Edward McBride

Attorney General Anne Milgram plans to leave her post early next year, regardless of the outcome of the gubernatorial election, sources say.  If Gov. Jon Corzine wins re-election, Democratic sources say that Edward McBride, the Governor's Chief of Staff, will be on the short list to replace Milgram.  Other possible candidates include: Corzine's Chief Counsel, William Castner; Seton Hall Law School Dean Patrick Hobbs; Kris Kolluri, the Executive Director of the state Schools Development Authority; state Comptroller Matthew Boxer; Public Advocate Ronald Chen; and Glenn Grant, the Acting Administrative Director of the state courts.

New Jersey’s piece of the federal stimulus pie will be managed by Edward McBride, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, and State Comptroller Matthew Boxer.  The picks are not surprising, but it’s noteworthy that the Governor Jon Corzine picked Boxer, whose primary responsibility is to conduct audits and assure transparency, and not New Jersey’s chief financial officer, State Treasurer David Rousseu. 

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.

If Lisa Jackson becomes the Director of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, sources suggest that Governor Jon Corzine could tap his Chief Counsel, Edward McBride, as his new Chief of Staff.  Other sources say that McBride's replacement might be Bill Castner, the outgoing Executive Director of the Assembly Majority staff.

If Michellene Davis becomes Governor Jon Corzine's next Chief of Staff, it won't bode well for Edward McBride, who has served as Corzine's Chief Counsel since Ken Zimmerman left earlier this year.  A Davis appointment would mean that Corzine effectively passed over McBride for a promotion and picked someone who is several runs below the Counsel on the organization chart.  Other Chief Counsels, like Stuart Rabner, Mike Torpey, Cary Edwards and Edward McGlynn, have been promoted up. 

Gov. Jon Corzine has named Edward McBride as his new Chief Counsel, replacing Kenneth Zimmerman.  In December, PolitickerNJ.com named Zimmerman as Most Likely to Lose His Job in 2008.

Zimmerman, who replaced Stuart Rabner as Counsel sixteen months ago, will become a partner at Lowenstein Sandler, a North Jersey law firm.