WILSON TO CORZINE: “NOW, RELEASE THE EMAILS!”

Trenton, NJ: January 12 – New Jersey Republican State Chairman Tom Wilson issued the following statement regarding the Appellate Court decision in the case of Wilson versus Brown today:

“From the outset, Jon Corzine hasn’t been honest about his relationship with Carla Katz and today’s ruling makes it clear that Katz and Corzine did, in fact, talk about the contract negotiations despite Corzine’s claims that he didn’t. This matter comes down to the right of the people to decide for themselves whether or not the back channel communications between Katz and Corzine inappropriately influenced Corzine’s actions. This matter comes down to transparency in government, to accountability, and to integrity. Today's decision is an affront to open and honest government. It guts the Open Public Records Act and allows the Governor to conduct his business - the people's business - in total secrecy, free from scrutiny. It reverses the basic premise of OPRA, which is that transparency in government is the standard and exceptions are made only when government can provide a good reason why the public shouldn’t get to see how their business is conducted.

Governor Corzine has said that his appeal in this case was all about protecting executive privilege for himself and future Governors and was not an attempt to hide his back-channel communications with Carla Katz. If the Governor is to be believed, then today's decision frees him to release the emails between himself and Ms. Katz.

Today, I renew my offer of compromise to Governor Corzine giving him a way to uphold his often spoken commitment to transparency and honest government, while still protecting the executive privilege he claims to be to be fighting for. If the Governor agrees to turn over the documents which were ordered by Judge Innes to be produced, then I will forego an appeal of this matter. If Corzine refuses to disclose the emails and prove that this fight was about anything more than protecting his political interests, then I will appeal today's decision to the Supreme Court.”