Alex DeCroce

 DeCROCE CALLS CORZINE'S DECISION TO GIVE MANIPULATOR OF STATE HOMELAND SECURITY ‘SLUSH FUND' KEY CAMPAIGN ROLE A DISGRACE

SAYS CORZINE SHOULD REFUSE ASSISTANCE FROM JAMIE FOX AND DISAVOW HIS CONDUCT DURING McGREEVEY'S ADMINISTRATION

Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroce (R-Parsippany), buoyed by polling that shows Republican Christopher Christie leading Gov. Jon Corzine in some key Democratic legislative districts, held a conference call with Assembly GOP leaders yesterday to review potential pickup opportunities in the fall Assembly elections.  Republicans need to win nine more seats to wrestle control of the lower house from Democrats, who have seen their numbers grow since they took the majority eight years ago.

DeCroce now has a poll showing Christie ahead of Corzine in the Democratic 22nd district by two points, 40%-38%.  The poll shows Assemblywoman Linda Stender (D-Fanwood) running first among the four legislative candidates, but also has Republican challenger Martin Marks, the former Scotch Plains mayor, narrowly leading nine-term Assemblyman Jerry Green (D-Plainfield).

Assembly Whip Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield), right, with GOP gubernatorial nominee Chris Christie earlier this year.

Assembly Minority Whip Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield), chairman of the Republican Policy Committee, on Monday will convene hearings throughout the state to examine and stamp out corruption. 

Republican Leader and Assemblyman Alex DeCroce (R-Parsippany) requested that Bramnick take the lead on the issue in the aftermath of a federal bust last month resulting in the arrests of 29 public officials and operatives.

Bramnick will convene the first hearing at the State House on Monday, August 17, beginning at 10:30 a.m. in Room 209. The public is invited to speak before the committee.

If Christopher Christie wins his race for Governor, look for Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroce (R-Parsippany) to actively seek a post in the new administration.  The 73-year-old Morris County Republican has been anxious to serve in the cabinet for several years; he was interested enough in becoming the Commissioner of Transportation that he discussed the job with then-Gov. James E. McGreevey. 

“I am singularly focused on winning a Republican majority in the state Assembly and helping Chris Christie become the next Governor of New Jersey. I am not interested in becoming Transportation Commissioner," DeCroce said in an e-mail to PolitickerNJ.com. "I am very interested in serving as Assembly Speaker and working with Governor Christie to restore fiscal sanity and make New Jersey affordable again. Any report to the contrary is simply false.”

A DeCroce move to the administration would create two new campaigns - one to replace him as the Assembly Minority Leader (assuming the GOP does not capture control of the Assembly in November) and the other to fill his District 26 Assembly seat.  Some Assembly Republicans believe a leadership battle could turn out to be contest between the GOP Conference Leader, Peter Biondi (R-Hillsborough) and Minority Whip Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield).  Biondi has been eyeing the Minority Leader post for a while, and has reportedly considered challenging DeCroce.    Don't count out Assemblywoman Alison McHose (R-Franklin) as a leadership candidate.

 Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce today charged Gov. Jon S. Corzine of failing New Jersey taxpayers by accepting without criticism President Barack Obama’s decision to give New Jersey the smallest share of federal stimulus dollars among all states.

            “It seems Corzine has had more success getting President Obama to campaign for him than getting a bigger helping of federal stimulus aid from the Obama administration,” said DeCroce, R-Morris and Passaic.

            “Instead of boasting that New Jersey has a ‘partner in the White House’ with Obama, Corzine should be pressing his ‘partner’ for a better explanation why he is shortchanging the Garden State.”

DeCROCE LAUDS CHRISTIE FOR LEADERSHIP IN THE FIGHT FOR ETHICS REFORM

            Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce issued the following statement in reaction to the announcement Assemblyman Daniel Van Pelt has resigned:

            “It was the correct move. There was no way he could properly represent the people of the 9th District with these criminal allegations hovering over him. The actions he has been accused of taking by the FBI broke the bond of trust between him and his constituents. Public confidence deteriorates more and more with every corruption scandal. People must feel secure that those elected to serve their interests are beyond reproach and are not placing their own personal interests above their own.”

Assemblyman Daniel Van Pelt (R-Ocean Twp), the lone Republican arrested in last week’s corruption bust, resigned today at a press conference in Toms River.

The Press of Atlantic City was there.

“While I have an unblemished record of over 20 years of public service, I fully understand the outrage that accompanied these accusations and I recognize the public has its right to its reaction," the paper quotes Van Pelt saying.  He was accompanied by his attorney and took no questions from the press.  

Ocean County Republican Chairman George Gilmore told PolitickerNJ.com last week that his organization would move quickly to replace Van Pelt both in office and on the ballot when he resigned.

Van Pelt is charged with taking a $10,000 bribe from an FBI informant.

“It was the correct move," said Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroce (R-Parsippany). "There was no way he could properly represent the  people of the 9th District with these criminal allegations hovering over him."

 DeCROCE EXPRESSES AMAZEMENT THAT CORZINE AND
TOP DEMOCRATS RATHER REMAIN BLIND TO CORRUPTION SAYS THEIR POSITION THAT ‘NO ACTION IS NEEDED’ INSULTS TAXPAYERS  

            Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce angrily denounced Gov. Jon S. Corzine and top Democrats in the Legislature for their nonchalant response to the growing political corruption problem in New Jersey.

            A day after DeCroce called on Corzine to summon the Legislature, which is on its summer break, back into session to pass tough new ethics reforms and strengthen the penalties for any public official guilty of political corruption, the governor and Democratic legislative leaders dismissed the idea, contending “we have all the laws we need.”

            “Twenty-nine public officials were just hauled off in handcuffs by the FBI on corruption charges,” asserted DeCroce, R-Morris and Passaic. “A member of Corzine’s own cabinet was forced to resign. And all the governor has to say is ‘we have all the laws we need’? It would be laughable if his response weren’t so preposterous and the issue so serious."

DeCROCE CALLS ON CORZINE TO ‘WAKE UP’ AND DEMAND
THE LEGISLATURE RECONVENE & DEAL WITH CORRUPTION 

SAYS SPECIAL SESSION WOULD HELP RESTORE PUBLIC TRUST 

            Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce today accused Gov. Jon S. Corzine of failing to act decisively to deal with the growing problem of political corruption in New Jersey.

            “I would have thought that the conviction of more than a hundred corrupt public officials since 2002 would have sufficed as wake up call for the governor,” said DeCroce, R-Morris and Passaic. “But Corzine’s response to last week’s arrest of another 44 people by federal agents for money laundering and corruption is disappointing and disturbing. Instead of rising to the occasion and showing leadership, Corzine failed once again to give any indication that he is prepared to take decisive action to address the mounting crisis of confidence.

            “People are disgusted that more and more public officials are betraying their trust. Lips service and inaction only feeds their growing cynicism. We must act now.”