Robert Menendez

Paul Fishman is expected to become the next U.S. Attorney after receiving the support of U.S. Sens. Frank Lautenberg and Bob Menendez.

Paul Fishman is likely to become New Jersey's next United States Attorney after receiving the endorsements of New Jersey's two U.S. Senators today.

In a joint letter to President Obama, Frank R. Lautenberg (D-Cliffside Park) and Robert Menendez (D-Hoboken) are recommending the appointment of Fishman, a former federal prosecutor and Justice Department official.  

The post has been vacant since Republican Christopher J. Christie resigned on December 1.  Ralph Marra, Jr. is now the Acting U.S. Attorney.

"With so many critical issues facing our state, Paul Fishman will be a terrific U.S. Attorney.  He has the knowledge, expertise and judgment to protect the people of New Jersey in the years ahead," said Lautenberg, who has been advocating Fishman's appointment since last fall.

Menendez said that "New Jersey families deserve a U.S. Attorney who makes protecting them from economic crimes, the spreading gang activity, as well as gun and drug trafficking a priority of the office."

"I am confident that Paul Fishman will work with integrity and effectiveness to do just that," Menendez said.

Lautenberg pushed hard for Fishman to get the U.S. Attorney post when Faith Hochberg was nominated to a federal judgeship in 1999.  But Fishman got in the middle of a rather extraordinary public feud between Lautenberg and U.S. Senator Robert Torricelli.  The Clinton administration sided with Torricelli, and when Hochberg resigned to take her seat on the bench (after a lengthy delay in the confirmation process), Attorney General Janet Reno elevated Torricelli's preferred choice, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Cleary, as New Jersey's interim federal prosecutor.  

The 52-year-old Fishman, a Princeton University graduate and editor of the Harvard Law Review, worked in the U.S. Attorney's office as Chief of the Criminal Division and as First Assistant before going to Washington as a senior advisor to Reno and as a Deputy U.S. Attorney General.  Fishman is a partner at Friedman, Kaplan, Seiler and Adelman, where he specializes in white collar criminal matters.  Fishman has represented several public officials prosecuted by Christie, and is currently an attorney for former CWA Local 1034 President Carla Katz, who is seeking to keep her e-mail correspondence with Governor Jon Corzine private.

Patti Nelson McGuire, who spent three years as Gov. Jon Corzine's Deputy Chief of Staff, has joined Princeton Public Affairs Group, one of the state's largest lobbying firms.

"We are excited to have Patti join our dedicated and successful government and public affairs team," said Dale Florio, a partner at PPAG and the Somerset County GOP Chairman.  "Her role at our firm will help strengthen our reach in the New Jersey political arena."

Getty Images Photo

U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-Hoboken) is then new Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee's Housing, Transportation and Community Development Subcommittee.  Menendez secured a seat on the powerful panel last month. 

 "With this new responsibility, I will be able to more directly help effect change on some major economic issues that impact the lives of New Jersey families on a daily basis. The housing crisis is the root of our economic struggles. It continues to affect families who lose their homes as well as their neighbors who face plummeting property values and begin to worry about their own financial situation," Menendez said.   "I'm going to work closely with President Obama to deliver real economic security to families who are worried about how they can continue to afford their mortgage payments.

Mayoral candidate/state Sen. Dana Redd (D-Camden)

CAMDEN - Ensconsed in the trappings of Democratic Party power, hometown hero state Sen. Dana Redd (D-Camden), whose parents were the victims of a double homicide when she was eight years old, today announced her candidacy for mayor with a promise to bring a crime-beleagured city back to waterfront glory. 

"Let's put an end to the petty, counter-productive bickering, no more fighting, ward against ward, black against Hispanic. I'm declaring it today, it is over," said Redd in an atmosphere still energized by President Barack Obama's Jan. 20th swearing-in and his call for national unity.  

The 40-year old Camden native entered the race with the blessing if not official backing of incumbent Mayor Gwendolyn Faison, 82, who stood briefly onstage and appeared to be just bucked up enough to make some “Camden first” comments in the face of party leaders who respectfully acknowledged Faison’s service before firmly throwing whatever heft they have behind rising star Redd. 

"I'm the mayor that made Camden work," an almost defiant-sounding Faison said. "I'm here today because the city is bigger than me. My heart is with Camden. ...I am here to support anyone who will help the City of Camden. That is my statement."

She said she had intended to declare her intentions regarding her political future at a Feb. 23rd press conference, and gently made it known that Redd's presser today pre-empted her own plans somewhat.

