Republican candidate for New Jersey governor Jack Ciattarelli downplayed concerns about the future of the Gateway Tunnel project.
During an appearance on Fox News, he claimed President Trump’s assertion the project was “terminated” was actually a negotiation tactic related to the government shutdown.
“The project doesn’t stop, the Gateway project is managed by the Gateway commission, it has cash, it then seeks reimbursement from the federal government, the shutdown would have to continue for another one or two months before it impacts that project,” Ciattarelli said. “The president is playing hardball negotiation and I don’t blame him because the Democrats are wrong on this, so I really do not see that Gateway project coming to an end, as governor I’ll make sure it continues some way, somehow.”
His opponent, Democratic Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill responded on social media and accused Ciattarelli of putting “politics ahead of New Jersey’s best interests.”
She added, “Donald Trump is making it very clear that the cancellation of Gateway isn’t a tactic. He’s killing the project permanently simply because his political opponents were in favor of it.”