Greg Volpe

Former Star-Ledger reporter Jeff Whelan will direct opposition research for Gov. Jon Corzine's re-election campaign.

The latest addition to what has become an extensive list of former newspaper reporters who now work for the people they once covered in Jim O'Neil, who reported on the Middlesex County Prosecutor while for the Star-Ledger, has taken a job as a public information aide to Bruce Kaplan, the Middlesex County Prosecutor.

O'Neil's colleague, Diane Walsh, who covered Middlesex County government and politics for the Star-Ledger, is now the communications director to Assembly Minority Whip Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield).  Bramnick is actively seeking the Republican nomination for Lt. Governor on a ticket with Christopher Christie.

Jeff Whelan, the Star-Ledger reporter who covered Christie at the U.S. Attorney's office until late last year, will head the opposition research team for Gov. Jon Corzine's re-election campaign.

Bob Ingle will now manage
a two-reporter statehouse
bureau for Gannett
New Jersey.

The latest casualties to media cutbacks are four Gannett New Jersey statehouse reporters: Tom Baldwin, Michael Rispoli, Lisa Ryan, and Greg Volpe.  That cuts Gannett’s statehouse bureau from six reporters to two, with only Bob Ingle and Michael Symons surviving the budget cuts.

It’s all about the Governor’s economic stimulus plan on NJN this weekend.

On Sunday at 9a.m. and 11a.m., watch On the Record with New Jersey Policy Perspective President Jon Shure, Center for Policy Research of NJ President Gregg Edwards, Democratic analyst Mike Murphy and Ramapo College Finance Professor/former U.S. Senate candidate Murray Sabrin discuss Corzine’s plan.  The show is hosted by Michael Aron and will air again on Monday at 6:30 a.m. 

Tonight at 7:00 and Sunday at 10:00a.m., catch Reporters Roundtable, hosted by Michael Aron and featuring Bergen Record columnist Charles Stile, Gannett’s Greg Volpe and yours truly,  Matt Friedman.  We'll discuss the Corzine economic plan, the Republican sales tax cut proposal and commercials from the U.S. Senate and Congressional races.

At 6:30 this evening on NJN, PoltickerNJ.com correspondent Matt Friedman will join a political roundtable to discuss New Jersey's current political scene. Friedman will be joined by Gannett New Jersey's Greg Volpe, Politifax's Nick Acocella, and the Bergen Record's Charles Stile, with NJN Senior Political Correspondent Michael Aron hosting the discussion.

The roundtable will recap the state's U.S. Senate primary elections, ongoing budget negotiations, legislative hearings on executive county school superintendents and the possibility that Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine's emails to Carla Katz may be made public.

When it comes to BPU President Jeanne Fox’s reappointment, Gannett’s Bob Ingle and Gregory Volpe have been working overtime.

Based on recent coverage, it appears the Gannett chain is the only NJ newspaper paying close attention to the current storyline about Fox’s day-in-court-defense to a whistle blower complaint and the pending Senate review of her reappointment as Board President.