Strange bedfellows in Bergen County
By Matt Friedman, PolitickerNJ.com ReporterBergen County Democratic Organization lawyer Dennis Oury has a friend in Steve Lonegan.
Lonegan, the outspoken conservative mayor of Bogota and PoliticsNJ.com contributor, said he plans to join Oury in a lawsuit against the state’s pay-to-play laws.
“I believe in unlimited contributions and full disclosure, and if the people don’t like it they’ll vote you out of office,” said Lonegan. “We don’t need government bureaucrats telling us what’s right and wrong.”
Oury recently told The Bergen Record’s Charles Stile that he planned to file a lawsuit asking the court to strike down the state’s two-year-old pay to play laws, which limit contributions from contractors.
The 2005 GOP gubernatorial candidate analogized Republicans taking up pay to play legislation to Ronald Reagan capitulating to the Soviet Union and engaging in disarmament rather than building up the military. The pay-to-play issue, he said, is a “political diversion” meant to take attention away from high taxes and government spending – something he said is only partially brought about by corruption, of which pay-to-play is just one part.
Lonegan said he isn’t particularly close with Oury, but was willing to join him either as a Co-plaintiff or by filing an amicus brief.
“I know Dennis a little bit. He’s obviously a Democrat, I’m clearly on the opposite side of the political spectrum,” said Lonegan. “But I understand that to get your message out you have to raise money and you have to be able to inspire people. And if you can’t do that, I don’t think you’re qualified to win.
Oury’s announcement drew the ire of the 37th district Democrats, two of whom sponsored the legislation and who are often at odds with Bergen County Democratic Chairman Joseph Ferriero.
State Sen. Loretta Weinberg, who co-authored the legislation when she was still in the Assembly in 2004, said she had no quarrel with Lonegan opposing the legislation. Her problem was that Oury was threatening to sue on behalf of the BCDO, an organization she belongs to.
"“Steve Lonegan is very much an individualist. And as I said, whatever he wants to do as a person who resides in the state of New Jersey he’s free to do,” said Weinberg. “He’s not doing it on behalf of the borough of Bogota, of which he is mayor. There’s a big difference with what he’s decided to do, versus Mr. Oury speaking out for the almost 2,000 elected county committee people, Mayors, Councilmembers, state legislators, Freeholders, etc. that make up the BCDO.”
Contributors
Wally Edge
If Paul Sarlo becomes the new Senate Judiciary Chairman when John Adler leaves for Washington in January, Senate President Richard Codey will ... >
Bob Torricelli
There's nothing more difficult to see than the history before your eyes. It sometimes takes generations to understand the significance of ... >
Michael Patrick Carroll
OK, he didn't say precisely that, but when the Chairman of the Budget Committee informs us that governmental spending is the key to prosperity, ... >
Debbie Holtz
The Star Ledger got it right last April when it gave a thumb's-up to the NJN management plan to wean “the state's only public ... >
Steve Lonegan
The sub prime mortgage melt down and its ensuing financial “crisis” has tested the mettle of all of us who believe in and support the free ... >
Dr. Joseph Marbach
I am pleased to report the results from the first national poll conducted by Environmental Studies Program in the College of Arts and Sciences at ... >
Rob Tornoe
To view a larger version of this cartoon, click here. >
Michael P. Riccards
The media, which loves headlines and knows little history, is trying to sell President Elect Obama as another Franklin Delano Roosevelt. But that ... >
Joey Novick
Whenever I get the chance to visit my parents in Florida when working a comedy gig down there, it’s like living in a “Seinfeld” episode. They ... >
Juan Melli
In an election year driven by a hemorrhaging economy and an electorate hungry for an end to divisive politics, 7th Congressional District candidate ... >
Carla Katz
A couple of weeks ago, my mother, Angelina Katz, did her second debate on behalf of Barack Obama. A debate? My mother? If you knew her, you’d be ... >
Patricia Quattrocchi
Former State Senator Wayne Bryant got a smack on the back of the head from a jury of his peers today when they found him guilty of all eleven charges ... >
Hot Topics
| Politicker INTERACTIVE | |
 |
Lawmaker Profile Follow the funding of your representatives |
 |
270 to Win See how Obama got to the magic number |
Most Active Stories
- Bryant guilty on all counts
- Merkt calls for Wilson's resignation
- After running as a local Obama, Hawkins runs early into the hard edge of Orange
- Obama bundler says he lost $25 billion of N.J. pension funds
- If it's Corzine v. Christie, both sides get ready for the worst
- Quinnipiac: Corzine 42%, Christie 36%
- Mallet defeats Curley, Monmouth Freeholder Board becomes Democratic-controlled
- Karrow announces state senate bid
- Dredden would serve as RSC chairman if asked
- Potential Rumana challenger says Assembly might not be his vehicle for change
- Correction: Weiner departure was not his own idea
- Torricelli on COAH
- Two N.J. super delegates go to Obama; Norcross backs Obama; key Clinton supporters endorse Obama
- At energy policy meeting, Rose fights with cabinet and walks away
- Sixteen Democrats are on Norcross' short list for Andrews House seat
- Roughneen in court today on signature challenge
- Jackson will be Corzine's new Chief of Staff
- New Jersey's Most Powerful Law Firms
- Jersey City councilman makes it rain in Washington
- Torricelli on deer hunting
Recent Posts From Inside Edge
Quote of the Day
"What's been happening in the markets has brought out so many emotions. ... We are feeling it too. Our job is to be level-headed and cool and to run the portfolio. I think we are going to turn this around." -- An optimistic William Clark, the director of the state division of investment, after losing $25 billion in pension funds since July.