U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg is trying to help Paul Fishman become the next U.S. Attorney from New Jersey.

Paul Fishman was fairy close to becoming New Jersey's U.S. Attorney in 1999, and as Democrats prepare for their first opportunity to fill the post since then, there is increasing speculation that 2009 may be his year. 

U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg pushed hard for Fishman to get the U.S. Attorney post when Faith Hochberg was nominated to a federal judgeship in 1999.  But Fishman got in the middle of a rather extraordinary public feud between Lautenberg and U.S. Senator Robert Torricelli.  The Clinton administration sided with Torricelli, and when Hochberg resigned to take her seat on the bench (after a lengthy delay in the confirmation process), Attorney General Janet Reno elevated Torricelli's preferred choice, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Cleary, as New Jersey's interim federal prosecutor.  Cleary served until George W. Bush's nominee, Christopher Christie, took office in January 2002.

PolitickerNJ.com reported last October that Fishman would be Lautenberg's top choice if Barack Obama won the presidency.  With other potential contenders asking not to be considered, including attorney Joseph Hayden and Attorney General Anne Milgram, Fishman has moved to the top of the list in a campaign that essentially needs just two votes: Lautenberg and U.S. Senator Robert Menendez. 

U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-Hoboken) and U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-Long Branch) will join President Obama at the White House today for the signing of legislation reauthorizing and expanding state children’s health insurance programs. 

Pallone, the Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, was the lead sponsor of the bill in the House.   Menendez, who is now a member of the Senate Finance Committee, was a leading proponent of the bill.

U.S. Senators Frank Lautenberg and Bob Menendez

It's good news for New Jersey's two United States Senators: both have positive job approval ratings, according to today's Quinnipiac University poll.  Frank Lautenberg is at 45%-38%, and Bob Menendez is at 42%-30% -- his highest mark since taking office in January 2006.  Menendez is up for re-election in 2012 and Lautenberg in 2014.

U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman, left, is backing Bergen County Sheriff Leo McGuire for U.S. Marshal over another Bergen candidate, Freeholder Director Tomas Padilla, right.

In a letter to New Jersey's two United States Senators, U.S. Rep. Steven Rothman today endorsed Bergen County Sheriff Leo McGuire for U.S. Marshal.  This is significant because Rothman has chosen McGuire over another candidate for the post, Bergen County Freeholder Director Tomas Padilla.  It will be hard for Frank Lautenberg and Bob Menendez to ignore the Rothman endorsement since he is the Democratic Congressman from Bergen County. 

U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, shown campaigning with President Barack Obama, crushed Rudy Garcia, right, in a 2000 Union City political war.

Nine years after a civil war ravaged local politics in Union City and across Hudson County, there is no question who won and who lost.  Robert Menendez is now a United States Senator and Chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and Rudy Garcia is still working for a Trenton lobbying firm.  Arrested on racketeering charges in 2007, a Monmouth County grand jury decided last year not to charge him in connection to a gambling ring sting by the New Jersey State Police.

Menendez and Garcia were once close political allies, but their relationship developed into a civil war between two Democratic stars from the same hometown. Menendez, a former Union City Mayor and State Senator before his election to Congress in 1992, was the key backer of Garcia in his first Assembly victory in a February, 1993 special election, and following the death of Union City Mayor Bruce Walter in January, 1997, was responsible for Garcia's election as Mayor of Union.

State Sen. Brian Stack, the Mayor of Union City, is upset that political enemy Rudy Garcia was invited to Jerramiah Healy's campaign kickoff.

Sources say that Union City Mayor Brian Stack is off the charts livid that two of his political rivals, former Senate Majority Leader Bernard Kenny and former Union City Mayor Rudy Garcia were invited to stand on the stage when Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy announced his re-election bid last week, and that the feud is getting so out of hand that a Stack endorsement of former Assemblyman Louis Manzo for Mayor is now a possibility.  Their best hope to avoid a Second World War between the two Hudson County Democrats may be to convince U.S. Senator Bob Menendez to mediate.

The two went at it two years ago when Healy, the Hudson County Democratic Chairman, backed West New York Mayor Sal Vega for Kenny's Senate seat.  Stack beat Vega in the primary by a 4-1 margin.  Garcia, who was tossed as Mayor and as an Assemblyman (Stack took his seat) after a public feud with Menendez, remains on the outs with the Union City powerbrokers.