Star-Ledger

Someone from South Carolina once told me Jersey style politics reminded her of the deep South – that is, about 80 years ago when political bosses used to run the roost.

The party chair people in each county are the most powerful “elected” individuals that 99% of Jersey voters never vote for - - let alone even heard of. They’re right out of central casting: political bosses who hand-pick and anoint candidates for offices ranging from town council to governor and U.S. Senate, long before primary voters step inside a voting booth.

So given the power-wielding position held by most county chairs, we thought we’d take a look at how well readers were served - - or not - - by the daily newspapers’ coverage of the chair elections that followed the primary held on June 3rd. Read More >

The Star-Ledger and the Philadelphia Inquirer have endorsed Rob Andrews for U.S. SenateThe Star-Ledger and the Philadelphia Inquirer have endorsed Rob Andrews for U.S. Senate against incumbent Frank Lautenberg in the Democratic primary.  Both papers also endorsed Dick Zimmer for the GOP nomination, although the Star-Ledger said they would back Andrews or Lautenberg over Zimmer in the general election. 

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Fifty days ago today, Star-Ledger reporters Josh Margolin and Deborah Howlett broke the story that “Frank Lautenberg's opposition to Gov. Jon Corzine's highway toll plan has opened a rift between the two men that could affect the senator's re-election bid.”

“Lautenberg's announcement was a surprise and led one senior Corzine aide tell top Democrats that the governor would retaliate by ceasing his fund-raising efforts for the senator's re-election campaign,” wrote Margolin and Howlett.

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When it comes to BPU President Jeanne Fox’s reappointment, Gannett’s Bob Ingle and Gregory Volpe have been working overtime.

Based on recent coverage, it appears the Gannett chain is the only NJ newspaper paying close attention to the current storyline about Fox’s day-in-court-defense to a whistle blower complaint and the pending Senate review of her reappointment as Board President.

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N.J. AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech with top Democrats in 2002.: Now that he's feuding with the Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts, he couldn't get on a stage like that today.
When you pick the wrong horse in a harsh political battle, paybacks in politics are often extraordinarily difficult.  That’s what New Jersey AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech is finding out, now that he is “persona non grata” with Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts and the extended Roberts political organization. 

The Star-Ledger’s The Auditor had an important report on the Roberts/Wowknech feud last Sunday, and since that print version of that column sometimes differs from the online version, here are some excerpts worth noting, especially considering the players involved:

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The Star-Ledger won a Pulitzer Prize in 2005 for its coverage of the resignation of New Jersey Governor James E. McGreevey. That puts some pressure on The New York Times to win a Pulitzer for their rather oustanding coverage of the events that led to the end of New York Governor Eliot Spitzer's political career.

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Governor Corzine’s new communications director, Deborah Howlett, took some time during her brief hiatus to answer our questions about her new role, the job offer and her transition from reporter to public servant. The Q&A conversation was on the record, but is not a verbatim transcript of the interview.

How do you go from aggressively covering the governor to aggressively defending the governor?

First of all, if his communications staff is defending him, there’s a problem. What he’s trying to do shouldn’t need defending.

And that’s not why he hired me.

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Fourth in a five-part series on the revolving door between journalism and government in New Jersey. Yesterday, Debbie Holtz asked if reporters protect their former sources when they move from journalism to working for politicians.

Gov. Jon Corzine's new Communications Director is a Star-Ledger reporter who has covered him for the last three years These days, it seems like a week does not pass by without news of red ink running through daily newspapers. Is the troubled financial condition of the newspaper industry driving more and more reporters to PR jobs?

“Anyone who reads the business section of the newspaper knows the current climate,” explained Dr. Barbara Reed, a professor of Journalism at Rutgers University. “Everyone in journalism is aware of the current climate and we are all very worried.

“Whether it is the New York Times, the LA Times, the Chicago Tribune or the Miami Herald – and these are among the best 10 papers in America - they are all experiencing hard times. It’s a very hard place to be in because the advertising is drying up.”

Back in and around New Jersey, the picture isn’t any rosier.

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Gov. Jon Corzine is expected to name Star-Ledger reporter Deborah Howlett as his new Communications Director. Howlett has been covering Corzine as a Star-Ledger statehouse reporter. She replaced Anthony Coley, who left in December.

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“It is easy enough to look back at 2007 and pass judgment”, Tom Moran penned in a recent column.  Given his recent hire at PSE&G, it’s seems fair to look back and at least ask some questions.

Reporters are no different than most job seekers – mums the word until you have actually landed the new position.  But do they have an obligation to their readers to avoid stories inviting potential conflicts while they are job hunting? Read More >