Waterfront Commission Sues New Jersey Over Christie's Attempt to Dissolve It

The new governor of New Jersey, Phil Murphy, is starting his tenure with a lawsuit. A bi-state commission formed to combat corruption at the ports of New York and New Jersey is fighting an attempt by legislators to disband it.

On his last full day in office Monday, Governor Chris Christie signed an order withdrawing the state from The Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor. The suit names Murphy, who was sworn in Tuesday. It says it's against federal law for one state to withdraw from a bi-state contract unilaterally.

The commission was established in the 1950's to oversee hiring and working conditions at the ports, and to battle the influence of organized crime.

It is funded by assessments on waterfront employers on the wages they pay to employees.

But critics say the commission is outdated and is slowing down business at one of the busiest ports in the nation. Legislators want New Jersey state troopers to oversee the seaport instead.

Assemblywoman Annette Quijano, a democrat who co-sponsored a bi-partisan bill to dissolve the commission, said it's keeping New Jersey beholden to New York. 

"We want a divorce," she told WNYC last December.

Quijano said legislators have reached out to governor Andrew Cuomo countless times in ordert to reach a deal that sets New Jersey free, but have never heard back.

"They're holding what I consider our most important economic engine hostage, and they haven't even had the courtesy of returning our phone calls and answering our letters," she said.

Cuomo's office did not return a request for comment.