ROB ANDREWS

Peter Cammarano, elected Mayor of Hoboken in June by a narrow margin and gone in July after federal prosecutors arrested him for taking bribes, seemed to believe that he was on his way to political stardom.  While still a candidate for Mayor, Cammarano appeared to be planning a bid for the Democratic nomination for Governor.  The events that led to the resignation late last night of Burlington County Democratic Chairman Rick Perr were tied to Cammarano's empire building strategy.  Perr, it seems, was to be Cammarano's man in South Jersey. 

Just a week before Cammarano was arrested, he had a lunch meeting with a group of about a dozen young Democrats from different parts of the state to talk about his statewide prospects.  Perr was there.  Perr even sent out an e-mail to Democratic donors talking up Cammarano and seeking contributions to his campaign.  He did this while Republicans were outspending Democrats in Evesham by a 4-1 margin as they won back control in the May elections - a move that truly annoyed some key South Jersey Democrats.

Perr had personal political ambitions too.  He aggressively lobbied party leaders to win the Democratic nomination for Congress last year when it appeared that Rob Andrews (D-Haddon Heights) would not return to the House.  Sources say that in a Global Strategy poll paid for by the Burlington Democratic organization, Perr tested himself as a potential candidate for State Senator in District 8, where the conventional wisdom is that Philip Haines (R-Springfield) will resign later this year to become a Superior Court Judge.  The poll showed that Perr had little name ID and that the leading Republican candidate, former Medford Mayor Christopher Myers, was beating him by a huge margin.  Sources say that Perr ally Jeff Meyer, a lobbyist who quit as party Treasurer because of his ties to a PAC that was helping Cammarano, was himself eyeing a run for State Senate against Diane Allen (R-Edgewater Park) in two years.

The Federal Election Commission ruled today that candidates may not use campaign funds to purchase clothing, but dismissed a complaint against U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-Haddon Heights) alleging that he used $952.04 to buy clothes.

The complaint was filed last year by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), a watchdog group that promotes ethics and accountability.  The group filed a similar complaint against GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin that was also dismissed.

At the time the complaint was filed, a spokesman said Andrews hadn't actually used campaign funds.

A Washington lobbyist will be holding a high-dollar fundraiser next month to help U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-Haddon Heights) pay off his debts from an ill-fated surprise challenge to Frank Lautenberg (D-Cliffside Park) in the 2008 Democratic U.S. Senate primary.  The event, hosted by Heather Podesta, has a suggested contribution of $1,000 for individual sponsors, $2,600 for PAC sponsors, and $5,000 for co-hosts.

"If you have already maxed-out to Rep. Andrew's Senatorial campaign, you may donate to his Congressional campaign," Podesta wrote on an e-mail. "If this is the case, please make checks payable to ‘Andrews for Congress.'"

U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-Cliffside Park) has approval ratings of 44%-36%, and U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-Hoboken) has approvals of 40%-31%, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll.  Lautenberg, who faces a primary challenge from U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews in 2008, has a 64%-17% approval rating among Democrats.  Menendez is at 59%-15% among Democrats. 

Camden County Democrats have picked Ian Leonard, the 31-year-old Chief of Staff to Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts, to run for Freeholder.  In past years, the organization has enjoyed considerable success by picking young staffers to run for Freeholder as a stepping stone up the political ladder.  Roberts was a 27-year-old aide to then-U.S. Rep. Jim Florio when he became a Freeholder in 1980.  He moved up to the Assembly after Francis Gorman died in 1987. Rob Andrews was 29 when he was elected Freeholder in 1986.  He went to Congress four years later, after Florio was elected Governor.

U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews, the new chairman of the House Armed Services Panel on Defense Acquisition Reform.

U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-Haddon Heights) will serve as chairman of a new House Armed Services Committee panel formed to address defense acquisition reform.

"I'm thrilled to have this opportunity to lead work on such an important, challenging issue, Andrews said.  "During these economic times, it is vital that we ensure our defense acquisition system provides the best to our war fighters while making the most efficient use of the taxpayer's money.

Senate President Richard Codey (D-West Orange)

Democratic Party auditions are ongoing for the state’s first lieutenant governor, but if there are any white males interested in playing Banquo to Jon Corzine’s Macbeth, their soliloquies at present are decidedly understated – even inaudible.  

Sources close to state Senate President Richard Codey (D-West Orange), for example, say the former governor who shouldered executive office duties after Jim McGreevey’s 2004 bow-out, doesn’t want the lieutenant governor’s job, although some party insiders say the regular guy lawmaker – or someone like him - could provide the right bounce to a ticket headed by Gov. Jon Corzine.

New Jersey’s electorate breaks roughly into three ideological sections: 25% liberal, 25% conservative, and 50% moderate. 

Of course, Republicans will seize on spending during the last eight years and a budget ballooned from $25 billion up to $33 billion to brand Codey a bloated government Tip O’Neill lib, but the former governor’s coach and family man cred lends him the kind of Christmas card patriarch appeal arguably doable with suburban white moderates. And if Codey couldn't convince as a moderate, he at least would have little trouble wearing the label "political pragmatist."

Left to right: Congressmen George Robeson, Henry Loudenslager, Charles Wolverton, William Cahill and John Adler.

Only two Democrats have won what is now the third congressional district since Chester Arthur was President: Thomas Ferrell and John Adler.  PolitickerNJ.com looks at the chain of custody, not district numbers, to determine the lineage of a particular seat in Congress.

In 1882, with just 50.1% of the vote, Ferrell, a former State Senator, Assemblyman and Glassboro Committeeman, ousted Republican George Robeson, a two-term Congressman with an impressive resume. A Civil War General, Robeson spent two years as state Attorney General and nearly eight years as U.S. Secretary of the Navy in the cabinet of President Ulysses Grant.

Ferrell was beaten for re-election in 1884 by Republican George Hires, a former Salem County Sheriff and State Senator.  Hires won 50%-45%, starting a 124-year streak of Republican victories in this congressional district.

U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-Paterson) has raised $73,200 from The PMA Group, and helped them secure $2.4 million in earmarks for their clients.

Five New Jersey Congressmen helped secure earmarks for clients of a Washington defense lobbying firm while receiving campaign contributions from their PAC or employees, according to a review by Congressional Quarterly.  The firm, The PMA Group, is closing their lobbying practice after allegations that their founder funneled donations through bogus donors.  The earmarks were in the 2008 defense appropriations law, and the contributions are since 2001.

Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-Harding) collected $29,129 in campaign contributions, and is credited with a solo earmark of $2.5 million and assisting with another $4.8 million earmark.  Steven Rothman (D-Englewood) is credited with securing a solo earmark of $800,000 and helping with other earmarks worth $.24 million.  He has received $4,000 in campaign contributions since 2001.  Frelinghuysen and Rothman both serve on the House Appropriations Committee.