http://www.politickernj.com en http://www.politickernj.com/max/31156/garrett-smith-and-ongoing-post-cohen-era-roselle-war Roselle Mayor Garrett Smith needed this one, and so did the Union County Democratic Organization.  Those two mutually exclusive desires added up to one thing: a war. Ever since former Assemblyman Neil Cohen's (D-Roselle) career went belly up amid charges of keeping child porn on his computer, the battle lines for local party control intensified here in his town, which, depending on your perspective, is either a buffer for Westfield against the danger-zone of Elizabeth or a buffer for Elizabeth against the whitebread excesses of Westfield. A mild-mannered wonk in Trenton, Cohen could get tough in his hometown as head of the local party. He wasn't beyond delivering full-blown, profanity-laced public dress-downs to recalcitrant committee members as he dealt with the ongoing headache of Smith, a charismatic independent Democrat, originally from Jersey City, who built his name as head of a thriving local basketball league before seeking his first term as mayor in 2003. Smith and Cohen could grudgingly come together to beat on Republicans in presidential or gubernatorial general elections, but mostly they embroiled themselves in a Roselle battle-royale with themselves as chief antagonists. Adrian Mapp CHARLOTTE DEFILIPPO Chris Christie Garrett Smith Jamel Holley Joanne Rajjoppi Joe Menza JON CORZINE Neil Cohen Richard Gerbounka Roselle Sharon Robinson-Briggs Union County Local Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:16:00 -0400 Max Pizarro 31156 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickernj.com/joey-novick/31152/bailout-madoff-not-making-everyone-happy Bailout of Madoff Not Making Everyone Happy Special to AP Newswire With 700 billion dollars being spent on the General  Motors bailout, AIG, and many other financial institutions, “the money is flowing from Washington like sh*t through a goose”, as described by one “Congressman from the 3rd district of Alabama”, who asked not to be named. bailout Madoff Local Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:48:00 -0400 Joey_Novick 31152 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/31148/weekend-tv “Reporters Roundtable with Michael Aron” Aron hosts Mary Fuchs of The Star-Ledger, The Record’s Al Doblin, The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jonathan Tamari and yours truly, Matt Friedman.  We’ll discuss the budget, the race for governor and the gubernatorial candidates’ newfound time to pick a running mate.   Airs: Friday at 7pm, Sunday at 10am on NJN “On the Record” Michael Aron hosts a show consisting of excerpts from Chris Christie testifying before a U.S. House Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law in Washington, DC. Airs: Sunday at 9am and 11am, Monday at 6:30am “New Jersey Now” U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-Hoboken) talks about reopening the crown of the Statue of Liberty and Hispanic contributions to the United States; Cuban-American Assembly members Caridad Rodriguez (D-West New York) and Vincent Prieto (D-Jersey City) talk about coming from Cuba to the U.S.; Iraq vet and former congressional/freeholder candidate Tom Roughneen discusses veterans’ contributions.   Airs: Sunday at 12pm "Power and Politics" Democratic strategist Julie Roginsky and Republican lobbyist Roger Bodman talk about the gubernatorial race; Eagleton Institute New Jersey Project Director Ingrid Reed gives her take; and Dr. Bart Rossi, psychologist and self proclaimed political junkie , analyzes candidates’ body language.  Hosted by Jim McQueeney and Laura Jones. Airs: Saturday and Sunday at 10am and 3pm on New 12 New Jersey http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/31148/weekend-tv#comments Local Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:50:00 -0400 Matt Friedman 31148 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/31147/njn-gets-new-temporary-executive-director NJN executive Janice Selinger was appointed temporary acting executive director on Tuesday, the network announced today. Selinger replaces former anchor Kent Manahan, who was NJN’s acting executive director. The New Jersey Public Broadcasting Authority’s Board of Commissioners, which now counts Manahan a a member, made the decision.   The 12-time Emmy Award winning Selinger has been with the network since 1979, and has served as its deputy executive director for production and executive producer of national and local documentaries. Janice Selinger Kent Manahan Local Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:30:00 -0400 Matt Friedman 31147 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/31142/christie-obama-visit-budget-poll-numbers-and-albin-confirmation HAMILTON -- Republican gubernatorial nominee Chris Christie said he doesn’t know for sure whether any of President Obama’s luster will rub off on embattled Gov. Jon Corzine when he visits in support of him later this month, but he doubts it.  “I firmly do believe that it’s not a race about President Obama. I think it’s a race about Jon Corzine and his record, and me and my vision for what the future would be,” said Christie.  “I don’t think New Jerseyans are going to decide how to vote based upon who comes and visits.” Obama, who remains popular in New Jersey, is set to campiagn with Corzine on July 16 at Rutgers University.    PolitickerNJ.com serendipitously ran into Christie at Panera Bread on Route 130 in Hamilton, where he was lunching with his security consultant, former State Police Major Al DelVento, in between campaign stops in Trenton and Hamilton.  In a three minute interview, Christie answered two other questions before hitting the Turnpike: one on state Supreme Court Justice Barry Albin’s confirmation to tenure until mandatory retirement at age 70, and one on a poll that showed public support for Governor Corzine’s budget. http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/31142/christie-obama-visit-budget-poll-numbers-and-albin-confirmation#comments Barack Obama Barry Albin Chris Christie JON CORZINE Local Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:01:00 -0400 Matt Friedman 31142 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/31130/journal-florida-authorities-looking-lopez Former council candidate Jimmy King’s complaint against Nidia Lopez has grown some legs in Jersey City and Orlando. The Jersey Journal reports today that Florida officials are investigating Lopez for claiming a tax break on her Orlando home that required her to be a permanent resident, and that they’re seeking repayment of the money she saved from it. PolitickerNJ.com first reported on Tuesday that defeated King filed a complaint against Lopez attempting to invalidate her election.   Lopez was sworn in yesterday.  At the inauguration ceremony, she said that she did not want to talk about the charges because it was a “day for celebration,” but referred inquiries about it to her attorney, William Northgrave.  http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/31130/journal-florida-authorities-looking-lopez#comments Ben Lopez Jerramiah Healy Nidia Rivera Lopez Local Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:36:00 -0400 Matt Friedman 31130 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickernj.com/max/31127/blanco-sworn-corzine-bucked-menendez PASSAIC - Standing in the midst of a melting pot audience, with Latinos, Jews and African Americans dominant in a crowd that also contained a smattering of Italians and Indians, and probably sprinklings of just about everything else given Passaic and Passaic pride, School Board member Salim Patel requested a hand for the first Dominican-American mayor in the United States. There was clapping. Then Mayor Alex Blanco stood, and the School No. 6 auditorium erupted. As usual at these big ticket events here in Passaic, the mayor had top-tier love in the room in the form of Gov. Jon Corzine and U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-Hoboken), who both backed Blanco for mayor earlier this year.   "If you truly love Passaic, you must help him succeed, because in his success, the people of Passaic succeed," Menendez said. Child of immigrant parents Blanco went to the podium early, but not before Menendez spoke, wringing a laugh-line out of a setup created by the cheering section for Councilman-elect Terrance L. Love, the governing body's lone black.  http://www.politickernj.com/max/31127/blanco-sworn-corzine-bucked-menendez#comments Alex Blanco Chris Christie Gary Schaer Gerry Fernandez Joe Gacia JON CORZINE Maritza Colon-Montanez Robert Menendez Terrence Love Governor Local Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:04:00 -0400 Max Pizarro 31127 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickernj.com/max/31126/lesniak-wants-ags-opinion-encap-schaer-requests-signing-ceremony-governor PASSAIC - The backroom wrangling on EnCap ain't over. "We're studying it," Gov. Jon Corzine said of a reform bill on the subject that passed overwhelmingly in the legislature a week ago. Senate President Richard Codey (D-Roseland) called a vote last Thursday evening on the reform bill authored by Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Teaneck), Sen. Bob Gordon (D-Paramus) and Assemblyman Gary Schaer (D-Passaic), overriding Sen. Ray Lesniak's (D-Elizabeth) 11th-hour worries as Lesniak and Schaer sat in Corzine's office. Lesniak fretted that some of the bill's sharper edges might undercut his economic stimulus bill, and he told Schaer he had the votes to kill a piece of legislation Schaer's worked for two and a half years. Schaer called his bluff, and demanded a machine vote in the Assembly. Codey, meanwhile, went ahead and opened the machines on the Senate side. "This is a bill that demands accountability and transparency so that we avoid another Encap," said Weinberg, referring to the State of New Jersey's infamous attempt to resusitate a Bergen garbage dump into a golf course, which resulted in a more than $300 million killzone for taxpayers.   