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TRENTON — "The Daily Show" host Jon Stewart tore into Gov. Chris Christie's negotiation of a pennies-on-the-dollar settlement with Exxon Mobil over environmental damage caused by its refineries in Bayonne and Linden on Thursday night.

Stewart noted that Exxon Mobil had been embroiled in litigation with the State of New Jersey since 2004, "to determine just how many billions of dollars they would squeeze through Exxon's nozzle, until ..." said Stewart, pausing to sarcastically add "'master negotiator' Chris Christie showed up, and sealed the deal."

Before the judge deciding the case could award damages, on March 5th, Christie's acting Attorney General, John Hoffman, announced his office had proposed a $225 million settlement with Exxon Mobil, instead of the $8.9 billion originally sought by the state.

"Christie's said he was a great negotiator," deadpanned Stewart, a native of Lawrence Township. "He didn't say which side he was working for."

Christie had defended the settlement at a recent Somerville town hall meeting, saying it's over and above what Exxon must pay to remediate the sites.

But on Thursday night's broadcast, Stewart wasn't letting Christie claim credit for that.

"However ... that Exxon has to fix what it polluted with no cap stipulation comes from a completely separate 1991 consent order that is different from the 2004 lawsuit. He's conflating them," said Stewart, cackling manically, "because he doesn't want you to know that."

Stewart also took aim at Christie's use of a law he proposed last year to divert the Exxon damages to plug holes in the state's budget, rather than to fully repair the environmental damage.

Governor's chief counsel tied to ExxonMobil settlement 6 Gallery: Governor's chief counsel tied to ExxonMobil settlement

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Claude Brodesser-Akner may be reached at cbrodesser@njadvancemedia.com