Joan Voss

Bergen County Democrats knew this day would come sooner or later, and today they responded to the indictment of former state Sen. Joe Coniglio not with an outright defense, but with pleas withhold judgment.

Republicans, on the other hand, pointed to the indictment as another sign of what they see as endemic corruption in the Democratic Party.

“Senator Coniglio accomplished a great deal for the working families of the 38th District during his career,” said Bergen County Democratic Organization Chairman Joe Ferriero. “Our legal system is founded upon the presumption of innocence and it is my sincere hope that Joe's upcoming trial is an opportunity for him to reclaim the good reputation that he built through his years of public service.”

State Sen. Bob Gordon spent two terms in the Assembly beneath Coniglio, ascending to the Senate after Coniglio decided not to run again after being pressured by Democratic Party leaders. During the investigation, Gordon saw his own office’s records subpoenaed, although he was not a target of the investigation.

ASSEMBLY PASSES MEASURE TO ENSURE EFFICIENT HANDLING OF MISSING PERSONS CASES
'Patricia's Law' Could Be National Model for Law Enforcement

(TRENTON) - Legislation Assembly members Valerie Vainieri Huttle, Gordon Johnson, Joan Voss, and Linda Greenstein sponsored to enhance the ability of law enforcement officials to efficiently locate missing persons and reunite them with their families passed today in the General Assembly.

STANLEY/GREENSTEIN/VOSS BILL EMPOWERING SCHOOLS TO INVESTIGATE ABSENTEEISM SIGNED BY GOVERNOR
New Law Requires Schools to Look into Inexcusable Absences,
Follow-Up on Reenrollments to Help DYFS Combat Abuse, Neglect

(TRENTON) - A bill Assemblyman Craig Stanley and Assemblywomen Linda Greenstein and Joan Voss sponsored to empower school districts to help combat child abuse by aggressively investigating unexcused absences by students and scrutinizing student transfers to new school districts was signed into law today by Governor Jon S. Corzine.

The Record has endorsed the Democratic ticket in the 38th district: Robert Gordon for State Senate and Joan Voss and Connie Wagner for State Assembly.  MORE

VOSS CALLS BUSH S-CHIP VETO 'DISGRACEFUL'

(FORT LEE) - Assemblywoman Joan Voss (D-Bergen) today issued the following statement in response to President Bush's veto of the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007:

"The President's veto is a disgraceful dereliction of duty.

Once viewed as among the state's most politically regions in New Jersey, the 38th has become a "blue district" and Republicans will not even compete there this fall.  Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroce has told Bergen County Republicans that his leadership PAC will not play in the 38th, where incumbent Joan Voss and Freeholder Connie Wagner face Republicans John Driscoll and Renee Czaplicki. 

It was a big happy event, by the looks of it from the outside. They looked like an extended family in there, with the Jets game on in the background and a few of the men shamelessly turning sideways in their chairs as they watched Gang Green lose.

But when Assemblyman Robert Gordon stood at the podium and accepted their unanimous backing to succeed District 38 Sen. Joseph Coniglio, Bergen County Democrats emptied their seats and gave him their face-forward attention amid sustained applause.

Gordon had some longtime allies in the Sunday evening crowd at party HQ in Hackensack, guys with whom he went back a long time.

Assemblyman Robert Gordon will face Republican Robert Colletti in the 38th district State Senate raceBergen County Democratic Chairman Joseph Ferriero has endorsed Assemblyman Bob Gordon to fill the state Senate ballot position left vacant by Joe Coniglio.

“Obviously it was a difficult choice because we had outstanding candidates, and any one of them would make an excellent Senator,” said Ferriero. “But based on Bob’s experience, dedication and commitment to the people of New Jersey, I picked him.”

Gordon was under consideration along with Assembly running mate Joan Voss and Paramus Mayor James Tedesco.

While political insiders around Bergen County watch the Democratic headquarters in Hackensack for white smoke, at least one person who’s being put up for Joe Coniglio’s place on the ballot doesn’t know it yet. 

It’s Fort Lee Councilman Michael Villano, whose name Fair Lawn Committeeman Bob Gulack wants to put forward at the organization’s Sunday night meeting.

The race for State Senate in the 38th district has come down to one of those smoke filled rooms kind of contests between Assemblyman Robert Gordon and Paramus Mayor James Tedesco.  Democratic insiders say they believe both candidates have agreed to support the candidate of the party leadership and not mount a floor fight at Sunday's Special Primary Convention of the full County Committee, although that is a relatively standard line at this point in the process.