Gary Schaer JON CORZINE Loretta Weinberg Ray Lesniak Richard Codey Robert Gordon Ron Rice Governor Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:49:00 -0400 Max Pizarro 31126 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/31125/healy-says-challenge-lopez-part-pattern Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy today called former council candidate Jimmy King’s residency challenge to newly sworn in Councilwoman Nidia Rivera Lopez “sour grapes to the 10th power.”   “This is an effort to achieve through the courts what couldn’t be achieved through the election process, and you know, the election wasn’t even close,” said Healy just after being sworn in to a second full term as mayor.  “Her not living here is a joke.  She of course lives here. She does have a house in Florida.” Lopez, who ran on Healy’s slate, beat King, who ran on former Assemblyman Lou Manzo’s, on the first ballot.  Manzo and his at-large running mate, former Hudson County Sheriff Joseph Cassidy, tried to knock Healy out of the race through legal challenges, alleging that he tried to use his position as Jersey City Mayor to dissuade Bradley Beach police officers from arresting him for obstruction of justice in 2006. http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/31125/healy-says-challenge-lopez-part-pattern#comments Jerramiah Healy Jimmy King Nidia Rivera Lopez Local Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:26:00 -0400 Matt Friedman 31125 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickernj.com/max/31122/cammarano-sworn-mayor-zimmer-elected-council-president-hoboken HOBOKEN - Hoboken Now reports that Hoboken Mayor Peter Cammarano assumed the oath of office today shortly before the council unanimously elected 4th Ward Councilwoman Dawn Zimmer as council president. While Cammarano defeated Zimmer in a run-off election last month, the councilwoman's three running mates won in the earlier May 12th election. Second Ward Councilwoman (and failed mayoral candidate) Beth Mason's endorsement of Zimmer over Cammarano in the runoff signaled her alliance with Zimmer and yet another Zimmer vote on the council. It was Mason who nominated Zimmer today for council president, according to Hoboken Now.  Beth Mason Dawn Zimmer Peter Cammarano Local Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:50:00 -0400 Max Pizarro 31122 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickernj.com/max/31120/menza-steps-divided-town-hall-drama-he-assumes-office-hillside HILLSIDE - This little, oft-dispected town practically buried under a criss-cross of highways in the muscled-up arms of Newark on one side and Elizabeth on the other today showed little sign of breaking a four-year standoff between mayor and council as Joe Menza assumed the oath of office several hours before the council's reorganization meeting this evening. Real estate developer Menza beat the local Democratic Party machine on May 12th when he defeated At-Large Councilman Jerome Jewell, a staunch ally of local party chair Charlotte DeFilippo, who also runs the county party. DeFillipo allies still controls five seats on the seven-member governing body, but Menza kicked off his mayoralty by letting the crowd of 150 people here know that under the Faulkner Act, it is his responsibility to prepare and submit an annual operating budget and to sign all contracts, and he doesn't intend to abdicate those powers. On the contrary, "The buck stops right here, you can expect that from me," announced the new mayor, moments after taking the oath at the prompting of substitute Township Judge Geoffrey Gechtman. CHARLOTTE DEFILIPPO Garrett Smith Grace Spencer Hillside Jerome Jewell Joe Menza John Kulish Richard Gerbounka Ron Rice Governor Local Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:34:00 -0400 Max Pizarro 31120 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/31118/corzine-prepares-bask-obamas-glow President Obama’s planned trip to New Jersey later this month gave Governor Corzine a fresh opportunity to tie his campaign to the popular president today. “[Obama] is a friend. He said it publicly.  He thinks that what we are doing on a lot of issues is exactly what he is trying to bring to bear in the country at large,” said Corzine this afternoon as he was walking out of Jersey City Jerramiah Healy’s swearing in ceremony. Healy, who unlike Corzine was an early Obama supporter, brought up his “friend at 1,600 Pennsylvania Avenue” countless times during the campaign.  