Good one, Jon Corzine: The Wall Street Journal reports, "Nearly three months after MF Global Holdings Ltd. collapsed, officials hunting for an estimated $1.2 billion in missing customer money increasingly believe that much of it might never be recovered, according to people familiar with the investigation." In fact, "The findings so far suggest that a 'significant amount' of the money could have 'vaporized' as a result of chaotic trading at MF Global during the week before the company's Oct. 31 bankruptcy filing, said a person close to the investigation." more ›

MF Global, the investment firm whose stunning collapse under the leadership of former NJ governor Jon Corzine is being investigated by the feds, illegally diverted about $1 billion of client funds, which are still missing. Now it looks like the company transferred $200 million of client money just three days before filing for bankruptcy! more ›

Former NJ governor Jon Corzine spoke to Congress today, to clarify the remarks he made last week about the collapse of brokerage MF Global. The firm, which he headed until it filed for bankruptcy, happens to be missing $1.2 billion in client money, and senators wanted to know who authorized the transfer. And, for what it's worth, Corzine said it wasn't him! more ›

If you want to be further outraged by the antics of former NJ governor Jon Corzine, whose leadership of brokerage MF Global essentially resulted in its collapse (and there's still a billion dollars in client funds missing!), read this NY Times feature, titled, "A Romance With Risk That Brought On a Panic." But romance is too pretty a word: "He pushed through a $6.3 billion bet on European debt — a wager big enough to wipe out the firm five times over if it went bad — despite concerns from other executives and board members. And it is now clear that he personally lobbied regulators and auditors about the strategy." more ›

Former NJ governor Jon Corzine is testifying in front of Congress today to explain what he knew of the collapse of MF Global. And basically he'll be saying he had no idea! According to prepared testimony, he says he was "stunned when I was told on Sunday, October 30, 2011, that MF Global could not account for many hundreds of millions of dollars of client money. I remain deeply concerned about the impact that the unreconciled and frozen funds have had on MF Global’s customers and others." more ›

Yesterday, troubled brokerage MF Global fired its 1,066 employees in the broker-dealer operations as the bankrupt firm tries to find $600 million in investor funds that have essentially disappeared. And apparently some employees found out they were canned from the media. more ›

With his brokerage firm's troubles plastered on the front pages of the NY Times and Wall Street Journal, former NJ Governor Jon Corzine resigned from MF Global today. The company issued a statement saying that Corzine, who once headed Goldman Sachs, would not seek his $12 million severance. Which makes sense, since the firm filed for bankruptcy earlier this week and couldn't find about $700 million in funds. But was Corzine's decision hasty? Because now there are reports that the money has been found! more ›

The hits keep coming for the troubled brokerage MF Global: The FBI is joining the investigation on how an estimated $700-900 million of client money went missing. The company, which filed for bankruptcy and is being delisted by the New York Stock Exchange, is headed by former Goldman Sachs chair and former NJ Governor Jon Corzine, who had hoped to turn it into a "mini-Goldman." more ›

When Jon Corzine lost his re-election bid to remain NJ's governor to Chris Christie, the former Goldman Sachs chairman decided to head an upstart brokerage, MF Global. After a shaky week last week, the company filed for bankruptcy yesterday as MF Global couldn't find $700 million. Dealbook explains, "The discovery that money could not be located might simply reflect sloppy internal controls at MF Global. At first, as much as $950 million was believed to be missing, but as the firm sorted through its bankruptcy, that figure fell to less than $700 million by late Monday, the people briefed on the matter said. Additional funds are expected to trickle in over the coming days." And now MF Global admits it mixed client and company funds (a big no-no) and diverted client funds as well. more ›

As Campaign Obama tries to woo the country again to unseat President Obama in 2012, he faces an uphill battle with Wall Street to raise a figure close to 2008's $89 million. And Wall Street will have to do because it's tough to get micro-donations from people who don't have jobs. So he's calling in a favor from his old pal, former CEO of Goldman Sachs and Chris Christie victim Jon Corzine. According to the Post, Corzine "has attended secret meetings with the president and has been working on Obama's 2012 campaign for months." This could be a HUGE mistake for Barry when Christie steps off that ledge and decides to run! more ›

Just as the city braces for another jobs crisis, former NJ Gov. Jon Corzine is poised to take on three new titles. Effective immediately, he'll head up MF Global, a Wall Street options and futures firm; starting soon he'll be a partner at J.C. Flowers & Company, a buyout firm; and next semester, Princeton students will call him Professor. “I like working,” said the 63-year-old who broke 15 bones and almost died in a 2007 car accident. Maybe he'll tell those Princeton kids to buckle up! more ›

We knew Jon Corzine was being immature and plain-old mean when he attacked opponent Chris Christie’s weight last year, but new research shows the jab was bad politics too. According to another “no fair” new study voters prefer their male politicians tubby, though they like their female ones slender. Results showed voters think heavy men are more reliable and sometimes more inspiring than their skinny counterparts. more ›

