The governor informed me that NJ 101.5 radio host Jim Gearhart was saying he had caved in to the union. He said that the leaders of the NJEA had demeaned him and that it was utterly intolerable for him to be viewed as having given-in to them. The money was not worth it.

With the governor emphatic that the money didn’t matter to him, I offered two other arguments to consider: first, that the compromises I’d approved were inconsequential; and second, that gaining the NJEA’s endorsement, beyond bringing New Jersey $400 million, would make it possible to implement 90 percent of our reform agenda immediately. We could then fight for the remaining 10 percent, instead of having to fight the NJEA, tooth and nail, for every reform we wanted to implement.

From former Commissioner Bret Schundler’s written testimony regarding Gov. Christie’s decision to revoke the NJEA-sanctioned Race To The Top application. Full text at The Record.