February 17, 2012 (CNN) -- Facing angry critics, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is defending his decision to fly flags at half-staff on Friday to honor late New Jersey native Whitney Houston.
The executive order, released by his office Thursday, cites the singer's ties to the Garden State, her remarkable voice and far-reaching influence in support of the move.
"Whitney Houston's vibrant and spectacular voice endeared her to countless fans in New Jersey, across the nation, and around the world," the executive order read. "(She) left a legacy in this State that will be cherished for many years."
[...] During his tenure as governor, Christie has ordered flags flown at half-staff on several occasions. In addition to honoring all New Jersey police officers and soldiers killed in the line of duty, he made the order for another musician known for his artistic contributions to the state, calling for flags to be lowered to honor the E Street Band saxophonist Clarence Clemons, who died last June.
Calling Houston a "daughter of New Jersey," Christie addressed his critics at an event in West New York, New Jersey on Wednesday.
"I still conclude that they are many contributions you can make to our state that merit this honor upon your death. Some of them are political, some of them are military. Some of them are other advocates of public service like police officers, firefighters and others -- and some of them are cultural. And I think all of those contributions when done at their best are significant contributions," he said.
http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/16/showbiz/jers...
Posted By: Jen Fad
Monday, February 20th 2012 at 11:09AM
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