The Assembly Appropriations Committee next week will hold the first formal legislative inquiry into the critical mistake that cost the state $400 million in federal Race to the Top funds. The hearing will take place on Tuesday, September 7, at 10 am in committee room 11 on the fourth floor of the State House Annex.
The committee expects to question key members of the Christie administration involved in the processes and procedures surrounding New Jersey’s failed application for Round II of Race to the Top funding and the subsequent chain of events. To date, the following individuals have been invited to appear before the committee:
· Former N.J. Department of Education Commissioner Bret Schundler
· Governor Christie’s Chief of Staff, Richard Bagger
· All members of the administration’s Race to the Top team who presented before the U.S. Department of Education.
· Any staff from the administration involved in the preparation of the state’s Race to the Top Application.
· Governor Christie’s Director of Policy, Gregg Edwards
· Governor Christie’s Communications Director, Maria Comella
· Governor Christie’s Press Secretary, Michael Drewniak
· Department of Treasury officials with knowledge of the contract awarded to Wireless Generation
· Any members of the administration that worked with the U.S. Department of Education in the preparation of the Race to the Top application
· The individual(s) who delivered the application from N.J. to Washington, D.C.
· Representatives of Wireless Generation