Sheila Oliver

ATLANTIC CITY - Senate President Richard Codey (D-Roseland) walked out of the carpeted Trump Plaza Casino on Friday night leaving no doubt that he's ready for a fight, indeed in a fight.

"Take your best shot," a skeptic said to him and Codey good-naturedly did, playfully wrestling the challenger while telling his security escort, "It's all right, I can handle this."

The escort stood at parade rest.

"And I can handle Sweeney," Codey said moments later, referring to Senate Majority Leader Stephen Sweeney (D-West Deptford), who's challenging him for the Senate Presidency, who last week said, "I can take Codey with one hand tied behind my back." 

Designed to showcase base support for Gov Jon Corzine, the Democratic Convention in Atlantic City simultaneously served as a bicameral crucible for both Codey versus Sweeney intrigue and a brewing lower house leadership fight.

OLIVER: FAMILY LEAVE BACKED BY CORZINE AND DEMOCRATS PROVING WORTHY TO N.J. FAMILIES

(EAST ORANGE) – Assemblywoman Sheila Oliver (D-Essex/Passaic) released the following statement Thursday as Gov. Jon S. Corzine announced more than 5,000 New Jerseyans have received paid family leave insurance to care for sick family members or new children since the program took effect on July 1. Oliver was a prime sponsor of the law:

“Thanks to Gov. Corzine and the Democratic Legislature, more than 5,000 New Jersey workers have received the peace of mind of knowing they didn’t have to decide between putting food on the table or caring for a sick family member or new child.

“Paid leave insurance is among the most family friendly policies we can provide New Jersey’s working families. This compassionate program keeps families together at their most precious moments and gives them the chance to love and care for one another without forgoing a paycheck..."

Jon Corzine has this debate stuff all figured out.   Facing a little bit of pressure to participate in more than the two officially sanctioned debates run by the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, Corzine has accepted an invitation to debate Republican Christopher Christie and Independent Christopher Daggett on WBGO FM, a Newark-based jazz radio station.  By accepting the Jazz88 debate, Corzine gets to say he's participating in three debates while eschewing two invitations from stations with a substantially larger audience: the ABC network affiliates in New York and Philadelphia (who have offered to pre-empt Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune so the debate could air from 7-8 PM on a weeknight), and NJ 101.5, the state's largest and most politically influential radio station. 

Corzine also enjoys the comfort of knowing that Jazz88 is run by friendly faces.  Among the members of the station's Board of Trustees are Scott Weiner, a former Florio cabinet member who headed the School Construction Corporation under Corzine;  Oliver Quinn, who was one of Corzine's appointees to the University of Medicine and Dentistry Board of Directors (and a public supporter of reality TV star Randal Pinkett for Lt. Governor); former Hillside Mayor Samuel McGhee, the Executive Director of the Joint Meeting of Essex & Union Counties; Diane Hill, the Rutgers-Newark community relations director and a former aide to Assemblywoman Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange); Mindy Cohen, who is a co-owner of Evergreen Partners along with Democratic fundraiser Karen Kessler; and Cathedral Health Systems Chief Administrative Officer William Vazquez, who works with the state Department of Health and Senior Services on funding issues.

Assembly Human Services Committee chair Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange) is mulling a bid for Assembly Speaker

Look for a fourth candidate in the race for Assembly Speaker: Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange) has spent the last two days testing the waters to seek the post.  Oliver is the Assistant Essex County Administrator, which means strong ties to County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo and Newark Democratic leader Stephen Adubato.  Essex County has the state's largest Assembly delegation - nine votes.

Oliver would become the second African American woman to run for Speaker, joining Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing).  Watson Coleman said on Wednesday that she would run.  Assemblyman Joseph Cryan (D-Union), the Democratic State Chairman, and Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville) are also looking at the race.

Oliver's chances of becoming Speaker could be boosted by a leadership change in the upper house, where Senate Majority Leader Stephen Sweeney (D-West Deptford) is considering a challenge to Senate President Richard Codey (D-Roseland).  It is unlikely that Essex Democrats would get both slots, and more likely that they would if the Senate Presidency goes to South Jersey.

