Blockbuster - Public Enemy No. One

I was looking at the New Jersey Attorney General's website yesterday when right on the front page I saw this press release:

Attorney General Sues Blockbuster Video - New “No More Late Fees” Policy Carries Hidden Charges - Customers Charged Purchase Price for Overdue Videos

Attorney General Peter Harvey is worried about your movie viewing experience. Blockbuster charges customers a "restocking fee" if you return a movie between 8 and 30 days late, and charges the full price of the movie if its not returned within 30 days. The Attorney General believes this is a fraudulent and deceptive practice. For details read the complaint.

I don't know about you but I feel safer already. I know there's many people out there who need more than a week to review the complexities of "Alien v. Predator."

Meanwhile, U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie recently arrested 11 Monmouth County public officials, including three mayors, on charges of extortion and money laundering. Why is Christie, who works for the the federal government, at the forefront of investigating corruption among New Jersey public officials, while the Attorney General of New Jersey is investigating Blockbuster?

Christie in a recent radio interview, opined about the cause of the apparent disparity between his efforts to investigate public corruption and the Attorney General's efforts. Christie essentially said a law enforcement officer like the Attorney General has to set priorities and apply resources where they will be most effective, and for whatever reason, investigating government officials suspected of corruption hasn't been a focus for the Attorney General.

No kidding.