Alienating South Jersey - If Christie picked Allen he would be a sure in taking the North & South of Jersey.

SJ, is alredy gonna trend Red. The SJ support thta JSC received in 05 is eroded, but it doesnt matter. You can win by picking up change in SJ, the votes and the turnout is in the north and thats where JC needs to drum out support. Plus, there is no SJ Dem with enough savy, strength, or ideas to rise to this challenge. I say tht as a dedicated Dem, but the Dems down here are all either exGOPs or are outright terrible like Whelan and Van Drew, or are simply mediocre see Albano and Milam...Bergen votes for JC with or without a Bergen candidate anyway but Loretta is a good idea, I like it more and more each day. CC doesnt need Allen to get SJ support, he needs to pick off big blocks and he cant do that with an SJ candidate.

.....if she wants the job, and if Jon Corzine adopted a sufficiently aggressively progressive agenda to merit her being willing to consider the position.

The more progressive Corzione is, the larger will be his margin of victory in November.  People really are sick and tired of the same old Bush BS that they are being offered by Christie.

is the face of decay in Bergen. Just what jobs has she created in her district in the last 10 years. The answer is none. 

Weinberg has made a lot of enemies in bergen. I am not sure that dems in Bergen will fall in line as easily as Sen. Sarlo thinks.

1. Used her senatorial courtesy to block the re-appointment of Prosecutor Molinelli, and County Exec McNerney's appointment to the Governor's shared service commission.

2. Has a controversial position on Pascack Valley Hospital.

Sarlo might might be trying to push her into this job so that they can get her out of Bergen!

I though that it wasnt govt's job to create jobs..dont you want govt to do absolutely nothing?

on George W. Bush. It is a referendum on the failed and flawed polices of the Corzine administration. Don't worry, if Jon Corzine doesn't want to campaign on his record (and who can blame him), then Christie will make it well known what a terrible job Corzine has done.

Its actually a referendum on both. Christie's only claims to fame are his Bush Ashcroft ties. Its fair to describe him as a Bushie. Likewise Corzine's record will be up for debate

Senator Weinberg would be a great choice on many levels, but her early support for President Obama can only add to NJ's credibility at the White House---an important consideration. The greatest loss would be removing her from the Senate, given her impressive skills as a legislator. But overall, she will give an important tone to this newly created office and I can't think of anyone better suited or qualified to define the Lieutenant Governorship for future holders.

Progressive is a code word for liberal and liberal is the last thing NJ wants!

Higher Sales Tax?

Higher Income Tax?

More taxes disguised as fees?

Corzine is arguably the most liberal governor in the state. Democrats want to tilt the scales even further to the left by putting a 74-year old woman on the ticket who is to the left of Corzine?

This ticket will win the following counties:
Hudson, Essex, Union, Mercer and maybe Atlantic.

Christie will sweep the rest of the state including Bergen & Passaic.

Vote Column "A" - All the way!

She has alienated the entire middle/center of the D party in Bergen. Lento is in dreamland. Sarlo owes Loretta so he's got to be careful what he says.

LW would be a HUGE mistake.

You think Weinberg would hurt Corzine's chance in Bergen? The Democratic party in NJ knows best--far better than the Republicans--how to win NJ elections. Weinberg is entirely a political choice for Corzine.

The irony of the political bosses to excite the public about the possibility of a candidate that should be already elected to office as the choice everyone can live with. The shame of them to create an atmosphere of resentment between partisan leadership based on gender and race. Early in the primary the idea of a minority was the carrot for selection. Now its a choice between women. The Dems are only thinking about winning. No one wants to lead. Christie is the choice to lead NJ out of this catastrophe of patronage and corruption. I am sure that his choice for LG will shock the establishment, even some Republicans. "Let's Go To Work!"

Bryant corruption conviction stands
Saturday, June 06, 2009
By TRISH G. GRABER
tgraber@sjnewsco.com
TRENTON - A federal judge has ruled that former Sen. Wayne Bryant's corruption conviction will stand.

U.S. District Court Judge Freda Wolfson rejected the once-powerful senator's request to have the jury verdict overturned and denied his motion for a new trial.

In motions filed with the court, attorneys for both Bryant and his co-defendant, former University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Dean R. Michael Gallagher, had claimed that prosecutors presented evidence insufficient for a jury to reach a conviction.

"Contrary to defendants claims, the record contains evidence which demonstrates that defendants sought to engage in a quid pro quid arrangement where Bryant would be hired by SOM and compensated for prospective official actions taken in his capacity as a New Jersey Senator," Wolfson wrote in a 36-page opinion issued recently.

Bryant, who represented Gloucester and Camden counties in the Legislature for a quarter century, was convicted in November on 12 counts of fraud and bribery for taking a low-work job at the School of Osteopathic Medicine (SOM) in exchange for sending the Stratford school millions of dollars in state funding as head of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. Prosecutors said Bryant steered $10.5 million to SOM, the South Jersey branch of UMDNJ.

