Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli took on vacation to Italy with State Senator Joseph Coniglio, the target of a federal corruption probe, and Dennis Oury, the lawyer for the Bergen County Democratic Organization.

Jon Corzine decided to take a quick trip to Portugal to attend a global warming conference seven days before the mid-term elections. And for writing a personal check to Rocco Ricco, Carla Katz’s ‘ner do well brother-in-law.

Atlantic County Sheriff Jim McGettigan, in his dismal race for County Executive, criticized the county for hiring porn industry lawyer Eric Bernstein (he calls himself a first amendment attorney) as a labor counsel – without revealing that Bernstein represented McGettigan.
And then, after attacking him, he wrote asking for a campaign contribution.

Assemblyman Gordon Johnson gave $1,850 of his own money to a group run by Lyndon LaRouche. Dumber move: he said he didn’t know LaRouche was a racist.

Assemblywoman Marcia Karrow faced assault charges after allegedly shoving a Republican Committeewoman during a rancorous Hunterdon primary.

Toms River Council President Greg McGuckin owed the IRS over $100k, and he didn’t think his opponents in the race for Mayor would find out.

Even though she knew he had been convicted of sexually assaultin  a 13-year-old girl, State Senator-elect Sandra Bolden Cunningham allowed 45-year-old Russell Wallace to work on her campaign.

Republican State Senator Nicholas Asselta spent 39 months of his life believing that Democratic Assemblyman Jeff Van Drew would no  run against him. He lost by 5,000 votes.

Perennial candidate Todd Caliguire designed a mailer that called his Senate primary opponent Kevin O’Toole “the Republican Al Sharpton” —saying that O’Toole’s “Asian/Korean” heritage gave him protection in redistricting.

Prudential executive Gabriella Morris to fill a vacant Republican seat on the Election Law Enforcement Commission. She last a couple of days before Gov Jon Corzine realized he couldn’t name a government affairs executive to regulate lobbyists.

VITALE-CONIGLIO BILL TO REQUIRE HEALTH CARE FACILITIES TO ADOPT VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAMS SIGNED INTO LAW

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Joseph F. Vitale and Joseph Coniglio which will require the establishment of violence prevention programs in health care facilities in order to protect workers from violence was signed into law by Governor Corzine today.

VITALE-CONIGLIO BILL TO REQUIRE HEALTH CARE FACILITIES TO ADOPT VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAMS APPROVED BY SENATE

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Joseph F. Vitale and Joseph Coniglio which would require the establishment of violence prevention programs in health care facilities in order to protect workers from violence was approved by the Senate today by a vote of 38-0, receiving final legislative approval.

There is a tiny bit irony here: legislation to eliminate the death penalty received 21 votes, the minimum need for passage in the New Jersey Senate. So the deciding votes were effectively cast by Wayne Bryant and Joseph Coniglio, both lame duck legislators with severe legal problems. Bryant has been indicted on federal corruption charges, and Coniglio is the target of a federal grand jury criminal probe.

CONIGLIO-SARLO RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT MASS TRANSIT IN BERGEN APPROVED

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Joseph Coniglio and Paul A. Sarlo which would express support for the Trans-Hudson Tunnel, the Northern Branch Passenger Rail restoration project and other mass-transit projects feeding into Bergen County was approved by the Senate today.

Loretta Weinberg has signed off on John Molinelli's renomination as Bergen County ProsecutorJust a month and a half ago, the re-nomination of Bergen Prosecutor John Molinelli to another five year term looked to be in jeopardy.

The revelation that he had accompanied outgoing state Sen. Joseph Coniglio on a trip to Italy while the Senator was under federal investigation raised doubts among top Democratic officials whether he should be reconfirmed. Meanwhile, Republican Sen. Henry McNamara and Democratic Sen. Loretta Weinberg had already exercised senatorial courtesy for different reasons, refusing to sign off on Molinelli's nomination.

But today, the prospect of Molinelli securing another term looks much more likely, even if he has several more political obstacles to overcome.

VITALE-CONIGLIO BILL TO REQUIRE HEALTH CARE FACILITIES TO ADOPT VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAMS APPROVED BY BUDGET PANEL

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senators Joseph F. Vitale and Joseph Coniglio which would require the establishment of violence prevention programs in health care facilities in order to protect workers from violence was unanimously approved by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee today.

The Record’s Charles Stile reported today that federal agents searched the Paramus home of State Sen. Joseph Coniglio, the target of a federal criminal investigation.  That will almost certainly create some chatter at Hillary Clinton’s national campaign headquarters, where a senior campaign official had a “conversation” in recent weeks about the Coniglio probe with lobbyist Harold Hodes, an advisor to the New Jersey Clinton campaign.

The Clinton campaign, sources say, wanted to hear from Hodes about his grand jury appearance, in response to a federal subpoena, regarding allegations that Coniglio obtained state funds for Hackensack University Medical Center while working as a paid consultant. At the time, Hodes’ firm, Public Strategies/Impact, was the HUMC lobbyist. The hospital received over $1 million in state grants while Coniglio was on their payroll.

Another bad day for State Sen. Joe ConiglioThe Bergen Record’s Charles Stile reports that the home and legislative office of outgoing state Sen. Joseph Conilgio have been searched by the federal agents.

The search is reportedly “the final act of the investigation” into whether Coniglio steered legislative grants to the Hackensack University Medical Center while working for the hospital as a $5,500-per-month plumbing consultant.

Sources say Harold Hodes testified in Coniglio grand jury probeLobbyist Harold Hodes, a top advisor to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in New Jersey and one of the state’s most powerful political insiders, has spent several hours testifying before a federal grand jury probing State Sen. Joseph Coniglio, according to sources familiar with the investigation.

Hodes, appearing in response to a federal subpoena, testified about appropriations Coniglio allegedly obtained for Hackensack University Medical Center while the two-term Senator was working as a paid consultant. At the time, Hodes’ firm, Public Strategies/Impact, was the HUMC lobbyist. The hospital received over $1 million in state grants while Coniglio was on their payroll.