Lawmaker Calls for Investigation of AG Christie

New York, NY —

A New Jersey lawmaker wants a Congressional investigation into US Attorney Chris Christie's awarding of a multi-million dollar contract to his former boss, John Ashcroft. WNYC's Bob Hennelly has more.

REPORTER: Under the terms of the deal, announced in September, Ashcroft's firm could net as much as $52 million to oversee a medical device manufacturer. Christie had criminally charged the company with paying physicians under the table to buy their products. New Jersey Congressman Bill Pascrell says Christie's selection of his ex-boss raises ethical issues.

CHRISTIE: Here is a person who was the Attorney General of the United States of America. He is being called by a former employee to help monitor the situation. If people do not see the possibilities in that kind of situation, we have really gone off track.

REPORTER: The Department of Justice has increasingly turned to what is called deferred prosecution agreements. Companies forgo a criminal conviction in exchange for substantial fines and internal reforms. A spokesperson for the US Attorney Chris Christie declined comment. For WNYC, I'm Bob Hennelly.