IN RESPONSE TO CLEAN ELECTIONS COURT DECISION, WEINBERG SAYS: ‘NJ SHOULD CONCENTRATE ON PAY-TO-PLAY AND ETHICS REFORM’

Teaneck – In response to today’s announcement regarding the U.S. Appeals Court’s decision ruling that the ‘rescue money’ in the Clean Elections law is unconstitutional, State Senator Loretta Weinberg (D-Teaneck) announced that she agrees with Speaker Joe Roberts in the suspension of all future Clean Elections pilot programs in New Jersey until the courts have made their final rulings on this issue.

“There is much to do in New Jersey in the way of reforming our pay-to-play laws,” said Weinberg. “I agree with Speaker Roberts. Our state should concentrate on improving the integrity of our government by passing strict pay-to-play legislation, while we await the court decision on Clean Elections funding.”

Senator Loretta Weinberg is the prime sponsor of many bills that address ethics reform and pay-to-play, many of which are currently still awaiting the vote of the full legislature.

Some of Weinberg’s bills include:

• S1020 – takes aim at a growing problem in which campaigns are funded by developers who then reap the reward of contracts, preferential treatment and influence of the use of eminent domain;
• S1024 – would sharply reduce the process known as “wheeling” which allows political parties to skirt campaign contribution limits;
• S97 – The State Authorities Reform Act would combat the “shadow government” of independent state authorities by, among other things, requiring an annual outside audit and reforming procurement procedures;
• S930 – The Party Democracy Act, which forces county political parties to act in accordance with their bylaws, use an independent secret ballot (voting machines) and to make their membership available to the public.
• S2099 – will prevent abuse of our pension system by requiring that appointed officials work a 35 hour week to obtain health and pension benefits.

“I have 18 bills in the legislature that run the gamut on ethics reform from pay-to-play to government transparency to combating waste, fraud and abuse, including a proposed bill that will subject election funds of candidates for party office, such as County Chairs, to the same disclosure and transparency requirements that candidates for public office must abide by,” said Senator Weinberg.

“There is no question that New Jersey has had its share of corrupt politicians and elected officials. It is up to this legislature to change the ‘status quo’ of the way we do business in New Jersey. The ball is in our court. We owe it to New Jersey residents to institute real reform.”