GOVERNOR CORZINE STILL PLAYS OLD POLITICAL GAME HE PLEDGED TO END FOR TAXPAYERS' SAKE

INSTEAD OF FULFILLING PROMISES TO REFORM CORRUPT CAMPAIGN FINANCING SYSTEM, REPORT SAYS GOV. CORZINE IS LARGEST PARTICIPANT

    Reports of Governor Corzine's nearly $1.5 million in political contributions since 2006 helps explain why he has repeatedly broken promises to reform the state's antiquated campaign-financing system that allows certain well-heeled interest to dominate policy in New Jersey at the detriment of the state's taxpayers, Assembly members Caroline Casagrande and Declan O'Scanlon, R-Monmouth and Mercer, said today.

    "On several occasions Governor Corzine has spoken eloquently and forcefully about the need to end insider deals, influence peddling and self-interest of old politics, but he and his colleagues have blocked reform efforts while he has perpetually - and significantly - funded the very organizations that have stolen New Jersey's government from its residents," Casagrande said. "The governor's actions have not matched his words."

    According to a Bergen Record report, Corzine, since 2006, has contributed $1.2 million to the state's 21 county committees and $250,000 to state committees that wheel donations to, and exert influence over, candidates throughout the state. He is the largest donor to 20 out of the state's 21 Democratic County Committees.

    In September 2008, Corzine pledged an end to wheeling among other unfulfilled ethics reforms, saying, "We have reached a point where New Jerseyans have come to believe that instead of government of, by and for the people, we have a government of, by and for political contributors. Today, that era ends."

    Suspecting that Democratic Legislators might be unwilling to embrace Corzine's proposals, Republican Legislators promptly introduced legislation, A-3450/S-2323, to achieve his goals. No Democrat has signed on to support it; the governor has been silent on the issue since his September 2008 press conference.

    "It's bad enough when a politician games the system, but it's worse when one does so while saying the system is corrupt - especially when holding the state's most powerful office and you cannot, or will not follow through," O'Scanlon said. "All the plans and proposals in the world mean nothing if they lack someone with the leadership to set an example for others and the political will to follow through."