Cory Booker and T Bone unable to attend.
Via North Jersey
Governor Christie and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi put aside their partisan political differences — and at one point clasped hands in prayer — to celebrate the opening of a drug treatment and workforce development center in Jersey City Monday.
The celebration of Martin’s Place, named after Martin Luther King Jr., drew a mix of politicians to the heavily Democratic city. Former Gov. Brendan Byrne, a Democrat, and former Gov. Tom Kean, a Republican sat alongside Christie, a Republican considering a run for president.
While a handful of people stood up and applauded Christie after his remarks, the packed crowded jumped to its feet for Pelosi, a California Democrat. Former Gov. James McGreevey, himself the subject of an HBO documentary Pelosi’s daughter made about his work with drug addicts, tried to get the enthusiasm for Pelosi out before Christie arrived.
“We’ve got to get all these Democratic spirits out of us before the governor shows up,” McGreevey said drawing laughs and applause. “Let’s give it up one more time, then we’ve to get proper and white bread and all that stuff.”[…]
Pelosi, who spoke after Christie, cited the governor in her remarks saying she agreed that judges should be given the discretion to decide bail and that every person who wants a second chance deserves one She said she was proud to be speaker of the house when Congress passed the Second Chances Act, a bill that made federal funding for Martin’s Place possible, which was signed by President George W. Bush in 2008.
She said Martin’s Place has national significance, because it can serve as an example for other communities and states across the country.
“I’m here is to say thank you because you are not only helping people here, you’re helping people across the country because you’ve served as a model that this can be done,” she said.