Jerry Fitzgerald English

The debate over debates is great political theater, even to political insiders, even though real voters are hardly ever influenced by these kinds of process stories.  Rob Andrews and Dick Zimmer, in the Democratic primary and general election, respectively, tried to make a huge deal about the reluctance of U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg to debate in 2008.  Lautenberg eventually debated, both times during the final week of the campaign, and his voters didn't hold his initial hesitation against him.

The move by New Jersey Network to move the gubernatorial debate from October 1 to October 22 was seen an beneficial to Gov. Jon Corzine, who is not required to participate in the two official debates sanctioned by the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission because he is not accepting public financing.  Corzine preferred late debates, but now says he'll be part of the debate whenever it is held.  Republican Christopher Christie and independent Christopher Daggett, both the recipients of matching funds, strongly opposed NJN's petition to change the date of the debate as a carrot toward Corzine's participation. 

Representing NJN, anchorman Jim Hooker confirmed that the request to move the debates was done without consulting the other two sponsors, Gannett New Jersey and the Philadelphia Inquirer.  At some point, expect ELEC to change their sponsorship application process to ensure that all sponsors are on the same page. 

The four ELEC commissioners rarely vote along party lines, but they did that on Monday in a 2-2 vote on a motion to change the debate schedule.  Democrats Jerry Fitzgerald English and Albert Burstein, both former legislators, voted to move the debate to October 22, while the normally less partisan Republicans, Peter Tober and Amos Saunders, voted against any changes.  Saunders, a retired Superior Court Judge who hasn't been involved in partisan politics for decades, was especially strong in his opposition to any adjustments to the calendar. 

New Jersey Network lost a bid to move the first gubernatorial debate from October 1 to October 22 after a New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission vote was deadlocked 2-2 along party lines.

About an hour after ELEC's meeting concluded, Gov. Jon Corzine's campaign indicated that it would be willing to participate in both of the commission's debates regardless of the date.

"The Corzine campaign reiterates its position that the public is better served having the two gubernatorial debates later in October," said Corzine spokesman Sean Darcy.  "Our position notwithstanding, we are prepared to participate in both ELEC sanctioned debates regardless of whether or not the NJN debate is rescheduled for October 22nd."

Corzine's agreement to participate is likely to make an ELEC meeting set for Wednesday to revisit the debate schedule issue moot.  NJN Public Affairs Producer Ed Rodgers, who testified at the meeting, could not immediately be reached for comment, so it is not yet clear whether the network will continue to pursue the date change.

NJN Interim News Director Michael Aron sought the date change after the Corzine campaign told him that the Governor would not attend the October 1 debate.  Although the Corzine campaign implied that the incumbent would attend the debate on October 22nd, they never formally agreed to it - a sticking point for the commissioners today, along with the fact that the Corzine camp has not said why they can't attend on the originally scheduled day.

"Is no one really as deeply disturbed as I am by the fact that the Corzine committee has given us no reason for their inability or unwillingness for October 1?" said Commissioner Amos Saunders, a retired Superior Court Judge from Passaic County.  "I don't know what's going on, but I would hope at least for the courtesy of a reason.  I don't know if there is a reason, if it's not political gamesmanship."

The proposed change would also force a change in the debate for lieutenant governor, which currently scheduled for October 8 but is required to take place between the two gubernatorial debates.  It would also compress the debate schedule into a one week time frame ending less than two weeks before Election Day.

The Election Law Enforcement Commission has put off its decision on NJN's request to bump the first state-sponsored gubernatorial debate back from October 1 to October 22.

A motion made by Commissioner Albert Burstein to accept NJN's request was deadlocked at 2-2, with ELEC Chairwoman Jerry English and Commissioner Albert Burstein voting in favor of NJN, and Commissioners Amos Saunders and Peter Tober voting against it.  Since the vote was tied, the motion did not carry.

The Republican legislative leadership this morning put pressure on the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) to keep the first gubernatorial debate scheduled for October 1.  

“The people of this State deserve to start hearing the candidates discuss major issues well in advance of the general election,” wrote Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield) and Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroce (R-Parsippany) in a letter to ELEC Chairwoman Jerry Fitzgerald English.  “A delay will reduce the impact and importance of the debate by placing it closer to major sporting events and placing it so close to the actual election that there will be little time to address issues that may arise in the course of the debate.

The leaders called Corzine’s request to hold the debate at a later date “an effort to obscure meaningful discussion of our State’s serious problems and the approaches to dealing with them.”

Chris Christie's campaign says that New Jersey Network (NJN) has bowed to pressure from Gov. Jon Corzine's campaign by proposing a change in the gubernatorial debate schedule.  NJN has asked the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) to move the debate from October 1 to October 22 to accommodate the governor's schedule.

The full text of a letter from Christie campaign manager Bill Stepien to ELEC Chair Jerry Fitzgerald English:

ELEC Photo

Former State Sen. Jerry Fitzgerald English

Two Democratic members of the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, who may play a critical role in deciding the fate of Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Lonegan, are Trenton veterans who have spent six decades in New Jersey politics.  Both Albert Burstein and Jerry Fitzgerald English have enjoyed successful political careers, although each fell quite short of achieving their full public service ambitions.