Bryant was also convicted of pension fraud for sending law firm associates to perform his work as solicitor for the Gloucester County Board of Social Services, where he made approximately $50,000-a-year.

Attorneys for Bryant argued that although the evidence may have shown that the senator took official acts that were beneficial to the school, prosecutors failed to demonstrate a link between his position and the benefits he received.

Judge Wolfson rejected that claim, saying the government presented testimony and evidence "from which a jury could infer that Bryant's primary duty was to secure additional funding for SOM." She added that the timing of his official actions and his receipt of a pensionable $35,000-a year-salary and a $5,000 bonus "were not mere coincidence."

The judge also rejected Bryant's attorneys claims that prosecutors failed to show criminal intent with regard to his job at the Gloucester County Board of Social Services. Between 2002 and 2006, Bryant completed 14.8 hours of work for the county while his subordinates performed 3,817.

Bryant had signed time sheets attesting to performing the work himself, Wolfson wrote. Additionally, former Gloucester County Freeholder Joseph Manganello testified that he personally warned Bryant in 1996 that he was required to do the work himself.

Wolfson said based on that testimony, the jury could infer that Bryant ignored Manganello's warning and proceeded to sign time-sheets that did not accurately reflect the time he spent on county work.

Attorneys for Gallagher, convicted on six counts of fraud and bribery for securing Bryant the $35,000-a-year post, also argued that prosecutors failed to prove his criminal intent.

Wolfson rejected that claim, writing that evidence presented showed that Gallagher falsified certain documents to ensure that Bryant would get a pensionable salary. And Gallagher received performance bonuses partially based on his ability to get state funding.

"The Government introduced sufficient evidence for the jury to find that Gallagher could personally benefit from his relationship with Bryant," Wolfson wrote.

Both men face more than 15 years in federal prison, although U.S. District Court Judge Freda Wolfson has wide discretion in handing down a sentence. Scheduling has been delayed since March 20. A new date has yet to be set.

How many small business have closed, moved or gone bust in her district ? A lot. 

Her anti small business policies, Her tax increases, her liberalism and anti American policies have put  many families out of business. 

Yes Gov does not create wealth and prosperity, but it sure can distroy it.

As they say about politics...Hollywood for ugly people.

Weinberg is a progressive, and yes, in many respects that's another aspect of the broader term "liberal".

This isn't the midwest, NJ voters don't go for right wing fanatacal zealots....hell even the NJ Republican's don't care for them very much!Eh?  :-)

New Jersey's problems are mostly traceable to our governance not being sufficiently progressive.

By your warped standards Chris Chritie is a "liberal" and "Lonegan be Gone Again" would have made a great governor! ROTFLMAO!!!  

And you have the nerve to label other people as "delusional"! :-)

So Mr Lonegan Loon, go back into your cold and dark metaphysical corner and get back to licking your wounds and gnashing your teeth.

PS Lose-again Lonegan will exploit the 15 seconds of fame his fanatcism has brought him and sell what's left of his soul for a radio show....and he ain't givin you any of the proceeds. lol How's it feel to have spent all that time being used to advance Lose-again's media career? Eh?

Check out Carol Hoernlein's excellent diary in support of Loretta Weinberg!  

http://www.bluejersey.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=11584

Here's part of what Carol had to say...

>>>"There has been a lot of speculation about who Corzine will nominate for Lt Gov.   One name on the short list is Senator Loretta Weinberg.  I had long hoped that the Senator would be considered for the post, but was not sure the tight-knit club down in Trenton would ever let her in.  However, it was originally Corzine who recommended the Senator for the District 37 slot over the wishes of the Bergen bosses.  The rest, as they say, is history.

As Senator, Weinberg nearly single-handedly brought democracy to Bergen County against all the odds and the folks who had given up hope long ago.  No one thought you could stand up to Joe Ferriero and walk away victorious.  People may say that it was Chris Christie who brought down Ferriero, but it was Democrats in the 37th who stood up to Joe and showed that the emperor had no clothes and that in fact, his designer brand was not only worthless, but a liability.  We all fought long and hard for nearly four years at the Senator's side to keep the hope of Democracy alive in Bergen County while Joe Ferriero's supporters forged documents, threw us off the line, or challenged us at elections.  We worked hard and we did it because we were inspired by Senator Weinberg's courage and unwavering moral compass.   She is a true leader who always kept the best interests of the people of NJ front and center."<<<  

I see some of the negative comments from Republicans up top...and that only serves to reinforce the fact that Weinberg would be a great option for LG!!!  Sarlo is 110% right on this one!!!

PS  Also, Weinberg would be a great hit with all the state's seniors too!!!   :-)

Meanwhile, do check out the rest of what Carol has to say!   http://www.bluejersey.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=11584