One day following President Barack Obama and the First Family's departure from Cuba after helping to restore relations with the country, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie penned an op-ed piece for The Record requesting the return of 2Pac's aunt, civil rights activist Assata Shakur. Referring to her by her real name, Christie labeled Joanne Chesimard as a "remorseless and free" convicted criminal for "the cold-blooded, execution-style killing of a New Jersey State Trooper and the serious wounding of another" on May 2, 1973. "I am asking the president to purposefully put aside his priorities of enhancing trade and travel with Cuba and stand up for the more important values of the United States as defenders of democratic liberty, rule of law and human rights," he wrote.
"True progress would put an end to the safe haven Cuba is providing to a convicted killer," Christie continued on to say before addressing the President directly. "Mr. President, if your investment in Cuba is to see any valuable returns, reforms that protect human rights and advance our principles of freedom must take precedence over economic gain. By our own democratic principles, Chesimard should not be free and must be returned home."
Governor Christie has spoken out about Assata Shakur several times in the past, particularly in 2014 when a Cuban official announced there was no extradition treaty between the country and the United States in regards to her return.