Morin joins Florio firm

Union County Republican Chairman Phil Morin has become a partner in the politically-connected law firm Florio, Perrucci, Steinhardt & Fader, the firm announced today.

The firm, which was founded by former Gov. Jim Florio, a Democrat, counts many insiders of both political parties as partners.  They include Warren County Republican Chairman Doug Steinhardt; Bergen County Democratic insider Paul Fader, who was chief counsel to Governor McGreevey and Codey and a two-term mayor of Englewood; and former Bergen County Republican Chairman Rob Ortiz, who is currently the Republican State Committee's finance chair. 

Morin most recently worked at Saul Ewing.  Before that he worked with  LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae LLP and as a sole practitioner.

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Ortiz joins Florio law firm

Robert Ortiz, the New Jersey GOP State Finance Chairman and the former Bergen County GOP Chairman, is now a lawyer at Florio, Perrucci, Steinhardt and Fader. The firm is headed by former Democratic Gov. Jim Florio and partners include former Warren County Democratic Chairman Michael Perrucci, Warren County GOP Chairman Douglas Steinhardt, and Paul Fader, who was Chief Counsel to Gov. James E. McGreevey.

Ortiz ascends to Republican State Committee

Former Bergen County Republican Chairman Rob Ortiz has landed as the Republican State Committee’s new finance chairman.

Ortiz, who was ousted two weeks ago as the Republican chairman in Bergen County, wrote an email to his friends and supporters announcing the news, and said that he would make Bergen County one of his fundraising priorities.

“As the largest county with the largest number of registered Republicans in the state, Bergen is crucial not only to reinvigorating the GOP from the grassroots up and identifying future candidates, but is also a crucial must-win county in any statewide campaign effort,” he wrote. “As such, Bergen will remain a key concern for me as it should for every Republican around the state.”

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Ortiz likely pick for RSC finance chair

After being defeated in his reelection bid for Bergen County Republican Chairman, sources say that Rob Ortiz is likely to be the Republican State Committee’s next finance chairman.

Ortiz, an attorney from Ridgewood, raised about $200,000 for the Bergen County Republican Party, helping it emerge from $40,000 in debt. But his support for the candidacy of his friend and client Andy Unanue, along with several other missteps, cost him that job.

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Yudin calls for peace online

Newly elected Bergen County Republican Chairman Bob Yudin called for peace on the internet today.

In a press release, Yudin implored both his own supporters and those of his opponent, former Chairman Rob Ortiz, to declare a “cease fire” in the “internet war” that’s erupted between them.

“I ask that those with the time and the energy to engage in trading Internet insults, please find a new, more productive  focus for their energies,” said Yudin, who felt that the internet bickering was another manifestation of the infighting that’s plagued the troubled party that he just took over.

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O'Toole salutes Christie-Beck as 'dream ticket'

State Sen. Kevin O'Toole (R-Essex) on Wednesday stepped out in frontChris ChristieChris Christie of the back-static regarding a pairing of U.S. Attorney Jen BeckJen BeckChris Christie with state Sen. Jennifer Beck (R-Monmouth) for GOP governor/lt. governor in 2009.

"I think it's a dream ticket," said O'Toole. "If Chris Christie decides to run, I expect Jen Beck to be considered in what would be an ideal combination of law enforcement, ethics and government transparency."

O'Toole recalled as "gutsy" Beck's drubbing out of of office of state Sen. Ellen Karcher last year.

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Thanks, Andy

Thanks, Andy

Yudin wins BCRO Chairmanship, 57%-43%

Yudin wins BCRO Chairmanship, 57%-43%

Robert Ortiz’s reign as Bergen County Republican Chairman came to an end tonight, just 11 months after he took the helm of this beleaguered party.

The victory for Bob Yudin, 69, was the conclusion of a particularly nasty and hard fought battle, but Yudin sought to start the process of unifying the party immediately.

“No recriminations. None,” said Yudin in his victory speech. “This is about all of us getting together, and uniting as one Bergen County Republican Organization.”

Yudin won with 412 votes to Ortiz’s 317.

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BCRO runoff dispute resolved

The confusion over who gets to vote at tomorrow night’s election for Bergen County Republican Chairman appears to have ended.

State Sen. Gerald Cardinale will not sue the Bergen County Republican Organization to force it to restrict voting at tomorrow night’s chairmanship runoff to only those who voted last Tuesday.

Cardinale said that Ortiz never had the authority to declare that voting would be open to all county committee members – a responsibility that belongs to the BCRO’s election committee. The committee had previously ruled for restricting tomorrow night’s ballot. Election Commissioner Patricia DiCostanzo even sent a letter informing county committee men and women that only those who voted last Tuesday could vote tomorrow.

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If Ortiz loses, blame Unanue

Rob Ortiz was widely viewed as a rising star in New Jersey politics in June 2007 when the political newcomer won 57% of the vote in his bid for Bergen County GOP Chairman after Guy Talarico stepped down one year early.  The 35-year-old lawyer was a fundraiser for Rudy Giuliani – at the time the front runner for the Republican presidential nomination – and Bergen Republicans, down on Talarico and anxious to restore their former days of glory, saw Ortiz as a bright light for their future.  But one year later, Ortiz is the underdog as he fights to win his first full two-year term as BCRO Chairman.