The 57-year-old Oliver is seeking her fourth term in the State Assembly this year.  She represents District 34, which includes East Orange, Montclair and Clifton.  She is a former Essex County Freeholder and East Orange Board of Education President, and lost her bid for Mayor of East Orange in the 1997 Democratic primary by just 51 votes.  She is currently the Assembly Speaker Pro-Tempore and the Chair of the Assembly Human Services Committee.

MCKEON / OLIVER BILL ESTABLISHING INVOLUNTARY COMMITMENT TO OUTPATIENT TREATMENT FOR PERSONS IN NEED NOW LAW

(TRENTON) – Legislation Assemblyman John F. McKeon and Assemblywoman Sheila Y. Oliver sponsored to allow for the involuntary commitment to outpatient treatment for persons with mental illness in need was signed into law today by Gov. Jon S. Corzine.

CHIVUKULA / OLIVER / GIBLIN BILL TO ENCOURAGE INVESTMENT, EXPANSION IN NJ TECH FIRMS ADVANCES

Measure Would Expand Existing Technology Incentive Program To Put NJ Back on the Vanguard of Technology Development

(TRENTON) – Legislation Assembly members Upendra J. Chivukula, Sheila Y. Oliver and Thomas P. Giblin sponsored to enhance the incentives offered to individuals and businesses that invest in the state’s technology sector was released by an Assembly committee today.

“New Jersey has a long history of being a hub for technological innovation and advancement,” said Chivukula (D-Somerset), a member of the Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee. “This enhanced investment incentive will ensure we continue writing new chapters of that history.”

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ASSEMBLY DEMOCRATS COMMENTARY ON BILLS INCREASING AWARENESS & SIMPLIFYING ENROLLMENT IN PAAD, SENIOR GOLD

(TRENTON) - Assembly Democrats today issued a multimedia package on two bills sponsored by Assembly members Sheila Y. Oliver, Connie Wagner, Celeste M. Riley and Ruben J. Ramos, Jr. that would increase awareness of and simplify enrollment in the state's two prescription assistance programs.

OLIVER / LAMPITT / GREENWALD / LOVE / CRUZ-PEREZ BILL REQUIRING STATE TO REPORT ASSAULTS & DEATHS AT STATE PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALS ADVANCES

(TRENTON) – Legislation sponsored by Assembly members Sheila Y. Oliver, Pamela R. Lampitt, Louis D. Greenwald, Sandi Love and Nilsa Cruz-Perez to require the state to publicly report assaults and deaths at state psychiatric hospitals has been approved by the Assembly.

The legislation (A-2949) is a direct response to delays in the release of statistics on assaults at Ancora Psychiatric Hospital in Camden County. Lawmakers had requested the information following several high-profile incidents at the hospital, including a patient escape and several deaths.

“The well-being of patients at state-operated hospitals should never be in doubt and breaches in the safety net cannot be hidden from view,” said Oliver (D-Essex). “Any violent incident at a state hospital must be made part of the public record so health officials and legislators can take appropriate and immediate action.”

EVANS / OLIVER BILL TO STRENGTHEN CHILD WELFARE TASK FORCE NOW LAW

(TRENTON) – Legislation Assemblywomen Elease Evans and Sheila Oliver sponsored to revise membership of the New Jersey Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect has been signed into law by Gov. Jon S. Corzine.

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ASSEMBLY DEMS COMMENTARY ON SECOND COMMITTEE REVIEW OF OVERSIGHT FOR NJ PORTION OF FEDERAL STIMULUS

(TRENTON) – Chairs of seven Assembly committees today issued a multimedia package on the Assembly’s efforts to ensure legislative oversight and accountability of the money made available to New Jersey from the recently enacted federal stimulus package.

The committee hearings were the second of two days largely devoted to discussing the impact of the federal stimulus on the state. Assembly committees heard from a variety of state commissioners and department heads on their efforts to obtain and oversee distribution of federal stimulus dollars.