(TRENTON) – Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Cryan (D-Union) released the following statement Thursday on reports that Gov. Christie has known for nearly two weeks that the federal estimate of the new Hudson River commuter rail tunnel overrun was no more than $1 billion, even as he continued to claim it was more than $5 billion and shut the project down:
“This is absolutely outrageous. People have been needlessly shoved onto the unemployment line the last two weeks thanks to Gov. Christie apparently lying about numbers and using that dishonesty as the basis to halt this vital transportation project.
“It’s time to stop playing games, start dealing with reality and get this project moving again.
“I’m also stunned, quite frankly, that the federal transportation commissioner has not taken a stronger stand. I hope when he comes to New Jersey tomorrow that he talks straight with the people and details all he knows about this project and its true cost.
“It’s time to treat the people, taxpayers and commuters of New Jersey with the respect they deserve.
” The people of New Jersey aren’t pawns. They are real people with jobs and a brighter economic future with this tunnel.”