By L.A. PARKER
laparker@trentonian.com
Gov. Chris Christie reminds me a lot of my father.
No nonsense, Straight shooter. Bully.
Willie Lee Parker had a strong-arm approach to life as leader of his Winslow family household: “Do as I say, not as I do.”
So, it’s not surprising to see Gov. Christie doublecross on this dustup regarding delay in disbursing $32 million in donations to victims of Hurricane Sandy from a charity run by his wife.
First, this is the governor’s wife. I like the fact that he defends and supports his family. More husbands should follow Mr. Christie’s lead on being there when family members need rescue from a print journalist’s enlightening report.

I get the governor’s spin, but it’s difficult to understand how not one penny of $32 million had not been awarded to the hundreds of thousands affected by this superstorm. It’s been four months but Mary “Standing Pat” Christie holds onto every dime collected from her Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund.
Charity funds will serve as financial fillers between repair bills and insurance payouts.
Mrs. Christie explained that the delay in distribution of funds stemmed from her “methodical” toward ensurance that monies found the hands of reputable nonprofit groups.
“I have taken excruciating steps to make sure that we give the money out in a really judicious way,” Mary Pat Christie told the Asbury Park Press.
But two months ago, Gov. Christie blasted Congress after lawmakers failed to pass legislation for Hurricane Sandy relief.
Remember, Christie smacked Congress with “disgraceful” and “disgusting” tags after 60 days passed before a $60.4 billion bill passed for Sandy relief victims in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and other Eastern seaboard states.
Some lawmakers alleged that the bill contained some significant pork barrel initiatives.
“There’s only one group to blame for the continued suffering of these innocent victims: The House majority and their speaker John Boehner,” Christie alleged.
The funding got done and Christie took a small step back from his original accusations.
More than 120 days have passed since Mary Pat Christie gained charge of her charity.
“I’m really proud of the job she’s done and the professionalism she’s brought to the job,” Christie said Monday. “The fact that they’re being careful with people’s money is something that’s laudible.”
True. But those dollars delivered via federal coffers are also the “people’s money.”
Mr. Christie attempts to have life both ways here, especially with his allegation that his wife’s charity was never meant to provide immediate relief.
We move toward a Clintonian reference with a question regarding what the defintion of “immediate” is?
Nothing like semantics to erase egg from a spouse’s face.
This failure to launch funding will be remedied this week when Mary Pat Christie releases $1 million in grants. Reports said she will distribute $5 million over the next several weeks.
Finally, Ms. Christie kicks out dollars like a malfunctining Atlantic City casino slot machine.
Better later than never.
A lot sooner would have been better.
— L.A. Parker is a Trentonian columnist. Reach him at laparker@Trentonian.com