LESNIAK TESTIMONY ON ‘URBAN ENTERPRISE ZONE JOBS SCHOLARSHIP ACT’

TRENTON – At a meeting of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, Senator Raymond J. Lesniak, D-Union, issued the following testimony in support of his bill, S-1607, known as the “Urban Enterprise Zone Jobs Scholarship Act,” which would establish a pilot program to provide tax credits for companies which provide tuition scholarships to children in certain UEZ municipalities:

“I'd like to start by reading excerpts from an article by Star-Ledger education reporter John Mooney. The entire column is attached to my statement:

Joe Cryan calls Jim Devine "a sleaze ball, the worst in politics."In December 2007, James Devine, a Union County political operative/newspaper publisher, was arrested for owing $20,000 in child support and alimony.

It was the latest fall from grace for Devine, a former Union County Democratic insider. Devine had been, as recently as a few years ago, a somewhat important operative in local political circles, running three weekly newspapers in Union County that depended heavily on financing from county advertisements and legal notices. But when that revenue stream abruptly ended, Devine was out of business and out of luck - a turn of events he blames on Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage, a former political ally who he had a falling out with in the early 1990s.

Now he's working to beat Bollwage, who is seeking re-election in the June 3 Democratic primary.

But Devine's detractors hold nothing but venom for a man they characterize as a charlatan who has mucked up the political scene in Union County for decades, and who recently had his bank account frozen for owing tens of thousands in back taxes - something Devine blames on bad legal advice and child support payments.

Some public officials who are used to choosing their words carefully don't hesitate to go on the record slamming Devine.

"He's a sleaze ball, the worst in politics," said Democratic State Chairman Joseph Cryan, who also represents Union County in the State Assembly. "If they pay him anything, I hope he used it towards his child support."

U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-1) won the official support today of Assemblyman Jerry Green (D-Plainfield)Assemblyman Jerry Green (D-Plainfield) as part of Andrews’s quest to unseat U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) in Tuesday’s Democratic Primary.

"After watching Rob Andrews travel this state to meet with voters, listen to their concerns and explain his vision for the future, I am convinced he is the kind of strong, effective advocate our citizens here in Union County and across New Jersey need in the U.S. Senate," said Green. "I enthusiastically support Rob, and I urge all Democrats to vote for him in Tuesday's primary. He is our best hope for change."

It’s worth pointing this out: among the many political insiders who made the pilgramage to Union County this week to attend the signing of State Sen. Raymond Lesniak’s new book, "The Road to Abolition: How New Jersey Abolished the Death Penalty” was his colleague, State Sen. Ronald Rice.  Perhaps it’s a good thing that Rice will read Lesniak’s book, since he was one of two legislators (the other was Sharpe James) who abstained on the death penalty vote last year.

Sen. Ray Lesniak signs his book for Sen. Ronald Rice and Caren Friyer at Kean on Tuesday evening.

UNION - A line of politicians and friends spilled out of Kean Hall tonight, patiently awaiting their time with Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union), who at a table in the front of the room signed copies of his new book, "The Road to Abolition: How New Jersey Abolished the Death Penalty."

"I learned how to do book-signings from McGreevey," cracked the veteran legislator, whose slim, soft-cover volume recounts the Legislature’s 2007 demolition of the New Jersey law that once sent Bruno Hauptmann to the electric chair.

As PolitickerNJ.com begins a subjective tournament to choose New Jersey's Smartest Legislator, state Sen. Leonard Lance could be the early front runner. Lance has faced some criticism from members of his own party for being more of a statesman than a politician, but several statehouse watchers and former legislators say he may be one of the brightest people in Trenton.

"Leonard Lance is the one guy who sits in the legislature today that could have sat in the Senate in the late 1960's and early 1970's," said lobbyist/public relations executive Alan Marcus, who served as Clerk of the General Assembly in 1969, at age 21. "Leonard is a throwback to that era of the noblesse oblige, of quiet brilliance -- of people who don't speak on every issue, but who become conversant on every issue."

Lance isn't the only name that comes up in discussions about smart legislators. In the Senate, the most repeated names were Raymond Lesniak, Nia Gill, Kevin O'Toole, Bill Baroni, John Adler, Dick Codey, and Barbara Buono.

In the Assembly, Joe Roberts, Michael Patrick Carroll, Joe Malone, David Russo, and John Wisniewski were frequently mentioned as among the brainiest.

Rep. Rob Andrews is making his second bid for statewide office, challenging Frank Lautenberg in the Democratic Senate primary

As he launches a primary campaign for Sen. Frank Lautenberg's seat, Rep. Rob Andrews says he’s less prickly than he was 11 years ago when his failed campaign for governor left him holding grudges and questioning the value of a man's word.

The congressman from Camden was bothered by then-Essex County Chairman Thomas Giblin’s 1997 decision to withdraw his support for Andrews to instead back north Jersey product James E. McGreevey for Governor.

“I took it personally and that was my mistake,” said Andrews, 50, who felt vindicated but no less intensely frustrated after McGreevey’s spectacular fall.

“Someone who might have backed McGreevey and not me was not a bad person,” Andrews said.

“He is a foolish person,” the congressman added, “but not a bad person.”

The private agony of Brian Stack goes on, according to sources close to the Union City Mayor and State Senator. Stack received sizeable campaign contributions from George Norcross and Raymond Lesniak, and looked close to backing Rob Andrews for Senate. But Stack ally Albio Sires' decision to put his own career at risk by standing with Stack against the HCDO last year now has Stack hesitant about going with Andrews. Sires pledged to run on the HCDO line with incumbent Frank Lautenberg. Today, Stack's freeholder candidates filed with the HCDO -- but Stack continues to meet with allies. "We elected him because he is a strong leader," said a source. "But all it's been since he was elected is indecision."

U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews picked up the endorsements today of Sen. Raymond Lesniak and Sen. Nicholas Scutari in his race for the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination. Lesniak, one of the state's most powerful political insiders, and Scutari represent Union County.

"Congressman, we need your vision, dedication and energy to end the war in Iraq and bring our troops home," Lensiak and Scutari wrote in a joint letter to Andrews. "These qualities will enable you to be an outstanding candidate to serve the entire state of New Jersey.