TRENTON, N.J., Feb. 1 (UPI) -- Backers of the effort to draft Republican U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie into the 2005 New Jersey gubernatorial race have admitted defeat.

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 24 (UPI) -- Some New Jersey Republicans reportedly hope they can still persuade U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie to run for governor in 2005.

NEWARK, N.J., Jan. 5 (UPI) -- A New Jersey man was charged with interfering with the operator of a mass transportation vehicle for pointing a laser beam at a commercial airliner.

TRENTON, N.J., July 14 (UPI) -- A top Democratic fund-raiser is accused of hiring a New York hooker to seduce a fraud case witness and then giving a videotape of the tryst to the man's wife.

NEW YORK, Feb. 24 (UPI) -- A former U.S. big-league umpire has admitted to selling collectors bogus balls of history-making events, the New York Post reported Tuesday.