Robert Gordon

State Sen. Joseph Coniglio is the target of a federal corruption investigationBergen County Democratic Chairman Joseph Ferriero will push State Senator Joseph Coniglio to drop his bid for re-election, according to sources close to the Bergen Democratic leader. But Ferriero, who paid for a poll earlier this month to test voter reaction to Coniglio as the target of a federal criminal investigation, has not yet told Coniglio that the party will ask him to end his campaign for a third term.

Services will be held on Thursday for Lillian Gordon, the mother of Assemblyman Robert Gordon, at 12:30 PM at the Louis Suburban Chapel in Fair Lawn. Mrs. Gordon died on Tuesday at age 85 following a short illness. A shiva will be observed through Friday afternoon, and again in Sunday, at the family home in Ramsey. The Gordon family is asking that donations be made to The Valley Hospital Foundation, 223 North Van Dien Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07450 or The American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 11454, Alexandria, VA 22312.

Bergen County Democratic sources say that Joseph Coniglio won't get to enjoy his presumption of innocence: that if the two-term Senator is indicted -- or if qualified parties feel an indictment is forthcoming -- Democratic County Chairman Joseph Ferriero will ensure his prompt withdrawal from the November Senate race. And several of those sources suggest that the new Senator will be Paramus Mayor James Tedesco, who is closer to party leadership than another contender, Assemblyman Robert Gordon. The excuse to pass over Gordon and Assemblywoman Joan Voss: both received subpoenas as part of the same Christmas Tree budget probe that let to Coniglio being a target of the investigation.

A little more than two months remain before even Angelo Genova would be unable to help Democrats replace embattled State Senator Joseph Coniglio on the November ballot.  With news that Coniglio has received the dreaded "target letter" from the U.S. Attorney, Bergen County Democratic Chairman Joseph Ferriero may have to decide whether he feels comfortable with Coniglio's campaign for re-election, even before the two-term incumbent has the chance to exercise his right to a presumption of innocence. 

Democratic insiders say Ferriero isn't about to chance a fluke Republican win of the 38th district Senate seat, and to expect a switch.  Possible candidates include Assemblyman Robert Gordon, who also received a subpoena as part of the Christmas Tree budget probe, and Paramus Mayor James Tedesco.

The Star-Ledger is reporting that subpoenas were served on State Sen. Paul Sarlo, Assemblyman Robert Gordon and Assemblywoman Joan Voss today. Federal prosecutors have reportedly been investigating legislators who have personally profited from state budget items.

Bergen County Republicans have picked their candidates for the 38th district: former Elmwood Park Councilman Robert Colletti will challenge Democratic State Senator Joseph Coniglio, and South Hackensack GOP Municipal Chairwoman Renee Czarnecki, the wife of the former Mayor, and Paramus Republican activist John Driscoll will run for the State Assembly against incumbents Robert Gordon and Joan Voss. 

PLASTIC CONTAINER RECYCLING ENHANCEMENT ACT RELEASED BY ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE
Measure Would Reduce Plastic Packaging by Requiring Minimum of Recycled Content

(TRENTON) -- An Assembly committee today released legislation Assemblymen John F. McKeon and Robert M. Gordon sponsored to significantly reduce the use of new plastic packaging by requiring all plastic packaging manufactured and sold in New Jersey to be one-fourth of reused materials.

A compromise plan that would raise the sales tax to 7% but use only half the increase to fund the current budget won just 15 votes in the Assembly Democratic Caucus on Tuesday. Sources say that Assemblymen Alfred Steele, Gary Schaer, Robert Gordon, Joseph Egan, Reed Gusciora and Gordon Johnson, and Assemblywoman Joan Voss -- all legislators viewed as friendly toward the Governor -- voted against the plan. Assemblyman Neil Cohen walked out of the room just before the vote.

COMMITTEE RELEASES BILL TO EXPAND TREATMENT SERVICES FOR ALCOHOL AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE
Measure Will Provide Addiction Services for Alcoholism, Substance Dependency;
Bill Would Cover Treatment of Substance Abuse as Disease, Illness

(TRENTON) -- The Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee today released legislation Assembly members Robert Gordon, Gordon Johnson, Louis Manzo, John Burzichelli, and Linda Greenstein sponsored to require health insurers to provide the same levels of coverage for substance abuse treatments as they do for treating other diseases.

ASSEMBLY PASSES CARABALLO/GORDON/COHEN BILL TO DIVERSIFY,
EXPAND UMDNJ BOARD
Measure Would Strengthen UMDNJ Oversight; Promote Anonymous Whisteblowing

(TRENTON) -- The Assembly today passed legislation Assemblymen Wilfredo Caraballo, Robert Gordon, and Neil Cohen crafted to bring greater oversight to the problem-riddled University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.