Jeanne Fox

If Frank Lautenberg’s political consultant, Steve DeMicco, beats up on Rob Andrews – as he surely will – how will that affect the already controversial renomination of his DeMicco’s wife, Jeanne Fox, as President of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities?  John Adler is Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is holding Fox’s nomination until after the trial of whistle-blower who claims retaliation for reporting a potentially illegal an $80 million ratepayer-funded Clean Energy account established by Fox.  And South Jersey, Andrews’ base, has six Democratic Senators – which means if the GOP comes through with their pledge to oppose Fox, she can’t possibly get confirmed without the support of South Jersey Democrats.

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.

The decision of an outraged Governor Jon Corzine to withdraw his renomination of Superior Court Judge Fred Kiesler for using a racial slur in the courtroom came eight years after his own fledgling political career nearly ended after making an ethnic joke of his own. Kieser, who has been on the bench for seven years, used a “no tickee, no laundry” line – a comment viewed as offensive to Asian American immigrants. Corzine, as a U.S. Senate candidate in March 2000, made a joke about asking an Italian American businessman if he made 'cement shoes." He also made a Jewish lawyer joke.

Corzine made a very public apology and asked for the forgiveness of Italian American and Jewish community leaders. His charitable foundation also made some strategic contributions. Kieser, it seems, doesn’t have a foundation.

The Governor dropped Keiser only after the Senate Judiciary Committee released details of a complaint against the Middlesex County Judge – although the complaint about the ethnic slur was in Keiser's file at the time the Corzine decided to renominate him. Corzine still renominated Jeanne Fox, the wife of his political advisor, to the Board of Public Utilities, despite accusations of ethical improprieties that are potentially more serious and substantial.

Senate Judiciary Committee John Adler will hold the nomination of Jeanne Fox until after the completion of a whistleblower trial, according to an Asbury Park Press report today.  Gov. Jon Corzine reappointed Fox to the state Board of Public Utilities, despite from a top BPU official alleging that Fox and others retaliated against him for alerting the state that Fox set up a potentially improper $80 million account outside the supervision of the State Treasurer.

Embattled Board of Public Utilities President Jeanne Fox made a fast  and not at all subtle exit tonight from a New Jersey Women’s Political Caucus Awards dinner,  just as State Sen. Jennifer Beck was about to receive the Barbara Boggs Sigmund award.  Beck, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, is leading the movement to deny Fox another term at the BPU. 

Sometimes a little tone deaf to process issues, Governor Jon Corzine is not exactly the poster child for full disclosure. That’s something that began with his refusal to release his federal income tax returns during his 2000 U.S. Senate bid, and his initial failure to release a list of contributions his charitable foundation made as he launched his political career in 1999. An Op-Ed written last year by a member of his own administration alleged that “Jon Corzine has engaged in unprecedented secretive decision-making, without consulting community leaders, elected officials, legislators, government affairs professionals, or government agencies.”

Among the donors to Save Our State NJ, the issue-advocacy group essentially formed by Governor Jon Corzine to advocate his plan to raise tolls, is Public Service Electric & Gas. PSE&G has contributed $100,000 to the effort, according to sources familiar with the SOS group. That might explain Corzine’s reluctance to quickly release the list of SOS donors.

Editor's Note: The Inside Edge strongly stands behind our original report that PSE&G pledged $100,000 to Gov. Corzine's Save Our State NJ toll hike advocacy group, despite communications that seek to demonstrate otherwise and a release of their donors at the end of the day.

Republican Congressional candidate Chris Myers today demanded that his potential Democratic opponent, State Sen. John Adler, block the reappointment of Jeanne Fox as president of the Board of Public Utilities.

Fox presided over the board when its Clean Energy Program was criticized for its placement of $80 million in a private bank account.