But in making the connection, the Mayor had to settle for two-year-old footage of him and the then-Senator from Illinois at a campaign stop in Jersey City.  Now it is Corzine’s turn to hitch his campaign to Obama, who in a poll released this morning had a 61% approval rating in New Jersey (Corzine’s is 36%).  And because of the higher profile nature of the gubernatorial race – and perhaps also because the outcome will rightly or wrongly be interpreted as a referendum on Obama – Corzine gets the president in person.   Corzine said that the selection of former Corzine cabinet official Lisa Jackson to become EPA Administrator shows that he and Obama are on the same page. http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/31118/corzine-prepares-bask-obamas-glow#comments Local Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:18:00 -0400 Matt Friedman 31118 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/31113/healy-sworn-second-full-term JERSEY CITY -- After easily winning a low-turnout election in May, Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy was sworn into his second full term today. The event, which was formal but with the occasional dose of humor, was attended by the state’s top politicians: Gov. Jon Corzine, U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-Cliffside Park) and U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-Hoboken), who argued that Healy, having won 53% of the vote in a five man race, had won a mandate based on his five-year record.   Also sworn in were the city’s nine council members, most of whom were already incumbents.  All but one of them ran on Healy’s slate.      Healy gave 30 minute policy-focused inaugural speech that he seemed anxious to get through, occasionally stopping to tell the audience that he was almost done and asking the person running his teleprompter to speed things up. http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/31113/healy-sworn-second-full-term#comments BOB MENENDEZ Frank Lautenberg Jerremiah Healy JON CORZINE Local Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:31:00 -0400 Matt Friedman 31113 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/31114/vega-still-jersey-city-council-president JERSEY CITY – Mariano Vega has held on to the city Jersey City council presidency for another term.Councilman-at-large Peter Brennan had waged a behind-the-scenes campaign for the spot, and despite Mayor Jerramiah Healy’s declared support for Vega, he had the support of almost half the council. At about 12:50pm, Councilwoman Willie Flood – who was the deciding vote -- told PolitickerNJ.com that she had still not made up her mind.  But she apparently later said that she had given Mayor Jerremiah Healy "my word," and would support Vega.By the time the reorganization council meeting convened this afternoon, the race was over.  The council, including Brennan, voted unanimously for Vega.  http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/31114/vega-still-jersey-city-council-president#comments Mariano Vega Peter Brennan Local Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:31:00 -0400 Matt Friedman 31114 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickernj.com/max/31111/obama-rally-corzine-july-16th President Barack Obama will join Gov. Jon Corzine for a rally at Rutgers University in New Brunswick on July 16th, according to an email message the governor sent to supporters this morning. "President Obama isn't just a close friend of mine; he's a great friend to our state," wrote the governor. "After eight long years, we finally have a partner in Washington who shares our values and vision for a more progressive New Jersey. "Together, we are creating green jobs, providing universal access to healthcare for kids, protecting the most vulnerable among us, and ensuring all our children have access to a quality education -- regardless of where they live." This is not the first time the governor, down by double digits in most polls, has turned to a top tier presence in this campaign cycle. Vice President Joe Biden joined Corzine for his general election launch on June 2nd. http://www.politickernj.com/max/31111/obama-rally-corzine-july-16th#comments President Barack Obama JON CORZINE Governor Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:01:00 -0400 Max Pizarro 31111 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/31108/three-hours-go-race-jersey-city-council-president-continues The race for Jersey City council president is going down to the wire. Standing on stage at New Jersey City University just before being sworn in to another term, Councilman-at-Large Peter Brennan said that he’s still making a go for the position currently held by Mariano Vega, who hopes to hold onto it.   The decision will be made at the first meeting of the new city council at 1pm today.  