Gov. Christie Says Front Office Shuffle Is No Big deal [AUDIO]

His Chief of Staff is resigning effective January 31, 2010 and six other senior staff members are moving within his administration, but Governor Chris Christie says it is a not a major shake-up because the names and faces of those staying on are pretty much the same. Deputy Chief Counsel Kevin O’Dowd to Chief of Staff, will replace departing Chief of Staff Rich Bagger, who is returning to the biopharmaceutical sector as Senior Vice President for Corporate Affairs and Strategic Market Access for Celgene Corporation. Charlie McKenna, currently director of Homeland Security and Preparedness and a former top advisor to the Governor at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, will become Governor Christie’s Chief Counsel taking over for Jeff Chiesa. Christie recently nominated Chiesa to be State Attorney General.

Deborah Gramiccioni, currently head of the Governor’s Authorities Unit, will become Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, replacing Wayne Hasenbalg, who has accepted the post of President and CEO of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority. In the Governor’s Counsel Office, Paul Matey, currently the Governor’s Senior Counsel, will fill the role of Deputy Chief Counsel; while Regina Egea, currently Chief of Staff to Treasurer’s Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff, will take over as head of the Authorities Unit.

“I think I see this as a continuation of the first two years,” says Christie. “So many of the players are the same or similar…..I think if you look historically at Governor’s offices, the fact that we’ve kept our entire staff together for two years in the first two years of the administration is pretty extraordinary. It does not happen most of the time. Most of the time, you see Chiefs of Staff running out of here like their clothes are on fire after about a year. You didn’t see that here. I think that there’s been a great deal of continuity and if you look at the players who are staying it’s not as if we’re picking everybody up with a forklift and dumping them out on State Street (in Trenton).”

All of the changes go into effect on January 31, upon Mr. Bagger’s departure from the administration.

“I am extremely proud of all we accomplished in two years with my cabinet and senior staff, led by Rich Bagger and Jeff Chiesa,” says Christie. “Every one of my senior staff gave something up to join me and devote themselves to the single-minded cause of starting New Jersey’s comeback in terms of fiscal responsibility, smaller and smarter government and business retention, expansion and job growth. I thank them, those who are leaving and those who are staying in the same or new roles, and commend them for their service to this noble cause on behalf of our state and its citizens and taxpayers.