Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney (D-Gloucester)

Sources say the announcement by Speaker Joe Roberts (D-Camden) today that he intends to retire at the end of the year creates the opening his South Jersey colleague, Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney (D-Gloucester), needs to make his move in the upper house.

Standing in Sweeney's way is Senate President Richard Codey (D-Roseland) of North Jersey, who doesn't intend to back down in the face of the ambitious majority leader who begins his leadership quest with six solid votes in the South Jersey political constellation. 

Sweeney today kept the focus on the re-election of incumbent Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine. 

"What I'm doing right now is helping him get re-elected," said the senator. "The other considerations come after the big election - the most important election."

Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts (D-Camden)

Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts (D-Camden), a 22-year veteran of the Legislature, will not pursue reelection this year, according to the Star-Ledger.

It is expected that Roberts plans to make an official announcement at a breakfast meeting of Camden Democrats on Wednesday morning, the Ledger reports.

The speaker's departure may set up a battle for his position of leadership in the lower house, and potentially intensify an upper house showdown between Senate President Richard Codey (D-Roseland) and likely challenger state Sen. Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester).  

SPEAKER ROBERTS STATEMENT ON INDICTMENT OF ASSEMBLYMAN CHIAPPONE

(TRENTON) – Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr. (D-Camden) released the following statement today on the indictment of Assemblyman Anthony Chiappone (D-Hudson):

“This indictment is disappointing and disturbing and Assemblyman Chiappone should do what’s best for his constituents and the Assembly and resign from office..."

SPEAKER ROBERTS: PRIVATE JOB GROWTH ‘POSITIVE MOMENTUM’ FOR NEW JERSEY

(TRENTON) – Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts Jr. (D-Camden) released the following statement today after new employment figures showed New Jersey created 13,000 new private sector jobs in July:

“This financial crisis has been a global problem and work still needs to be done, but Governor Corzine and the Democratic Legislature have made real progress toward ensuring New Jersey emerges stronger.

“Thanks to our business friendly initiatives, we saw 13,000 private sector jobs added last month. Meanwhile, our efforts to streamline government led to 7,000 fewer public sector jobs..."

How Long will it take and what issue will it take to get the NJGOP to adopt the RNC platform

ROBERTS / VOSS / PRIETO BILL TO REQUIRE COVERAGE OF AUTISM & DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY TREATMENTS NOW LAW

(NEW BRUNSWICK) – Legislation Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts, Jr., Assemblyman Vincent Prieto and Assemblywoman Joan Voss sponsored to make New Jersey the 15th state to require health insurers to cover treatments for autism and other developmental disabilities is now law.

“Many New Jersey families already are being stretched to their financial edge – but without health coverage for their loved ones, countless families are bankrupting themselves just to give their child the potential for a bright future,” said Roberts (D-Camden). “This measure offers real and meaningful hope that they will not battle alone.”

Assemblyman L. Harvey Smith (D-Jersey City)

Much to the chagrin of Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts (D-Camden), Assemblyman L. Harvey Smith (D-Jersey City) today vowed to stay in office while he fights charges that he took bribes totaling $15,000 when he ran for mayor of Jersey City earlier this year.

"I am guaranteed under the Constitution of the United States and the state of New Jersey with a presumption of innocence in the criminal proceedings against me," Smith wrote in a letter to Roberts. "I believe that resignation of my position as assemblyman is inconsistent with that presumption of innocence."

Upon receipt of Smith's letter, Roberts issued a statement reasserting his own initial response to the freshman assemblyman's legal predicament.

"Assemblyman Smith's decision is disappointing," said the Speaker. "As I have said, the right to the presumption of innocence is a hallmark of our democracy, but serving in the Legislature is a privilege, not a right, and any member charged with criminal activity is incapable of effectively representing their constituents. My decision to suspend Assemblyman Smith's pay and benefits stands. This money belongs to the taxpayers."

CODEY APPLAUDS CORZINE SIGNING OF NEW JERSEY ECONOMIC STIMULUS ACT

NEWARK – Senate President Richard J. Codey, D-Essex, issued the following statement today regarding Governor Corzine’s signing of S-2299, the “New Jersey Economic Stimulus Act of 2009”:

“During the worst economic crisis in generations, Governor Corzine and his partners in the New Jersey Legislature have consistently shown the leadership needed to make true economic recovery and stimulus a reality.

SPEAKER ROBERTS STATEMENT ON PASSING OF JERSEY CITY POLICE OFFICER MARC DiNARDO

(TRENTON) - Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts, Jr., today issued the following statement on the passing of Jersey City Police Office Marc DiNardo:

With four months to go before the election, Assembly Democrats have a nearly three-to-one cash advantage over the Republicans.

The Assembly Democratic Campaign Committee has $989,244 on hand to Assembly Republican Victory’s $334,429, according to reports filed yesterday with the Election Law Enforcement Commission.  

Democrats raised more than twice as much as Republicans last quarter, taking in $397,624 to the GOP’s $176,889.  

All 80 assembly seats are up this year, although only a couple districts at most are considered competitive.  The bulk of both parties’ money will likely be spend in District 1, where Democrats Nelson Albano (D-Vineland) and Matt Milam (D-Vineland) are expected to have a tough race against Cape May County Republicans Michael Donohue and John McCann.  

Democrats also have a large monetary advantage in the state Senate, where there is only one special election this year in South Jersey that is not expected to be competitive.  The Senate Democratic Majority has $927,699 on hand to the Republicans’ $442,333.  Democrats took in $132,675 last quarter to Republicans’ $101,468.