A brewing rivalry between the New Jersey and Maryland governors is gathering steam on the radio and television airwaves.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican, chided Maryland Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley on Fox Business Network Thursday for sparing public workers from radical cuts to their pensions.
Christie applauded his own approach to what he calls the “ticking time bomb” of growing pension deficits — which include cuts to employee benefits and a requirement that state workers pay more in contributions.
“Governor O’Malley calls that picking on public sector workers,” Christie said. “I call that telling the people who are paying the bills the truth and not kissing up to every special interest you want to have on your side to get electoral success.”
Christie distinguished his approach from “that pabulum Governor O’Malley was spewing down in Maryland.”
Christie’s remarks follow a public lashing O’Malley handed to the New Jersey governor during a WTOP radio interview last month.
O’Malley said Christie “delights in being abusive towards public employees” and “acting acting like all of the world’s problems are caused by the people that pick up our trash and work in public employee jobs.”