 The Texas-born English (D-Summit) moved to New Jersey after law school at Boston College and Harvard when her husband took a job as Bell Labs researcher.  She founded a local conservation group in 1969, and in 1971, at the age of 36, she became the second woman to serve in the New Jersey State Senate.  English won a November 1971 special election to fill the remaining two months of a vacant Union County Senate seat.  She was not a candidate for a full term, and served until January 1972.

In 1972, English decided to run for Congress after eight-term U.S. Rep. Florence Dwyer (R-Elizabeth) announced her retirement.  She beat Richard Samuel, who had played a role in the New Jersey presidential campaigns of Eugene McCarthy and George McGovern, in the Democratic primary.  In the general election, State Sen. Matthew Rinaldo (R-Union) beat English by a wide margin, 64%-36% in a district that went 2-1 for Richard Nixon.  English never ran for office again.

ELEC Photo

Former Assembly Majority Leader Albert Burstein

Two Democratic members of the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, who may play a critical role in deciding the fate of Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Lonegan, are Trenton veterans who have spent six decades in New Jersey politics.  Both Albert Burstein and Jerry Fitzgerald English have enjoyed successful political careers, although each fell quite short of achieving their full public service ambitions.

Burstein (D-Tenafly), now 86-years-old, was widely viewed as one of the most intellectually superior and independent members of the New Jersey Legislature, where he served from 1972 to 1982, but he was also a late bloomer who fell short in several opportunities to move up.  Burstein started out in politics in 1959 as counsel to the Jersey City Charter Commission and became active in Tenafly politics in the 1960's.  He was elected to the State Assembly in 1971, when legislative redistricting created a new Englewood/Teaneck seat that leaned toward the Democrats.  Running with Byron Baer, Burstein beat Jim O'Dowd (who would later serve as Bergenfield Mayor and Bergen County Freeholder) by 2,335 votes.

When legislative districts were redrawn for the 1973 elections, the newly-created 37th became even more Democratic.  But neither Burstein nor Baer got the chance to challenge the incumbent Republican Senator, Joseph Woodcock.  That opportunity went to Bergen County Democratic Chairman Matthew Feldman, a former Teaneck Mayor who had served in the Senate from 1966 to 1968.  Feldman easily beat Woodcock and Burstein and Baer coasted to win second terms.

ELEC Commissioners who could decide Steve Lonegan's fate: left to right, former State Sen. Jerry Fitzgerald English, 74; former Assembly Majority Leader Albert Burstein, 86; former Whitman/DiFrancesco counsel Peter Tober, 42; and former Superior Court Judge Amos Saunders, 76. English and Burstein are Democrats; Tober and Saunders are Republicans.

The New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) will hold a special meeting - not open to the public -- tomorrow which could change the course of the Republican gubernatorial primary.  While ELEC has declined to disclose their agenda item, it is widely believed that they will discuss issues pertaining to the public financing of Steve Lonegan's campaign.  Lonegan acknowledged last week that he has provided ELEC with answers to some questions concerning his affiliation with Americas for Prosperity, an anti-tax issue advocacy group. 

The ELEC investigation is the result of an Associated Press story that suggests the former Bogota Mayor was obligated to disclose the details of his relationship with Americans for Prosperity, an anti-tax lobbying group for whom he served as New Jersey Director.  State law requires candidates to disclose their connection to issue advocacy groups to avoid a conflict, such as avoiding spending limits that come with the public financing of gubernatorial elections.

Robert Mulcahy, fired yesterday as the Director of Athletics at Rutgers University, was talked about as a potential Democratic candidate for Governor in 1981.

The often controversial 45-year political career of Robert Mulcahy appears to be over following his termination yesterday as the Rutgers University Athletic Director.

Mulcahy entered politics at age 28, when he ran for Mendham Councilman about a year after moving to the township.  Boosted by President Lyndon B. Johnson's coattails, Mulcahy scored a rare victory for Democrats in heavily Republican Morris County.   He became Mayor in 1970.

In 1973, Mulcahy backed Morris County Assemblywoman Ann Klein in her bid for the Democratic nomination for Governor.  She finished second behind Brendan Byrne, who put Klein in his cabinet as Commissioner of Institutions and Agencies.  Klein brought Mulcahy to Trenton with her as Deputy Commissioner, where he immediately became a strong Byrne ally and advisor.  He spent most of his time as Byrne's unofficial troubleshooter.

Republicans have held the 7th district House seat since 1956, when Florence Dwyer, an Assemblywoman from Elizabeth, unseated two-term Democrat Harrison Williams.  Matthew Rinaldo, who passed away on Monday at age 77, occupied the seat for twenty years.  Now, with the retirement of Michael Ferguson, Democrats are slightly favored to win the seat in a contest between Assemblywoman Linda Stender and her GOP rival, State Sen. Leonard Lance.

Rinaldo began his political career in 1962 when he won a seat on the Union County Board of Freeholders.  When he ran for re-election to a second term in 1965, he lost narrowly (the initial tally, before the recount, said just one vote) to Arthur Fried, a Democratic Councilman from Westfield.  He came back two years later, defeating State Sen. Mildred Barry Hughes, the first woman to serve in the New Jersey State Senate, by 10,657 votes -- a 57%-43% margin.  When he ran for re-election in 1971, Rinaldo ran more than 16,000 votes ahead of his running mate, Frank McDermott, and more than 25,000 votes ahead of his nearest Democratic rival.