Trenton, NJ – Christie To Obama: Demand Cuba Return FBI Most Wanted

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    Handout wanted poster released 02 May 2013 by the New Jersey State Police of Joanne Chesimard who was added 02 May 2013 to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Most Wanted Terrorist list making her the first woman to ever make the list.  Chesimard was convicted of murdering a New Jersey State Trooper on 02 May 1973 and was sentenced to life in prison in 1977 after being captured and tried but escaped from prison and has never been caught.  EPA/NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE / HANDOUTTrenton, NJ – New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie disagrees with President Obama’s decision to normalize relations with Cuba and wants the president to demand the immediate return of a convicted cop killer from the country “before any further consideration of restoration of diplomatic relations with the Cuban government.”

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    In a letter sent to the White House Friday and made public by his office Sunday, Christie pressed for the return of Joanne Chesimard, who was convicted of killing a New Jersey state trooper in 1973 during a gunbattle after being stopped on the New Jersey Turnpike.

    Chesimard was found guilty but escaped from prison and eventually fled to Cuba, where she was granted asylum by Fidel Castro. She is now living as Assata Shakur and is the first woman placed on the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorist List.

    Christie said Cuba’s decision to grant Chesimard asylum “is an affront to every resident of our state, our country, and in particular, the men and women of the New Jersey State Police, who have tirelessly tried to bring this killer back to justice.”

    Bernadette Meehan, a spokeswoman for the White House’s National Security Council, said it will “continue to press in our engagement with the Cuban government for the return of U.S. fugitives in Cuba to pursue justice for the victims of their crimes.”

    Christie expressed “profound disagreement” with the president’s decision, but he said the moment marked an opportunity for Cuba to prove it’s serious about change.

    “I do not share your view that restoring diplomatic relations without a clear commitment from the Cuban government of the steps they will take to reverse decades of human rights violations will result in a better and more just Cuba for its people,” Christie wrote. “However, despite my profound disagreement with this decision, I believe there is an opportunity for Cuba and its government to show the American people it is serious about change.”

    Christie has generally been reluctant to weigh in on contentious foreign policy issues as he mulls a run for president in 2016.

    Other potential Republican candidates, most notably Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, have been publicly disputing one another’s opposing stances.


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    9 years ago

    Crispieream wants to try to gain some attention by focusing on a 40+ year old local matter that should have zero relevance to national and strategic policy-making. Should the U.S. “apologize” for trying to assassinate Castro? I don’t recall Crispiecream saying boo about all the ehrliche yiddisher felons who run off to EY and cannot be extradited back to the U.S. I fell sorry for him that he cannot get any attention lately (besides his GW Bridge fiasco) but guys like Cruz and Bush are the media darlings….he is waving his hands and yelling “how about me” and this letter is in the same context. Now maybe if he announced that Donald Trump or Michelle Bachman would be his VP running mate he might get his 15 minutes of fame.

    bennyt
    bennyt
    9 years ago

    Wake up Christie! The only thing Obama wants to see headed this way from Cuba are some nice cigars.

    PaulinSaudi
    PaulinSaudi
    9 years ago

    Are we going to give them Luis Posada Carriles, our Cuban agent who blew up that airliner?

    ALLAN
    ALLAN
    9 years ago

    Love him or hate him, Christie is right on this matter. Joanne Chesimard, is a cop killer and as we have seen in Brooklyn this past weekend the hate for police is getting way out of control. No person whether they be a Jew or not should be critical of Governor Christie in his support for bringing a cop killer to justice.