Senate Republicans Kip Bateman and Mike Doherty released the following statements on a State Superior Court judge’s ruling against their lawsuit to halt Governor Christie’s multi-million dollar Statehouse renovations.

Sens. Kip Bateman and Mike Doherty are speaking out following State Superior Court Judge Jacobson’s June 14, 2017 ruling against their lawsuit to stop Gov. Christie’s multi-million dollar Statehouse renovations. (Wikimedia Commons)

“I am very disappointed in the judge’s decision. New Jersey taxpayers deserve better,” Senator Bateman (R-16) said. “The Christie administration was clearly intent on denying the public the opportunity to speak out against this costly boondoggle. It is a shame that, once again, taxpayers statewide will bear the brunt of a poor decision made without their approval in Trenton.”

“Judge Jacobson got it wrong,”  Senator Doherty (R-23) said. “The Whitman case she cited was addressed when we passed the Lance amendment, so that voters would always, without exception, have the right to approve extremely expensive projects like the Statehouse renovations.  We still can’t get a straight answer on how much this is going to cost. The Governor’s insistence on pushing forward with this project regardless of public opinion, and the judge’s decision to allow it, flies in the face of our constitutional obligation to be transparent with New Jersey taxpayers. The Legislature and the people we represent have a right to know how we are spending their money. This ruling is a setback, but our fight is far from over.”