Cleopatra Tucker

For Immediate Release:

Contact: Daniel Beckelman

(201)-446-9889

October 27, 2009 

Bloschak: Arrest of Tucker Aide Demonstrates Need for Change in Urban New Jersey

Democrats Bankrupt in Governing Our Cities

Newark-The arrest of Eknow Ykney, a former drug dealer who serves as community outreach director for Assemblyman Cleopatra Tucker (D-Newark), for money laundering and illegal firearms possession shows that the political system is increasingly broken and that fresh blood is needed in Trenton and Newark to solve the short and long-term problems we face.

Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker (D-Newark) has fired her legislative aide, Ekow Ynkey, after he was arrested on money laundering and weapons possession charges, according to a Jersey Journal report.  North Bergen police allegedly found $700,000 in cash, two handguns, and hollow-point in a storage locker he rented under an alias.  Tucker told the Jersey Journal that Ynkey "performs community outreach and tells her constituents about services available through her office.

NEW LAW SPONSORED BY CONNERS, VOSS & TUCKER WILL HELP STUDENTS WITH DIABETES

Law Allows Diabetic Students to Self-Medicate in School; Provides Training for Teachers, Aides and Bus Drivers

(TRENTON) – Legislation sponsored by Assembly members Jack Conners, Joan M. Voss and Cleopatra G. Tucker to create individualized health care plans for students with diabetes and training in diabetes care for school employees was recently signed into law by Gov. Jon S. Corzine.

“Diabetes is a disease that requires constant personal management,” said Conners (D-Camden/Burlington). “Until now, state law required students with diabetes to visit the school nurse for any and all medication, which was at best unfair to their education and at worst dangerous to their health.”

Assemblywoman Caridad Rodriguez (D-West New York), who served as Albio Sires' executive assistant when he was the Mayor of West New York, and as his office manager when he won election to Congress, is in line to chair the Assembly Human Services Committee.  The current chair, Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange) appears to have the votes to become the next Assembly Speaker.  Rodriguez, who is now the panel's vice chair, endorsed Oliver for the post yesterday.

IRVINGTON - They bellowed a lot of praise down on Gov. Jon Corzine from the pulpit of Christian Love Baptist Church on Wednesday night but the signature hymn, "Your struggle is over," sung with deep feeling and a full chorus on high volume, hardly projected a Biblical battle cry as the governor faces eight weeks more of hard-slog campaign season before Election Day.

When the big baskets appeared and it was collection time, Pastor Ron Christian made sure Corzine knew the drill.

"You never know when he might leave," joked the reverend, host for the governor, an altar filled with other emissaries of ecumenism, among them the Rev. Pastor Reginald Jackson of St. Matthew AME Church - and other public officials all gathered to salute law enforcement officers and firemen on the eighth anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001.

There was a lot of love for Corzine throughout the course of the ceremony, which Christian stoked even as he deflected any of the praise directed at himself and his thriving Irvington church by reminding the congegation - to growing applause - that he's just a simple sinner - a former corrections officer turned thief, in fact, turned repentant minister.

CAPUTO/TUCKER/COUTINHO/SPENCER SLAM CHRISTIE’S
REJECTION OF FEDERAL FUNDS TO HELP
OUT-OF-WORK NEW JERSEYANS

(BLOOMFIELD) – Assembly members Ralph Caputo (D-Belleville), Cleopatra Tucker (D-Essex), Albert Coutinho (D-Essex) and Grace Spencer (D-Essex) today joined local elected officials and unemployed North Jersey residents to take Bush Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie to task for aligning with prominent Bush Republican governors to reject billions of dollars in federal funding from President Barack Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

In his bid for a comeback two years after losing a Democratic prmary by just 127 votes, former Assemblyman Craig Stanley (D-Irvington) got clobbered.  He lost his rematch with Assemblyman Ralph Caputo (D-Belleville) by 3,630 votes, 40%-10%.  Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker (D-Newark) was the top vote getter.  Caputo and Tucker were backed by the Essex County Democratic Organization.

If no incumbents are defeated in their bids for re-election to the Legislature today, it will be the first time since 1995.  Most at risk: State Sen. Marcia Karrow (R-Raritan), who has served in the State Senate since January; seven-term Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll (R-Morris Twp.); newly-elected Assemblyman John DiMaio (R-Hackettstown), and freshmen Ralph Caputo (D-Belleville) and Cleopatra Tucker (D-Newark). 

Two years ago, three Essex County Democrats lost their Assembly seats: Wilfredo Caraballo (D-Newark), Oadline Truitt (D-Newark) and Craig Stanley (D-Irvington).  All three had lost the backing of the Essex Democratic organization.  Stanley, who lost that race by just 127 votes, is challenging Caputo and Tucker.

In the Essex County-based 28th district, former Assemblyman Craig Stanley (D-Irvington) is hoping to win back the seat he held for twelve years before losing the 2007 Democratic primary by 127 votes.  The Essex Democratic organization is backing the incumbents, Ralph Caputo (D-Belleville) and Cleopatra Tucker (D-Newark).  The primary will test the political strength of U.S. Rep. Donald Payne's organization; Stanley is the nephew of Payne's brother, former Assemblyman William Payne.  Caputo and Tucker are favored to win.

Assemblyman/Freeholder Ralph Caputo (D-Belleville)

Assemblyman Ralph Caputo (D-Belleville) said he and his running mate, Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker (D-Newark) refuse to underestimate the off-the-line challenger by former District 28 Assemblyman Craig Stanley (D-Irvington), despite Stanley’s failure to muster party support and a wide cash disparity.

“These contests are always difficult to predict and I never disrespect anyone,” said Caputo, who reported $51,000 raised and $31,000 on hand in his last state Elections Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) filing. “I’ve been campaigning so hard, my wife doesn’t even know who I am anymore.”

Caputo participated in Memorial Day events in both Belleville and Bloomfield yesterday and did the church circuit on Friday. His running mate, Tucker, reported raising $49,500 and $17,160 cash on hand. To date, the running mates have authorzied five campagn mail pieces, against zero from Stanley.

For Caputo, the early support of state Sen. Ronald Rice (D-Newark) - who was Stanley's 2007 running mate - proved a critical momentum builder for the team.