Recent Press Releases
In the News
Read the expanded Wake Up Call, our summary of today’s news media coverage.
Today’s Must Reads:
Christie's legcy― THE BERGEN RECORD
Corzine for Treasury? Don't Bet on It.― WASHINGTON POST
Immigrants still in New Jersey― THE BERGEN RECORD
Now it's the Dems' chance to be dumb― PAUL MULSHINE
Corzine likely to go nowhere― THE DAILY RECORD
SILENT ON CHARGE; LIPSKI TELLS OF ALCOHOL BATTLE― STEVEN LIPSKI
Reclaiming the narrative of an enlightened nation ― CORY BOOKER
Syndicate
Qualified to win?
The comment was made in this article: “But I understand that to get your message out you have to raise money and you have to be able to inspire people. And if you can’t do that, I don’t think you’re qualified to win." Yes, to win you have to be able to inspire people. You have to be honest and sincere and logical and have good ideas that people can relate to and that they think are useful and workable. But I see two dissimilar qualifications listed in that quote and it's not clear which the speaker intended to be the "qualification" to win... what IS discouraging and HAS been the problem in the past is that perhaps the speaker considers the ability to raise money as the qualification to win -- since the article's topic was fund raising. No wonder we have laws proposed that make no sense; laws proposed that are so ambiguous they get thrown out later by the courts; laws passed that those who vote on them don't understand or haven't even tried to -- if their qualification was fund raising and not logical thinking and true concern for public welfare, that would explain the mess much of our government is in now.
strange bedfellows
I tend to oversimplify, so if this is ludicrous, at least it will start your day with a giggle. I think any law (other than maybe individual HC Democrats being restricted to voting in only 16 different districts on the same day) can be changed.
Think about it.
How's about: The pay for play money instead of going to the candidate - be used to pay for that new town walkway or depending on the size of the community - have the p.t.p money go to that new fire engine or senior kitchen or pay for the town mailing cost or whatever? Of course with the 'donator and recipient's name on it. If hospitals can have wings "donated by", I just don't know why municipalities can't have maybe a new garbage truck or something with perhaps a "Donated by friends of Emilio Fathashamediga".
Don't you think that Assemblyperson Valerie Vanieri Huttle would gladly donate professional services to a Republican Donater?
gotta leave that 3rd cup of coffee alone.
Oh well, the real political season begins Tuesday.
Hope everybody had a decent summer.
Right on the Money, Jaysee
Couldn't agree more. With fundraising and not policy, ideology or true concern for the public welfare as the primary qualification for public office, it is no wonder New Jersey is suffering from the corruption blues.
Inspiring Contractors ?
This Pay to Play has nothing to do with the little guy. Contractors buy the platform and the tax payer pays period!!
Oury's self preservation
How many public positions does this guy hold? How many family members does he have on the payroll? How many public contracts does Ferriero have? How about his law firm? What has happened in Bergen County is that non-elected individuals like Ferriero and Oury have more to say about the operation of government than the very people elected. is it a coincidence that the Board of Freeholders is infested with individuals who don't have the financial capabilities nor the political support to even run a municipal campaign much less a countywide effort? How does a one-term Ramsey councilwoman who loses by landslide proportions in her hometown become a freeholder? Ferriero chose her. Not the county committee, Ferriero. The same goes for everybody else on that board. Not one of them could ever raise the money necessary for victory so all of them owe their political exsistence to the BCDO and Ferriero. The days of a Doris Mahalick, John Curran or Gerry Calabrese on the board are over. If you are not a hand-picked candidate of the Chairman, you have no chance of winning unless you intend to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars in a primary effort. This is why Weinberg's last minute deal and capitulation to Ferriero was so damaging. Here she is once again complaining instead of doing. Had Weinberg ran a full, countywide ticket she would have won. She would have bounced the likes of Padilla and these other incumbents who have no vote getting abilities. The BCDO would have been forced to reform itself and the party would have gained from such a battle. The BCDO has no primary operation and lacks the ability to mount a primary effectively. Other than the line, what do they offer? Bergen voters are not sheep. They will vote for candidates off the line. The embarassment continues...
Smoke and Mirrors
Ferriero and Oury have pulled off a masterful coup. By claiming to file a lawsuit against "pay to play" and taking the role of the "bad guys", they allow their candidates to criticize their actions and be pictured as "holier than thou" reformers. It's great theater but very transparent. Neither Ferriero nor Oury seriously have problems with the current laws because they have found enough loopholes to drive a fleet of trucks through them. The wheeling and creations of multiple committees to funnel their sometimes illegal contributions have built war chests unequaled in modern politics. There is no law that can be drafted that a devious mind cannot defeat.