While some expect the matter to be settled before it comes up for a formal vote, as of right now the council is split, according to Brennan.  Brennan counts four votes for himself, four votes for Vega and one undecided: at-large Councilwoman Willie Flood. “It’s been friendly.  Everybody’s working together,” said Brennan. Vega has the support of Mayor Jerramiah Healy, who is being sworn in to his second full term today.   Mariano Vega Peter Brennan Willie Flood Local Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:18:00 -0400 Matt Friedman 31108 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/31089/fdu-christie-leads-corzine-6 Republican Chris Christie leads incumbent Democrat Jon Corzine in the race for governor by six points, according to a Fairleigh Dickinson University PublicMind poll released this morning. Christie leads Corzine 45% to 39% -- a slight decrease in Christie’s margin since of the last FDU survey in April, which put him ahead by 9%.    “Even though it’s early in the campaign, it is remarkable that a Republican is running ahead in New Jersey,” said FDU political science professor and poll director Peter Woolley. Corzine’s favorability rating and approval rating are both upside down --  31% favorable to 54% unfavorable, and 36% approval to 49% disapproval.  But his numbers are particularly problematic among Democrats, 48% of whom see him favorably and 37% of whom have an unfavorable impression of him.    Sixty-six percent of Democratic voters say they’ll support Corzine, while 20% prefer Christie and 13% are undecided.   “The governor’s key weakness right now is among Democrats,” said Woolley.  http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/31089/fdu-christie-leads-corzine-6#comments Chris Christie JON CORZINE Peter Woolley Governor Wed, 01 Jul 2009 05:00:00 -0400 Matt Friedman 31089 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickernj.com/alan-steinberg/31105/cap-and-trade-disaster-and-new-jersey-gop The legendary sports journalist, Jimmy Cannon of the now defunct New York Journal-American said of Howard Cosell: “His real name is Howard Cohen, he wears a toupee, and he claims to tell it like it is.” Of Leonard Lance, it may similarly be said:  He voted as a state Senator to reappoint Deborah Poritz as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, he voted as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for the Democrat cap-and-trade proposal on greenhouse gases, and he claims to be a mainstream Republican. http://www.politickernj.com/alan-steinberg/31105/cap-and-trade-disaster-and-new-jersey-gop#comments Chris Smith Frank LoBiondo House Leonard Lance Op/Ed President Obama Local Wed, 01 Jul 2009 01:09:00 -0400 Alan Steinberg 31105 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickernj.com/max/31102/cwa-formally-seals-deal-state The Communication Workers of America (CWA) today voted 68.8% to 31.2% in favor of an agreement reached earlier this month with the Corzine Administration that ensures no layoffs for 18 months and defers a contractual wage increase until January of 2011.  According to a release issued by the CWA, over 13,000 members participated in the vote, with 8,977 voting in the affirmative and 4,078 voting no.  http://www.politickernj.com/max/31102/cwa-formally-seals-deal-state#comments Chris Christie CWA JON CORZINE Governor Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:12:00 -0400 Max Pizarro 31102 at http://politicker.com http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/31099/christie-social-positions-are-his-web-site It has been almost two weeks since Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie’s campaign, citing technical reasons, removed the “Shared Values” section from their Web site, in which outlined some of Christie’s more socially conservative positions on abortion and same sex marriage.   Democrats have played up the deletion with a sense of humor, setting up “Christie’s Values Clock” to count down each day that the information has not been restored.   But Christie’s Web site does contain his positions on abortion and same-sex marriage in its Frequently Asked Questions section.  In it, Christie outlined his position against abortion except in cases of rape, incest and when the mothers’ life is at stake and stated that, if elected, he will seek a 24 hour waiting period and a parental notification law.  He also wrote that he has “no issue with same sex couples sharing contractual rights, but I believe that marriage should remain the exclusive domain of one man and one woman.” http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/31099/christie-social-positions-are-his-web-site#comments Chris Christie JON CORZINE Governor Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:02:00 -0400 Matt Friedman 31099 at http://politicker.com