Cohen under investigation for child pornography
By Matt Friedman | July 24th, 2008 - 8:57pmMultiple sources say that Democratic Assemblyman Neil Cohen is under investigation by state authorities over allegations that he had child pornography on his legislative office computer.
According to the sources, Cohen has reportedly checked into a nearby psychiatric facility and has not yet been arrested.
Contacted on her cell phone, Cohen chief-of-staff Gleisha Givens said “no comment.”
On Friday morning, Lee Moore, spokesman for Attorney General Anne Milgram, told PolitickerNJ.com, "Our standard policy is we don't confirm or deny investigations."
Meanwhile, the Star-Ledger reports that authorities were tipped off by fellow Union County legislators Ray Lesniak and Joseph Cryan.
Cryan and Lesniak issued a statement on the matter, writing “As the facts became apparent in our office, we notified the appropriate agency and will continue to assist in any way possible. While it was our proactive steps that led the investigation to this point, we are appalled at what has transpired."
The Bergen Record also has a version of the story that points out that Cohen sponsored a bill in 2001 that created a computer hotline to report child pornography and other cyber crimes.
A lawyer who graduated from Howard University in Washington, D.C. and came to politics through the American Civil Rights movement and the example of Bobby Kennedy, Cohen has held office in the Assembly since 1994.
"It's a good office we have," he once said of the 20th Legislative District headquarters where he worked with Lesniak and Cryan. "We complement one another. Ray has the inside game, Joe does the state politics and I'm the policy guy."
He currently serves as deputy speaker, and chairman of the Banking and Insurance Committee. Earlier this year, he authored a stem cell research bill which received national attention.
Today's news shocked Cohen's colleagues from both sides of the aisle. Assemblyman Jon Bramnick, a Republican form the neighboring 21st district, hoped the news wasn't true.
"Obviously everybody’s innocent until proven guilty. I’m in absolute shock because he’s such a passionate legislator and so committed to the underdog. It’s hard for me to believe it’s true," said Bramnick. "All I want to say is that I just really like the guy, and I hope that it’s not true.”
"He's a good legislator, who took on a lot of tough, intricate legislation," said Assemblyman Thomas Giblin (D-Essex).
Assemblywoman L. Grace Spencer (D-Essex), serves as vice chair of the Banking and Insurance Committee.
"This is a major blow to the legislature," she said. "There are not that many brilliant legislators in Trenton. This is a man who conceives of ideas and puts them to paper. He’s original. Most legislators rely on the Office of Legislative Services to draft things for them. In this case, OLS relies on him to draft."
Spencer described Cohen as a gifted and compassionate plaintiff’s attorney, who would regularly pick up clients even if they didn't have money to pay.
"If he saw something wrong he was going to stand up against it," Spencer said of Cohen "I can't believe some of the rates people would pay - very low. He’s a people’s kind of lawyer."
Cohen was the first assemblyperson to publicly endorse U.S. Sen. Barack Obama for president, and worked as a grassroots organizer for the campaign in New Jersey and in Philadelphia, where he delivered a busload of GOTV volunteers this past April.
"I think about all of the things - all of the people - he’s affected in positive ways," Spencer added. "Everything will be tainted a certain color. If it's true, it's not excusable."
Staff Writer Max Pizarro contributed to this report
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Implications?
Stem cell research won't happen for a while now...
"Mr. Abortion" Gets His...
It proves that the people most enthusiastic about destroying unborn human life are those most likely to engage in this sick behavior.
This sure says something about the types of people whose top priority in life is pushing their form of "morality" on others. Now we know what kind of "morality" Cohen and his fellow abortion loving liberals really believe in.
Mountaintop full of baloney
What about all the right wingers (like Larry Craig, David Vitter, etc) who push their form of morality on others while engaging in "immoral" activities in their spare time? Don't try to turn the Neil Cohen thing into a "liberals are bad" example. What Cohen did is inexcusable, but Republican hypocrisy runs FAR DEEPER than Democratic hypocrisy...
Who's next? Corzine and Company!
Child Porn has nothing to do with abortion. The entire democrat party in New Jersey is an abortion, while spending tons of money promoting their libral views, and stealing from the suburbs to buy votes in our corrupt cities. This is simply a case of: "Another One Bites the Dust". What another disgrace. "Go girlfriend", keep voting Democrat in NJ!
Check off another Trenton Democrat.....
.....they seem to be dropping like flies.....
About Time
Is anyone surprised? Cohen was a creep who wanted to take our tax money and send it overseas as well as let rabid dogs free on society. AND the praise from other legislators right now really isnt edifying.
Sure, I am from the government and I am here to help you
As we get closer and closer to 200 elected New Jersey public officials being prosecuted for corruption and other charges in the last 4 years is it no wonder why we no longer trust any of our elected officials in the great "pay to play" capitol of this Country? Sure, and they all continue to say, "We will only use Eminent Domain to take your home as a last resort". Throw the bums out!!
Sicko
enough said...should have no mercy if these alligations are true.
and the right wing freaks come out
Only the most bizarro, fundamentalist right-wingers (Moderate Republicans: scarily enough, these are who you are voting with when you pull that "Republican" lever.), perhaps also quoting Levetical law and claiming that the Earth was made in seven days, would turn a tragedy like this into a moment of demagoguery for their extremist views.
Let the process play out: If Neil Cohen is guilty, he should be punished. But don't make false equivalencies with abortion rights and stem cell research as somehow being on par with child porn.
MartinOne loves to defend corrupt Trenton Democrats.....
.....even ones with child porn on their computers that ran over to a mental ward as the news broke.
That my friends, is the definition of a partisan hack.....
Actually, Martin
It is the left and the ACLU that fights for the "rights" of NAMBLA. NAMBLA, of course, is the acronym for the North American Man/Boy Love Association.
Demogogue that!
"I figure people drift toward liberalism at a young age, and I always hope that they change when they see how the world really is.”
- Johnny Ramone
The sorry state of our democracy's politics
This flame war exemplifies the devolution of our American political discourse into barbaric gangs of apes throwing feces at each other. As Walt Kelly (Pogo) once said: "We have met the enemy and he is US."
Hopefully...
...Cohen will get sent down to Louisiana so Bobby Jindal can burn his balls off.
Sick bastard.
He sucks you guys right in. So consider yourself sucked!- Bill Parcells
If true, this is beyond
If true, this is beyond horrifying and tragic. But it is a personal disgrace. Painting it partisan, or in any way related to stem cell research or the right to choose, must be rejected by any thinking person.
Sorry, duplicate
Please ignore my mistake.
It doesn't prove anything.
It doesn't prove anything. There a great deal pro-lifers who are the most oppressive, judgmental, ignorant people I've met, but then there also so many who are the sweetest, loving and most charitable. Many people have also done some nasty, horrible things in the name of religion. And some have done honorable, beautiful things. Pro-choicers aren't the only ones who force their "morality" on others.. Pro-lifers do it as well. It works both ways.
No sane person loves abortion. They just love having the option to decide.
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