NJ residents—and the White House—are anxiously wondering who the next governor of NJ will be. Incumbent Jon Corzine (D) was facing not just Republican challenger Chris Christie but also independent Chris Daggett. Currently, NBC projects that Chris Christie is the winner. more ›

In the close, nasty NJ governor's race, Republican challenger Chris Christie said on Don Imus's radio show yesterday that NJ Governor Jon Cozrine should “man up and say I’m fat.” He was referring to Corzine's suggestive ads; Christie also told Imus, "I'm pretty fat," and predicted he would be a "a big fat winner" next Tuesday. The NY Times looks at the candidates today—"the two rivals made no apologies for the ugly tone of the campaign." more ›

After the media noticed that NJ Governor Corzine's anti-Chris Christie add seemed to relish in showing how his challenger was fat, Corzine's had to do some explaining. Yesterday, he admitted saying Christie "threw his weight around" might not have been the best choice of words, but pointed out, "How many people can abuse their power, abuse their office by flashing their credentials, throw their weight around, however you want to say it?" A new poll showed Corzine leading Christie by 9 points. more ›

The NY Times endorsed incumbent NJ governor Jon Corzine for re-election, but not before going through his flaws: "Most New Jersey voters find him astonishingly inarticulate, and his credentials as a former co-chairman of Goldman Sachs do not seem as impressive as they did before the financial meltdown in 2008. He has poured lots of his personal wealth into this race, far too much of it for biting — and sometimes juvenile — attacks on Mr. Christie. In his second term, we would like to see him back away from the state’s unions." more ›

Wow: NJ's largest newspaper has endorsed the independent candidate for governor, Chris Daggett. The Star-Ledger explains, "The newspaper’s decision is less a rejection of Gov. Jon Corzine and Republican Chris Christie than a repudiation of the parties they represent, both of which have forfeited any claim to the trust and confidence of the people of New Jersey. They share responsibility for the state’s current plight." more ›

Now that the NY Times has wondered if NJ Governor Jon Corzine's re-election campaign is making a big (HA!) deal about Republican challenger Chris Christie's weight, the belt buckle has been loosened for Christie to use it against Corzine. The former U.S. Attorney said during a speech, "As my running mate very well said [during a debate], the cat is out of the bag on that one. I've been in the public eye now for eight years, at various sizes. Up 30 or 40, down 30 or 40, it's kind of been the way it's gone. And I don't think all of you are blind." more ›

The NJ's governor's race is being fiercely fought, with incumbent NJ Governor Jon Corzine (D) trying to hold onto the seat while challenger Chris Christie (R), a former U.S. Attorney, attempts to capitalize on the poor economy and possible Obama-discontent. Christie has been leading in polls, though Corzine has been catching up, so it's no wonder that the campaign ads are getting very nasty. So nasty that Corzine's campaign might be drawing excessive attention to Christie's physical appearance. more ›

About 100 protesters stood outside the home of Hoboken Mayor Peter Cammarano yesterday and called for his resignation, joining a public plea the day before from NJ Governor Jon Corzine. Despite being arrested as part of the massive corruption bust Thursday, the mayor has insisted he will stay in office continuing "business as usual." Corzine said if Cammarano and other officials refuse to step down, he will seek measures to force them out of office, adding, "If they want to get back into politics once they are proven innocent, I think that's fine." Cammarano was busted for taking $25,000 in bribes and his ambitious climb to become Hoboken's youngest mayor last month lead many to believe he will not go down lightly. A longtime NJ legislator said of him, "Some kids grow up and want to be the center fielder for the Mets. Some grow up and want to be mayor of their town. That was him. He was reveling in it." Meanwhile one spot getting a boost from the scandal—Hoboken's Malibu Diner, the scene of the crime. A manager told the News, “It’s not the kind of publicity we want, but business has picked up." more ›

Barack Obama's in town tonight, so that means you have precious few minutes left to get anywhere by car before the roads congeal with traffic and street closures. Beginning at about 5:15 this evening, the NYPD will close off streets surrounding the Hilton New York—where Obama is scheduled to speak at the NAACP's 100th anniversary convention—along with large chunks of FDR Drive in both directions. The shutdowns should last "for the duration of the event," which leads the NYPD to thoughtfully suggest that "drivers should avoid the Midtown area." If you're a pedestrian, though, break out the green plastic lawn chairs, because it looks like Midtown's going to be one big pedestrian mall tonight. more ›

NJ gubernatorial Chris Christie reassured NJ voters that he's not interested in having soon-to-be former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin stump for him this fall. The Republican challenger did offer one familiar name—the Star-Ledger reports that Christie told 101.5 FM, "This is about New Jersey issues and New Jersey, and I don't think having Governor Palin here would do me, or frankly the state, a whole lot of good in the sense that we need to talk and focus on what the New Jersey issues are. I hope Mayor Giuliani will continue to be supportive and be here and work with me, but other than that, I think the people of New Jersey have to hear from me and that's the person they'll be electing. I'll be sitting in the chair, and I want them to spend most of their time getting to know me." Giuliani endorsed Christie back in February. Governor Jon Corzine, who trails Christie in the polls, is optimistic about his chances, "We have a national recession, we have a global recession. The public understands that President Obama and the Democratic policies are not how we got into this mess." more ›

