And Stears, 55, has changed, too.
Expressing disgust at his crimes, he said in a recent interview: "You know any reformed smokers? They think smoking is a disgusting habit. You see the error of your ways."
Stears, speaking by phone last month from a halfway house in Brooklyn, said he planned to head for Long Island to live with his brother's family.
Since his guilty plea, tougher laws on financial disclosures and campaign contributions have been enacted, and, more recently, Gov. Christie has been attacking waste and abuse in government during the state's fiscal crisis.
As U.S. attorney, Christie soared to prominence by prosecuting corruption cases like the one involving Stears. The lobbyist pleaded guilty in December 2006 to mail fraud and tax evasion for overbilling the bridge commission $330,000.
He told the judge at his sentencing that he had been directed how much to bill and how much to contribute to the Burlington County GOP, which has reigned in county government for 30 years. Republicans have disputed Stears' assertion, and no one else was charged.
Most public contractors are now required to report to the state how much they earn annually in contracts and contributions. Anyone with Internet access can pull such reports off the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission website.
With the tougher campaign-finance restrictions, donations from public contractors have fallen by 29 percent since 2006, the state announced last month.
Christie has also come down hard on lobbyists and independent authorities in general. He issued an executive order in February requiring state authorities to cancel lobbying contracts. Though the directive didn't apply to local authorities such as the bridge commission, the governor has urged those authorities to follow the state's lead.
