New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s comments on the “backlash” to his appointment of Sohail Mohammed to the New Jersey Superior Court:

Ignorance is behind the criticism of [New Jersey Superior Court nominee] Sohail Mohammed. Sohail Mohammed is an extraordinary American, who is an outstanding lawyer, and played an integral role in the post 9/11 period in building bridges between the Muslim-American community in this state and law enforcement. I was there for it, I saw it personally. And the folks who criticize my appointment of Sohail Mohammed are ignorant. Absolutely ignorant of that. … I was proud to nominate him. I was disgusted, candidly, by some of the questions he was asked by both parties in the Senate Judiciary Committee. I thought it was awful. In the end, the Senate did the right thing because the facts were undeniable…. Sohail Mohammed is an outstanding attorney, and he will be an outstanding judge. And I’m going to be there for his swearing in today because he’s someone who merited my support, and I’m confident he’ll be an outstanding judge. … 

[Q: Can you address concerns about Sharia Law?]

Sharia law has nothing to do with this at all. It’s CRAZY. It’s crazy. The guy’s an American citizen who has been an admitted lawyer to practice in the state of New Jersey, swearing an oath to uphold the laws of New Jersey, the Constitution of New Jersey, and the Constitution of the United States of America. He’s never been accused of doing anything but honorably and zealously upholding the oaths he took when he became a lawyer, licensed to practice in this state. This Sharia law business is crap, it’s just crazy. And I’m tired of dealing with the crazies. It’s just unnecessary to be accusing this guy of things just because of his religious background, and that’s what it’s because of.

- Governor Christie. full video here: http://bit.ly/palRzO

[ed. note: I am mortified this type of defense has to be given to any American - nevermind an American civil rights lawyer - because of his religious beliefs. But much respect to Gov. Christie for standing up and saying what so many of us think.]