Joseph Cryan

Governor Jon Corzine has picked a horse in the race for Congress in the 13th district: Albio Sires, the former Assembly Speaker from Hudson County. Corzine attended Sires' formal announcement today after speaking with the other candidate, Perth Amboy Mayor and Assemblyman Joseph Vas, late yesterday. At a campaign in Union County, Sires picked up the endorsement of State Senator Raymond Lesniak, Assemblyman (and future Democratic State Chairman) Joseph Cryan, and several Democratic Freeholders. In Middlesex County, Carteret Mayor Daniel Reiman attended Sires' announcement; Carteret is one of the towns in the 19th district, which Vas represents in the Assembly. Support for Sires from Democratic leaders like Corzine and former Governor Richard Codey makes the race even more difficult for Vas.

CRYAN WELCOMES GOVERNOR'S COMMITMENT TO KIDS
Chairman of Assembly Human Services Panel Says Governor 'On Right Track'
In Seeking to Improve Efficiency and Effectiveness of Child Welfare Net

ROBERTS RELEASES ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP

(TRENTON) -- Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts, Jr., today released the membership lists for the 23 standing committees the General Assembly will have during the 2006-2007 legislative session.

Newly-elected Speaker Joseph Roberts probably gets some points for diversity -- and a respect for seniority -- in his appointment of key Assembly Committee Chairs for the 212th Legislature. Nellie Pou becomes the first Hispanic to chair the powerful Appropriations Committee (she takes over for Bonnie Watson Coleman, the new Majority Leader), Herbert Conaway, an African American physician from Burlington County, becomes the new Health and Senior Issues Committee Chairman, and Upendra Chivukula becomes the first Asian Indian to chair an Assembly Committee as the head of the Telecommunications and Utilities panel.

Human Services Commissioner-designate Kevin Ryan's worst nightmare may be the appointment of Joseph Cryan to chair the newly-formed Human Services Committee. Cryan has been one of the most outspoken critics of the management practices of DHS & DYFS. The committee chairmanship could put the soon-to-be Democratic State Chairman in a difficult position with the Corzine adminstration.

Roberts eliminated the Federal Relations Committee, chaired by Reed Gusciora. The panel was initially conceived as a Bush-basing committee; its elimination is a sign that the new Speaker is trying to repair relations with the Republican minority. Roberts also reorganized the Health & Human Services Committee and the Senior Issues Committee to now be the Health & Senior Services Committee and the Human Services Committee. Legislation previously assigned to the Family, Women and Children's Services Committee will go to the Human Services Committee. The Speaker has created a new committee to deal with Higher Education issues, to be chaired by Patrick Diegnan.

Less than two weeks after taking office, Morristown Councilman John Cryan was arrested for assault and burglary in a 2AM incident at a local bar. Cryan has apologized to the man he punched, described as a friend. Some local Democrats have called for his resignation. Cryan, a Democrat, is the cousin of Assemblyman Joseph Cryan, the new Democratic State Chairman.

ROBERTS ANNOUNCES ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE LEADERS

In the slow and deliberative transition of Governor-elect Jon Corzine, there is only one sure thing: the selection of Assemblyman Joseph Cryan as the new Democratic State Chairman. The three-term Assemblyman and Union County Undersheriff is expected to be tapped for the post within the next few weeks, after Bonnie Watson Coleman assumes her new post as Assembly Majority Leader. Cryan has been holding meetings with party leaders for the last few weeks, and several Democrats confirm that his appointment is a done deal.

A vote in support of Stem Cell research by State Senator Thomas Kean, Jr. is causing some conservative Republicans to seek out a candidate to challenge him in the June GOP primary for U.S. Senate. One GOP insider says there is a candidate who is "testing the waters." Kean joined six Democrats on the Senate Budget and Appropriation Committee to vote to release legislation that will permit voters to decide if they want to issue $350 million in general obligation bonds to fund stem cell research. Only Senator Anthony Bucco voted against the bill in committee; three Republicans and Democrat Joseph Doria abstained, and three others were absent. Last week, Assemblyman Joseph Cryan, the Democratic State Committee Vice Chairman, criticized Kean for failing to take a stand on the issue. The full Senate is scheduled to vote on the bill tomorrow.

‘TIS THE SEASON TO HELP CONSUMERS:
ASSEMBLY APPROVES GIFT CARD FEE DISCLOSURE BILL

(TRENTON) -- The Assembly today gave final approval to legislation that would require gift cards to be redeemable in exchange for merchandise at full value unless conditions and limitations are disclosed to the purchaser and conspicuously printed on the gift card.

Kean Jr. Gets 'Caught In The Headlights' On The Stem Cell Issue
He Votes Against Research/Medical Plan - But He's Unable To Take A Position As He Continues To 'Study' The Issue
Trenton - As political leaders, high-tech businesses, the medical community and research scientists move forward to capture the promise and opportunities of stem cell research, State Senator Tom Kean, Jr.'s failure to take a position on the issue shows a "lack of political fortitude," according to Joseph Cryan, vice chairman of the Democratic State Committee.