The Salem Sunbeam reports that former Carneys Point Mayor John “Mack” Lake was found guilty today of corruption. 

In a non-jury trial, Salem County Superior Court Judge William Forester found Lake guilty of two counts of bribery and one count of official misconduct. 

While the field of potential Republican congressional candidates in the third district continues to shrink, new faces keep popping up in the seventh.

Today, former Clark Councilman Jon-Henry “J.H.” Barr, 37, announced that he’s forming an exploratory committee to look into running for the Republican nomination to replace outgoing U.S. Rep. Mike Ferguson.

The announcement that Gov. Jon Corzine’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Jeannine LaRue, will join Rutgers University as a government relations advisor has drawn criticism from Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll, a Morris County Republican.

Former GOP State Chairman David Norcross says he won't seek Jim Saxton's seat

The field of potential Burlington County candidate to replace outgoing U.S. Rep. Jim Saxton cleared up today, with Republican National Committeeman David Norcross and Freeholder Aubrey Fenton both removing their names from consideration and throwing their support behind the county’s presumptive favorite candidate, Lockheed Martin Vice President Chris Myers.

Myers, 42, the Deputy Mayor of Medford, is the chosen candidate of Burlington County GOP power broker Glenn Paulsen, and has the tacit approval of Saxton. He now looks almost certain to become that county’s chosen candidate.

Norcross, 64, was considered a top tier potential challenger. A prolific fundraiser, Norcross has a long political resume as a former U.S. Senate candidate and GOP state chairman. He currently serves as co-chair of Mitt Romney’s New Jersey campaign.

Governor Jon Corzine is already getting a return on his investment. He announced this week that he would contribute $1 million to Rutgers University as part of his decision to help raise money to privately finance a stadium expansion. Now Rutgers has announced that they have hired Jeannine LaRue, Corzine’s Deputy Chief of Staff, for a new position to advise Rutgers on government relations at an annual salary of $250,000 – about double what she was making in the Governor’s office.

Before joining the Corzine administration, LaRue was the Senior Vice President of Goverment Affairs at the state's largest health care system, St. Barnabas, and was the lobbyist for the New Jersey Education Association.

There’s one less Republican congressional candidate from Ocean County.

Virginia “Ginny” Haines, a former lottery commissioner, Assemblywoman and current Republican National Committeewoman, has withdrawn her name from consideration to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Jim Saxton.

Haines, whose ex-husband Dean Haines narrowly lost the 1984 Republican primary for the seat against Saxton, said that taking care of her elderly mother and aunt doesn’t leave her enough time to run the kind of campaign necessary to secure the Republican nomination and win the general election.

“I just feel I wouldn’t be able to devote the time that’s necessary,” said Haines, who said that having been married to a congressional candidate gave her a good idea of what it takes to run. “It takes a lot and I just feel that I really wouldn’t be able to give it the 100% needed to run. As much as I would like to do that and think it would be good, I’m bowing out.”

Atlantic County Republican Chairman Keith Davis today attacked Assemblyman/state Senator Elect Jim Whelan’s idea to get the state more involved with running Atlantic City’s troubled government. 

The Press of Atlantic City reported today that Whelan, a former Atlantic City mayor, discussed the prospect of increased state involvement with Gov. Corzine last month – an idea already likely to meet with resistance from the city’s Democratic mayor and council. 

Washington Township (Morris County) Mayor Kevin Walsh will plead not guilty to charges that he physically assaulted a woman in his home on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  According to published reports, Walsh grabbed her throat and arms as he tried to force her to the floor.  This raises an interesting question: while politicians seem to believe elected officials charged with corruption must resign their office immediately, should the same standard apply to politicians who face assault charges?

In Fairfield Township, where Democratic Township Committeeman Albert Beverly lost re-election to Republican Patrick Conahey by just five votes, lawyers for both sides will be before a Cumberland County Superior Court Judge this month to discuss the legal merits of a recount.  Clearly, Beverly wants a recount and Conahey does not. 

On the day Gov. Jon Corzine announced he would lead a campaign to raise $30 million in private donations for renovations at Rutgers University Stadium, football coach Greg Schiano was meeting with the University of Michigan athletic director to discuss the coaching vacancy, according to a Star-Ledger report.  Update: Schiano said today that he will stay at Rutgers.