With Alaska Governor Sarah Palin's schedule after July 26 freeing up, some of her associates say that she's ready to help other Republican candidates with their elections. Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele even says, "She is an important and galvanizing voice... I believe she will be very helpful to the party this year as we wage critical campaigns in Virginia and NJ." But those states' GOP officials aren't so sure: NJ Republican Chairman Jay Webber said he hadn't hear from Palin's camp and is totally okay with that, "We don't have any plans on having her in. We're busy working to get Chris Christie elected and telling people about the failed record of Gov. Corzine." Christie leads the incumbent 45 to 39 points in a recent poll and the Obama-Biden ticket beat McCain-Palin by 15 points last year. Someone who would like to see Palin in NJ: Corzine, whose spokesman told the AP, "Her positions are certainly consistent with where Christie's been. They would both deny a woman the right to choose and they oppose new gun control legislation. And like Palin, Christie's staked out conservative right-wing positions on rejecting the federal stimulus money, which would create thousands of jobs." more ›

Incumbent NJ Governor Jon Corzine will face off with former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie, who won the Republican primary yesterday, in this year's gubernatorial election. Christie defeated Steve Lonegan, who staked out a more conservative position, and will be set on blaming Corzine for NJ's terrible financial state; he said, "For the past four years Jon Corzine has made bad choices - choices that have plunged New Jersey deeper into debt, increased the tax burden on working families, and driven business across our borders to Pennsylvania, Delaware and even New York.” Corzine was on the attack last night, "There were a lot of statements in the Republican primary that I know are contrary to where New Jerseyans feel on a woman's right to choose, on gun control, on a whole host of issues, in addition to whose taxes get cut, how many people get laid off." Politico reports that with Corzine's poor ratings, the GOP hopes to use a NJ gubernatorial victory as a "springboard to a national comeback in the 2010 midterm elections." Related: Primary participation was around 10%, lower than previous primaries. more ›

Goldman Sachs chairman. While billionaires Donald Trump and Wilbur Ross think Corzine would be great, the governor said, "I'm not going to say never to anything. I want to be very clear: I like what I'm doing. I have not had any conversations with anybody about this job. People can speculate--it's nice, my mother will like it. The reality is there are a lot of good people." His pick would be 82-year-old Paul Volcker, the former Federal Reserve chairman who many credit with ending 1970s stagflation. more ›

With scuttlebutt suggesting Senator Barack Obama is unlikely to pick Senator Hillary Clinton as his running mate, Clinton's good friend Governor Jon Corzine said this morning that Clinton would be a "very strong" vice president. "Could she be president? Absolutely. Is she going to add something to the ticket? Yes." The Star-Ledger reports that Corzine, speaking on MSNBC, also thinks that Senator Joe Biden (Del.) is good choice. Biden, Senator Evan Bayh (Ind.) and Virgina Governor Tim Kaine are reportedly on Obama's VP shortlist. Senator John McCain's VP shortlist reportedly has former Massachusetts governor MItt Romney, former Rep. Rob Portman (Ohio), Minnesota Governor Pawlenty, and former Homeland Security secretary Tom Ridge. more ›

Carla Katz was suspended as the head of the largest local of the Communications Workers of America. The CWA's national executive board believes there's, per the AP, "financial malpractice and suppression of dissent among the local’s 16,000 members, 10,000 of whom are state workers" (see the claims here). Katz denies the charges and says they are "appalling." Her past relationship with NJ Governor Jon Corzine has been scrutinized (Corzine gave her a $6 million settlement after they broke up) and a NJ state judge recently said Corzine must turn over his emails with Katz. more ›

The Star-Ledger reports that NJ Governor Jon Corzine will be sharing with the spotlight today with a 115-pound Doberman pinscher. The dog is Buck the Buckle-Up Dog, who helps remind children and adults alike to "Please Buckle-Up Evey Time You Ride." more ›

NJ Governor Jon Corzine, who was critically injured after not wearing a seat belt when his state vehicle crashed, endorsed a proposal requiring all passengers wear seat belts in vehicles on NJ roads. He also supported recommendations for stricter restrictions for drivers under age 20, even admitting his three children had been in accidents as teen drivers. more ›

NJ Governor Jon Corzine and Pennsylvania Ed Rendell have offered a plan to re-stage the Florida and Michigan Democratic primaries. The two men, both Clinton supporters, say they will raise half of the $30 million it would take for new primaries. Funny, where's Governor Spitzer, who said he'd support Clinton but has called Obama "spectacular"? more ›