NJ Assembly to Open Hearings Into Race to the Top Mistake

Hearings are set to begin tomorrow on why New Jersey failed to win hundreds of millions of dollars in federal education funds. An Assembly committee will question members of Gov. Chris Christie's administration about a clerical error that caused the state to lose the Race to the Top money -- and Education Commissioner Bret Shundler his job.

Assembly Majority Leader Joe Cryan says he's disappointed Christie, who's a Republican, won't allow some officials to testify before the Democrat-controlled committee.
        
"I don't understand the governor's logic behind not taking this hearing as an opportunity to prevent a problem for the future," Cryan says. "Frankly, I think the lack of people showing up is going to raise more questions and probably continue this debate further."

Cryan says the hearings are about the lost money -- $400 million of it -- not party affiliation.