TRENTON - New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is known for verbally

assailing his political opponents, but his long-term plan to salvage his

presidential campaign may be what’s prompting him to go easy on

Donald Trump.

Christie let Trump, a rival for the 2016 Republican nomination, slide

again over the weekend after Trump said he saw “thousands and thou-

sands” of people in New Jersey, referring to Arab and Muslim Amer-

icans, cheering as the World Trade Center came down on 9/11.

Multiple independent fact-checkers say they have found little evi-

dence to verify Trump’s claim.

The Christie response to Trump’s claim was a shrug of the shoul-

ders. Christie had found out the day before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks

that he was President George W. Bush’s pick to be the U.S. attorney for

New Jersey, a job he would begin in 2002.

Is Christie holdingback on Trump?

BOB JORDAN @BOBJORDANAPP

“I saw what Christie said in response to Trump, and it

was awfully mild. One would have expected a more

Christie-like response.”CARL GOLDENPolitical analyst and former press secretary to Govs. Thomas H. Kean and Christie Whitman

“I watched in Jersey City,New Jersey, wherethousands and thousandsof people were cheeringas that building wascoming down.’’DONALD TRUMP

“I think if it hadhappened, I wouldremember it, but, youknow, there could bethings I forget, too.”GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE

See CHRISTIE, Page 9A

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FREEHOLD - A state senator and a Monmouth Coun-ty Tax Board member have called for Tax Administra-tor Matthew S. Clark to step aside after emails pub-lished by the Asbury Park Press — and sought after by agrand jury — showed Clark shared government infor-mation with a private bidder involved with the county’scontroversial new tax program.

State Sen. Jennifer Beck, R-Monmouth, called forClark to be suspended from day-to-day operations untilthe criminal investigation is concluded.

“At present, our taxpayers have lost confidence inthe Administrator and until he is either vindicated orindicted, Matthew Clark should step aside,” Beck wrotein a statement released Monday.

In an email sent Friday, Tax Commissioner WaynePomanowski said it was “in the best interest of both(Clark) and the tax board” for Clark to take a temporaryleave from his job. Although Clark reports to the five-member Tax Board, he is tenured and cannot be re-moved from his $157,000-a-year job without cause.

Beck’s and Pomanowski’s request came after thePress last week published online emails Clark sent to

2 officialscall for taxadmin tostep asideSUSANNE CERVENKA @SCERVENKA

Monmouth County Tax Administrator MattClark is interviewed about the AssessmentDemonstration Program in June in his officeat the Hall of Records in Freehold. THOMAS P. COSTELLO/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Voters: None of the above

Poll finds New Jerseyans convinced neither party will fix highproperty taxes or other pressing state problems. Page 8A

See TAX, Page 8A

Speak your mind: Join the conversation at facebook.com/asburyparkpress

HOWELL - Mayor William Gotto has apologizedfor his behavior after a video of him lashing out at a19-year-old resident during a meeting was posted onYouTube.

The video was taken on a cellphone during an Oct.14 meeting at the public library called by residentsopposed to an affordable housing complex proposedfor a parcel of land near West Farms and Fort Plainsroads.

The 43-second clip shows the mayor yelling atChristopher Cohen, a project opponent.

Cohen said his posing a question to the mayor —“Whose pockets are being lined?” — is what prompted

See MAYOR, Page 8A

Mayor apologizesfor outburst seenin posted videoKALA KACHMAR @NEWSQUIP

Asbury hotel to be entertainment siteNew details on luxury lodgings expected to open in May. TODAY, 3A