The often unpredictable New Jersey Supreme Court has agreed to hear from Tea Party lawyers who want to recall U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez.  The Tea Party originally filed a recall notice last year, but then-Secretary of State Nina Mitchell Wells declined to act on it after being advised that there is no recall mechanism for senators and congressmen.  In March, a state appellate court ruled that Menendez might face a recall, but stayed any effort to collect signatures until after an appeal. 

To force a recall vote in November, the Tea Party would need to collect about 1.3 million signatures – 25% of the total registered voters in the state. New Jersey is one of eighteen states that allow voters to recall statewide elected officials.

The Supreme Court has scheduled arguments for May 25 – three days after Associate Justice John Wallace’s term expires.   Gov. Christopher Christie has not yet decided if he will renominate Wallace, the lone African American member of the state’s top court.