at Age 70
Article:
Forsythe Refuge Wildlife Drive to Reopen on Weekends
Article:
Spring Shopping Spree at Pier Shops at Caesars
Article:
Who Let the Dogs Out
1. Barbara said... on Oct 30, 2012 at 08:44AM
“Good for you Christie, love your no nonsense press conferences!”
2. Darrell said... on Oct 30, 2012 at 09:58AM
“Christie is full of it. Here is evidence to prove he's come down with a case of "Romnesia":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rYyynK4jHI”
3. Mac said... on Oct 30, 2012 at 01:15PM
“Just like New Orleans this mayor said evacuate "or go to a city shelter". Once you give people a message like that, many will say "we don't have to leave the city", and you end up with people in a city shelter without power or running water. Hopefully the people in Atlantic City were not as dumb as the people of New Orleans. Maybe the mayor did not intend to send mixed signals, but that is exactly what he did.”
4. Berat said... on Nov 1, 2012 at 04:30PM
“Chris Christie did the best due the hurricane Sandy.No matter if he's blue or red, this is the case when residents need locals, state and federals for any assistance.
Just he did the mistake that he said "Get the hell out there" instead "Get the fck out there".
Thumb up for all people who helped somehow.”