Hackett resigns
By EditorAssemblyman Mims Hackett says he will resign his seat in the New Jersey State Assembly and will withdraw his bid for re-election to a fourth term. His announcement comes two days after his arrest in bribery charges, and one day after state Democratic leaders asked him to step down.
He will remain as the Mayor of Orange.
Members of the Essex County Democratic Committee from the 27th district will meet to hold two contests: a special election convention to fill the remaining four months of Hackett's current Assembly term, and to nominate a new candidate to run in the November general election. While they could pick separate candidates in each race, Democrats are expected to give their candidate the advantage of incumbency.
The main player in the candidate selection process is Senate President Richard Codey, who also represents the 27th district. Democratic insiders have suggested that Codey alone will decide who gets Hackett's seat.
Possible candidates include: Phil Alagia, the Chief of Staff to the Essex County Executive and one of North Jersey's best campaign operatives; Essex County Freeholders Linda Lordi-Cavanaugh and Patricia Sebold (who both lost to Hackett, narrowly, in the 2001 primary), Caldwell Mayor Susan Gartland; Livingston Mayor Steven Santola, mental health advocate Bob Davidson; Maplewood Mayor Fred Profetta; and Stacey Jennings and Terriann Moore-Abrams, both South Orange Village Trustees. Jennings and Moore-Abrams are African-American women.
Hackett's resignation is bad news for Republican Mark Meyerowitz, a 52-year-old political newcomer who may have stood a chance in this Democratic-leaning suburban district against Hackett.
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"Because he had to dress for his speech immediately, he had to purchase an entirely new set of clothes. The campaign credit card used to pay for the clothing was reimbursed in total by the airline, which wrote a check for $952.04 to the congressman on July 20, 2007. The congressman then endorsed the check over to the campaign account on July 20, 2007. Thus, the campaign incurred no expense for the clothing." -- Francis Tagmire, a spokesman for U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews, on why Andrews used campaign funds to pay for clothing. A Washington, D.C. watchdog group has filed a complaint against him.
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Essex Co political machine in action
Hackett is Codey's Man (along with along with duel office holder John Mckeon of West Orange) in the 27th district. Hackett, as chairman of the committee dealing with ethics, has helped delay and water down reforms (like the ban on dual office holding) that Corzine has fought for. Rumors and stories about corruption by Mims Hackett Jr. have circulated for ten years. If school board members in Pleasantville knew Hackett was for sale, it is hard to believe that Codey did not. Hackett�s worth to Codey was his reliability in doing what he was told. Now the Essex Co political machine must distance themselves fast and find a reliable replacement candidate for Assembly to run against Independent Democrat, Ed Marable Jr., a public servant who works for the �public� instead of the political machine.
Codey's guy all along
Show me something Christie. Clean Codey's closet of hacks out. If this is just starting. I can't wait to see what happens with Coniglio. Come on Chris! How about Ferriero's boys. Double job holder and builder's best friend Sarlo can't be far behind.
Wayne and Sharpe?
Dick Codey has been looking the other way for a long time. He would look the other way with a wink and a nod when legislators like Wayne Bryant were steering money to their employers. Codey likes to talk tough when it is lightweight expendible morons like these two buffoons in another house of the Legislature. When will Dick Codey get a set of nuts and call on Wayne Bryant and Sharpe James to resign? Never. God forbid he speak ill of a fellow senator
Interesting...
The Democrats must calculate where their turnout comes from. If they feel there is going to be a GOP surge in West Essex 4 Meyerowitz, they probably go with Gartland or someone else from the 80/46 corridor out there. If they feel this is an African-American seat, they will pick one of the black woman trustees from South Orange. My guess is they go with the latter in order to preserve peace with the Black Caucus as well as neutralize Ed Marable from consuming votes in Orange.
why is it not ok to continue
why is it not ok to continue being an assemblyman but ok to still be the mayor?
why is it not ok to continue
Could it possibly be a DOUBLE STANDARD for DEMOCROOKS in New Jersey?