Ruthless Ambition

Book excerpt: How could a man like Chris Christie get within shouting distance of a seat in the Oval Office? What does this say about our Justice system, and about us? If you think you know the whole story of Christie's rise and later fall from grace-think again. In his searing tell-all, Ruthless Ambition: The Rise and Fall of Chris Christie, former New Jersey State Assemblyman Louis Manzo recounts an extraordinary tale of political ruthlessness, corruption, and greed while also telling the story of how he was caught in the center of one of the most egregious political scandals in modern-day history: the Bid Rig III sting operation, masterminded by the then United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey and soon-to-be Governor Chris Christie. Manzo shows us how the blind ambitions of Christie and his staff centered on capturing a governorship and the patronage jobs that accompany it, then parlaying that office into a shot at the presidency. Meticulous in backing up everything he says with objective legal documentation, Manzo makes a convincing and disconcerting case for the governor as an unbridled and sinister political figure who made the most of a seriously flawed Department of Justice and overall judicial system to feed his megalomania and desire for power. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in justice and ethical leadership. It can't happen here? Well, it almost did. Soon you will know why. Philosopher George Santayana said, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Substitute "understand history" and you can appreciate how Manzo's courageous true tale is poised to help all of us better understand the seemingly incomprehensible.