Corzine gave $470,000 to union boss who was one-time girlfriend

Jon Corzine does things the New Jersey way:

the Democrat found himself defending a $470,000 gift to an ex-girlfriend who runs one of New Jersey's largest state employee unions.

The money - originally a mortgage loan until Corzine canceled the debt - merely scratches the surface of the candidate's personal fortune, estimated at more than $260 million. But it allowed Carla Katz, president of Local 1034 of the Communications Workers of America, to buy out her ex-husband's share of a 19th-century home and 10-acre property in Alexandria Township, Hunterdon County.

On Thursday, Corzine said the loan would not hamper his administration's ability to negotiate fairly or effectively with the union, which represents 16,000 public employees, even as the Republicans were crying foul.

Do you think Corzine thought about the gift and estate implications?AP