Frank Pallone

WASHINGTON - House Energy and Commerce Committee's Health Subcommittee Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) (L) greets Elizabeth Edwards, wife of former Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) (R) and New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine (D) before a hearing about health care reform September 18, 2008 in Washington, DC. The panel included researchers, health experts and academics talking about the future of health care in the United States. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Gov. Jon Corzine, whose job approval rating is upside-down again in a new Quinnipiac University poll released today, will be in Washington, D.C. tomorrow to testify on health care issues before U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone's Energy & Commerce Subcommittee.  Also on the witness list is Elizabeth Edwards, who is making her first political appearance following the disclosure of her husband's marital infidelity.  This morning, Corzine is in Florida campaigning for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama at Miami-Dade College.

U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone doesn’t buy state Sen. Jen Beck’s explanation that she didn’t discuss the upcoming gubernatorial race with U.S. Attorney Chris Christie when the two met over the summer.

But even taking her at her word, Pallone said that it makes him wonder why Christie can meet with Beck, a Republican state legislator, and not him, a Democratic Congressman. Or, for that matter, U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-Paterson), who also pushed for a meeting.

“To me it’s abusurd. Because I’m sure they are talking about politics and his gubernatorial ambitions. But even if I take them at their word, I say that if you can talk amongst yourselves about what’s going on in your office with regard to Monmouth county and Marlboro, he can talk to us,” said Pallone.

NEWARK - Confronted today with a question about whether he intends to release details of his public and private schedule from the last two years, U.S. Attorney Chris Christie said "no comment."

The question came on the heels of a letter issued by U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-Long Branch) to U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey. Describing "troubling reports" that Christie has been holding political meetings in advance of the 2009 gubernatorial contest, Pallone says he wants Mukasey to clarify the role of federal prosecutors in politics.

"I have no comment on Congressman Pallone’s letter," Christie told PolitickerNJ.com.

According to State GOP Chairman Tom Wilson, Christie would be the establishment favorite if he decides to challenge Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine next year.

U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie is considered a likely candidate for the 2009 Republican nomination for Governor: Getty Images Photo
U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-Long Branch) wants U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie to release his public and private schedules over the last two years "so that the public can make its own judgment regarding possible political activity by the U.S. Attorney."  Christie is considered a likely candidate for the 2009 Republican nomination for Governor.

Pallone says that he has heard "troubling reports" that Christie and some supporters have been holding campaign-related meetings.  He wants U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey to clarify the role of federal prosecutors in politics.  Earlier this year, U.S. Attorney Patrick Meehan resigned amidst speculation that he will seek the 2010 GOP nomination for Governor of Pennsylvania.  

"Over the last few months, and perhaps longer than that, Mr. Christie and/or his political lieutenants have traveled around the state promoting his potential candidacy for Governor in 2009. I find it wholly inappropriate that a sitting U.S. Attorney be allowed to so publicly use his office as a stepping stone for political gain," Pallone wrote in a letter to the Attorney General. "Outreach to the community and publicizing his successful efforts at combating corruption are laudable endeavors and important to the work of the Department of Justice. However, the clear pattern of pre-campaign actions of Mr. Christie, and his very public allies and surrogates, appear to cross the line into self promotion and abuse of the immense authority he wields as the state’s chief federal law enforcement officer."

U.S. Rep. Donald Payne (D-Newark): Politicker photo

DENVER - It was coming to an end in an Irish bar, only it wouldn’t actually end there. It would in another bar, a few blocks removed.

Two bars separated by one speech.

"It should be a walkover, of course," said U.S. Rep. Donald Payne (D-Newark). "These guys - Obama and McCain - are neck and neck. I think it’s perhaps the trepidation about race that makes it that way, but we'll see."

In a few hours, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) would take the stage and accept his party’s nomination.

Payne, and his elder brother former Assemblyman Bill Payne, mingled among a respectably large crowd of guests in this, the last big, pre-Obama speech bash in downtown Denver at the Celtic Tavern, thrown by U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-Long Branch) and U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-Paterson).

The Celtic Tavern is located near the light rail line, and soon the delegates and superdelegates and other guests would pile aboard and head out to Invesco Field to see and hear Obama.

In the meantime, the hosts brought Speaker Joe Cryan up onto the stage with the folk band to take a bow. Just as they were stepping over the microphone cords and getting ready to launch into the Irish songs, the bar door swung open and Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy walked in, prompting Pascrell to make a special introduction.

It almost looked staged, as if a staffer had sent Healy a text message. Healy's a good Irish tenor with a rich, well-modulated voice.

But the mayor’s stride-in would astoundingly prove a premature entrance to the main event, for on this afternoon, Sen. Robert Menendez (D-Union City) went to the front of the room.

Sen. Robert Menendez (D-Union City): Politicker photo

DENVER - Sen. Robert Menedez (D-Union City) sang a more than passable verison of Toora loora loora at the Pallone-Pascrell pre-Obama speech party at the Celtic Tavern here Thursday night.

The Irish-Americans in the room listened with apparent satisfaction.

Corzine deputy chief of staff Maggie Moran, governor's spokesman Sean Darcy, Pallone chief Jeff Carroll and others all gave Menendez's perfomance a ramrod thumbs-up.

There wasn't a dry mug in the place.

United States Rep. Frank Pallone, who was one of Rep. Rob Andrews’s harshest critics during his primary run, today introduced him at the Democratic delegation’s breakfast today as the “great congressman from South Jersey.”

Pallone said that he appreciated the way Andrews handled the aftermath of the primary against Frank Lautenberg, reaching out to mend relations as soon as the primary was over.

U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-Long Branch): Politicker file photo 

DENVER - Seniors should vote for Obama given the GOP’s designs on healthcare and social security, said U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-Long Branch), but the real strength for Democrats this year will break the Republicans, in his view.

It’s the youth vote, and Obama plays into it in a way that will not only mean victory now - but maybe for years, in the congressman’s estimation.

"We will capture a generation of new voters (with an Obama victory)," Pallone said. "We could be the majority in the Senate and House of Representatives for the next 40 years if we were to accomplish that. We believe in the promise of America, and Obama makes such a change from what we have now in that regard."

When U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews decided to wage a primary challenge against Sen. Frank Lautenberg, few politicians went after Andrews as hard as Rep. Frank Pallone did.

But Pallone (D-Long Branch) today indicated that, with Andrews (D-Haddon Heights) expected to depart from the House in January, the two will once again have a working relationship.

“I don’t know if it’s certain that he’s working for Goldman Sachs, but I assume he’s going to be involved in legislation and continue to be involved with Congress in some way, even though he’s not a congressman. I’ve worked with him for years, and will continue to,” said Pallone.