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Wake-Up Call

Morning News Digest: March 19, 2010

Christie vetoes 5 service contracts approved by Turnpike Authority  Governor Christie on Thursday vetoed five professional services contracts that were approved by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority a month ago. The governor’s office said Christie exercised his eighth veto because the contract fees ranged from...

Wally Edge

Democratic State Chairman John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville) put out a statement today accusing GOP congressional candidate Jon Runyan of “hiding from the press while trying to privately impress party bosses, and taking advantage of thousands of dollars...
The passing of Warren Wilentz means that David Norcross becomes the earliest nominated U.S. Senate candidate currently living.  Wilentz was the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in 1966 against Clifford Case, and Norcross was the Republican U....
The national political environment favored the GOP in 1966.  It was the mid-term election of Democratic President Lyndon B. Johnson, and the war in Vietnam had just begun to divide the nation.   In New Jersey, Republican Clifford Case was...
Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo issued a press release today urging the State Assembly to pass pension and health insurance reform bills, but did not mention in his 574-word that the person blocking the legislation, Assembly Speaker Sheila...
Two Republicans will formally announce campaigns for Congress this evening against Democratic incumbents: John Runyan, a retired NFL star who played for the Philadelphia Eagles, is challenging freshman U.S. Rep. John Adler (D-Cherry Hill), and Diane...

Contributors

This is going to be a budget that is going to be unlike any other you’ve probably seen in NJ in at least the last 20 years and maybe... more »
Everybody needs to start a new job with a list of priorities and Chris Christie is no exception. There might be a thousand things that need to get done... more »
On Tuesday, Governor Christie outlined a strategy to rescue New Jersey from the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Like other states, we were not immune... more »
Governor Christie seems to have played the rotten fiscal cards he inherited fairly well. As reported by the Star-Ledger, he is proposing to cut school aid by more... more »
It's impossible to support consolidation of government services and also support COAH.S1 paints with a broad brush and thus will miss some fine points.  COAH paints with... more »
As part of his solution to New Jersey’s current budget deficit, Gov. Chris Christie announced that, effective yesterday, he will not allow any additional parents to enroll in FamilyCare,... more »
Do I love Governor Chris Christie’s budget proposal?  Of course not.  Who would?  I’m sure he doesn’t like it, but that’s not the point, is it?  How could you... more »
The budget speech given on Tuesday by Governor Christie clearly illustrates his priorities – including disproportionately shifting the tax burden away from businesses and the wealthy, and... more »
On Rebate Issue, Christie Will Win.  The leading New Jersey Sunday newspapers yesterday confirmed that Governor Chris Christie will propose in his FY2011 budget the... more »
You’ve got to hand it to Christie; he calls it as he sees it.  I don’t mean the newly crowned Governor, Chris Christie, but his nine-year-old son, Patrick.  ... more »
Anyone involved in governing and administrating a town or county in New Jersey understands the economic problems outlined in The Star-Ledger editorials of February 28 and March 1.  The... more »
It is widely anticipated that Gov. Chris Christie’s first budget message, to be delivered on March 16, will show the harsh reality of New Jersey’s bleak financial outlook. No... more »
In keeping with the commitment I made to you in the November election, I am looking at every possible way to cut wasteful government spending and relieve your tax... more »
Wanted:  Courage to Pass Healthcare Reform In 1935, they spoke out against Social Security.  In 1965, they spoke out against Medicare.  And now in 2010, they are taking a politics-first... more »
Our new Governor suffers from no lack of advice.  Much of it, contained in the transition reports, deserves prompt attention.  Obviously, economic prosperity benefits everyone, and – as... more »
I have to genuinely wonder if this legislature will go down as the most taxing legislature in the history of the state of New Jersey surpassing the legislative actions... more »
Now that  the dust has finally settled after the grueling campaign for governor, there are a number of lessons that we can draw from this election. First and... more »
3.20.10     Putz of the Week and Mensch of The Week It is not too often that I have designated a Democrat as the Putz of the Week and a Republican... more »
Limited government principles and fiscal conservatism are philosophically sound, because they preserve the people’s natural rights and they prevent government from overspending, over borrowing and overtaxing.   For more than... more »
New Jersey is in severe financial crisis because for years elected officials have been able to make irresponsible and short-sighted decisions without any restraint.  Future governors may... more »
On January 6, 2010, several newspapers published articles with titles like “no more aid for struggling cities”, “Christie will cut state aid” and the like; furthermore, in the body... more »
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, you target teachers. That’s not a positive note to start your tenure. You forget that the Teachers’ Union makes decisions on its own, such... more »
On the day of his inauguration, Governor Christopher Christie inherited a gaping $2 billion hole in the state’s budget and swiftly set about the people’s business in meeting our... more »