Bradley Abelow

Gov.-elect Christopher Christie's first big move - putting Richard Bagger and Robert Grady in charge of the state budget transition team - is an impressive display of gravitas and seems to avoid some of the early mistakes made by his predecessor, Jon Corzine.  Bagger and Grady offer an interesting contrast to Bradley Abelow and Gary Rose, two Goldman Sachs executives with no government or campaign experience, who were brought in by Corzine to run his economic shop. Christie has picked government insiders-turned-private sector outsiders who understand politics.  Democrats complained about Abelow and Rose all the time, but never about Bagger.

Bagger, who spent nearly a dozen years in the Legislature, knows his way around the state budget; he chaired the Assembly Appropriations Committee for four years, and was well-liked and respected by legislators from both parties.  He left the State Senate in after one year to move up within the Pfizer corporate structure, so he bears no responsibility for budgets passed by Democratic governors.  He also understands local government; he was a Mayor and Councilman in Westfield before his election to the Assembly.

Grady is an expert on budget matters; he was the Associate Director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under President George H.W. Bush, and understands New Jersey politics - and the media - from his years as Gov. Thomas Kean's Communications Director and as Chief of Staff to U.S. Rep. Millicent Fenwick.  He returns to New Jersey after spending more than fifteen years as a partner at the Carlyle Group, one of the nation's largest private equity firms.

21 included on the 2008 PolitickerNJ.com Power List were dropped this year, including four of the top ten. Some walked away: Bradley Abelow's power came from his position as Chief of Staff to Gov. Jon Corzine, while at the same time retaining virtual control over the State Treasurer's office.  John Mara got his new football stadium and went away, declining to use the influence that comes with owning a popular sports team; he loses points for putting a big "NY" logo outside the new Giants offices that New Jerseyans helped pay for.  We didn't include gubernatorial candidates on the list, so Christopher Christie, on the list since 2002, is off for this year.  Either way, he'll probably be back, either as Governor or as a powerbroker lawyer. Bergen County Democratic Chairman Joseph Ferriero resigned and is awaiting his trial on federal corruption charges.  Fran Dauth, Gary Rose and Kathy Crotty retired.  Skip Hidlay moved from the politically influential Asbury Park Press to the move passive Home News Tribune.  Bob Ingle? Well, he's still Bob Ingle.

Here's the list of former Power List members:

Gov. Jon Corzine picked Edward McBride as his new Chief of Staff to replace Lisa Jackson, who will become the new EPA Administrator.

Governor Jon Corzine today announced a series of staff changes triggered by the appointment of Lisa Jackson as the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  Edward McBride was named Chief of Staff and William Castner will replace McBride as Chief Counsel.

Corzine also picked Diane Legreide, a former Casino Control Commissioner and state Motor Vehicles Director, as his new Deputy Chief of Staff.  She will replace Maggie Moran, who is expected to leave in a few weeks to run the Governor’s re-election campaign.  Albert Alvarez, who has served as Cabinet Liaison, will also serve as Deputy Chief of Staff.

Jaimee Gilmartin, the Governor’s Director of Appointments, has been promoted to Director of Operations.  She will replace Jose Lozano, who will move to the Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness.  Josh Zeitz, who was the Democratic candidate for Congress against U.S. Rep. Christopher Smith this year, is joining Corzine’s staff as a Senior Policy Advisor.

Lisa Jackson, Gov. Jon Corzine's Chief of Staff, could be the next EPA Director

Reports that  Lisa Jackson could be headed to Washington as Barack Obama's Environmental Protection Agenecy director means that Gov. Jon Corzine will need to appoint a new Chief of Staff.  Jackson, who spent nearly three years as Corzine's Commissioner of Environmental Protection, replaced Bradley Abelow on Monday. Now she could be gone next month, just as Corzine begins his bid for re-election to a second term. 

Gov. Jon Corzine has named Lisa Jackson, the state Commissioner of Environmental Protection, as his new Chief of Staff.  Jackson will succeed Bradley Abelow, a former Goldman Sachs partner who has held the job since last year.

Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Lisa Jackson remains the leading candidate to become Jon Corzine's Chief of Staff when Bradley Abelow leaves.  Speculation of Abelow's departure has persistsed for the last six months, but sources close to the administration say the former Goldman Sachs partner will most certainly be gone by the end of the year.  Democratic insiders say that Maggie Moran, Corzine's politically savvy Deputy Chief of Staff for the last four years (and State Director when he was in the Senate) will leave state government to become manage the Governor's re-election campaign. 

As he stood with futility against a bill he believes would ravage his 39th GOP Assemblyman Vince PolistinaLegislative District, Assemblyman John Rooney took little joy in noting a personal milestone.

For while 2008 marks the Bergen County Republican’s 25th anniversary as an assemblyman, it is also the low point of his legislative career.

"My towns got destroyed last night," said Rooney, a day after the majority Democrats passed a $32.9 billion budget, which includes 25% cuts in aid to all of the 28 municipalities in Rooney’s district, and eliminations of property tax rebates for residents in the $150,000 to $250,000 income range.

Monday also brought the Democrats’ successful if ignominious - by Rooney’s reckoning - passage of a bill requiring the construction of affordable housing in affluent towns.

There’s some buzz from the front office that Lisa Jackson, the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, could wind up as Governor Jon Corzine’s new Chief of Staff.    Bradley Abelow is expected to leave after the budget is passed, and sources say that Michellene Davis, Corzine’s Appointments Counsel, is also a possible candidate for the top staff post.

Gary Rose, a top aide to Gov. Jon Corzine, is expected to leave his state government post by the end of the month
Gary Rose, one of Governor Jon Corzine’s top advisors and the Chief of the state Office of Economic Growth, will be leaving by the end of the month, according to administration sources. With the state budget process nearing completion, Rose, who was a partner with Corzine at Goldman Sachs, is reportedly headed to a private sector position.

According to the new Quinnipiac University poll, New Jerseyans don’t think Governor Jon Corzine should be forced to release personal e-mails sent to his former girlfriend, CWA Local 1034 President Carla Katz.  More than half of the voters (52%) say they should be kept private, and 39% say they should be released.  Even Republicans have mixed feelings: 46% release, 44% keep private.