By Jarrett Renshaw/The Star-Ledger
TRENTON — State Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-Essex) called on Gov. Chris Christie today to provide lawmakers with documents showing how the administration determined what projects should share $1.3 billion in public funds for upgrading the state’s colleges and universities.
Oliver and Assemblyman Patrick Diegnan (D-Middlesex) introduced legislation today blocking the awards in case the administration does not comply with the request for more information, according to a letter Oliver sent today to Christie.
The request comes after Oliver and the New Jersey American Civil Liberties Union have expressed concerns about more than $11 million the Christie administration wants to give to an influential Lakewood yeshiva and the Princeton Theological Seminary —both of which provide religious training for students.”
In a letter to Christie today, Oliver said the administration had been less than forthright about its selection process, refusing to tell lawmakers what criteria it used to select the projects. Earlier this month, Higher Education Secretary Rochelle Hendricks refused to answer questions about the selection process, telling the Senate Budget Committee that she was advised by attorneys not discuss the issue.
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