Steve Rothman

U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman called on both Bergen County Democratic Chairman Joe Ferriero and County Democratic Counsel Dennis Oury to resign today in light of their indictments on corruption charges.

“An indictment is not a conviction, but it is a very sad day for Joe Ferriero and Dennis Oury, and the entire BCDO family,” said Rothman (D-Englewood) from his Washington office. “I believe that Joe and Dennis should resign without delay in order to remove any cloud from the BCDO.”

Ferriero exercised a heavy hand in controlling the party, and Rothman has found himself stepping into a power vacuum. He will likely play a pivotal role in choosing Ferriero’s successor if and when he resigns as chairman.

Rothman said that Democrats are currently trying to figure out exactly when a special election will need to be called, but that there’s no rush, since BCDO Vice Chair Kay Nest is “capable of running the party as the party leadership tries to reach consensus as to the best way to move forward.” For now, the party has election lawyers trying to determine what, exactly, is the latest version of the party bylaws – an apparent point of dispute.

Editor's Note: Paul Fader has indicated that he is not interested in seeking the Bergen County Democratic Chairmanship, and told PolitickerNJ.com that he has not made any phone calls indicating his interest or seeking support.  The Inside Edge gives him the benefit of the doubt and accordingly, retracts our report.

Joe Ferriero's recent legal woes -- allegations that he assaulted a woman at a Labor Day barbecue at his home, and a federal probe of a grants business in which he is a part owner that resulted in the FBI seizing records from his law office -- have resulted in his taking a leave of absence from his post as Bergen County Democratic Chairman.  Sensing a possible vacancy in the powerful post sometime in the near future, Paul Fader, a former Mayor of Englewood who served as Chief Counsel to Governors James E. McGreevey and Richard Codey,has begun making calls to seek support for Ferriero's job. 

DENVER -- The reaction of the New Jersey delegation to Hillary Clinton’s speech tonight seemed almost uniformly positive. Most said she hit the right notes. All found her message a unifying one.

And perhaps the message that resonated most with the delegation was Clinton’s emphasis that her supporters weren’t just pulling for her, but a message that she said Barack Obama shares.

“I think Hillary Clinton really hit all the right notes. She did a magnificent job reminding everyone – she asked her supporters the right question: did you work so hard just for me or was it for all the causes that we believe in,” said U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman, who was Barack Obama’s most prominent early backer in New Jersey. “If it was ‘not just for me,’ if it was for the causes we all believe in, then you must support Barack Obama as President.”

U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman (D-Fair Lawn): Politicker file photo

DENVER - It's not in his hands now, but U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman (D-Fair Lawn) would love to see Sen. Robert Menendez (D-Union city) receive a speaking role at the Democratic National Convention.

"It would be great for Obama, great for New Jersey and great for the party," said Rothman, Obama's Northeast Regional campaign co-chair, who is in attendance at a party in the Inverness Hotel in honor of Senate President Richard Codey (D-Essex) and Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts (D-Camden).

DENVER –  Seeking to shore up the full support of New Jersey’s Hillary Clinton supporters for Barack Obama, U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman used a line that sounded like it could have come from former President Bill Clinton.

“I hope this is not presumptuous,” he said.  “I think and feel your pain.”

The reception for Steve Rothman at today’s first delegate breakfast at the Inverness Hotel bore little resemblance to the one who, almost a year ago, drew a few boos and catcalls at the Democratic State Convention in Atlantic City when he advocated for Barack Obama, and made comments that some perceived as a knock on Hillary Clinton.

State Party Chairman Joseph Cryan operates at the Inverness.: Politicker photo

DENVER - It was one of those unlikely big event introductions: the governor of New Jersey revving up the crowd before he rolled out U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman (D-Fair Lawn).

Usually it’s one of the members of the congressional delegation warming up an audience for the governor, but this occasion was different, as onetime Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) stalwart Gov. Jon Corzine yielded to Rothman, a Northeast Regional co-chair of the Obama campaign.

Co-hosting a party with Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-Cliffside Park) at the Inverness Hotel on the eve of the Democratic National Convention, Rothman hit the two big power chords the Obama campaign hoped to sound with its pick this weekend of Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) as Obama’s vice presidential running mate.

"Joe Biden is going to be great at reaching out to working class voters, plus he has foreign policy experience," said the congressman, the only member of the New Jersey delegation to have endorsed Obama from the beginning.

There were scattered hand claps - and a little spark of happiness for Biden.

NJ for Obama organizers, from left: Peter Brown, Julie Diaz, and Keith Hovey.: Politicker photo 

DENVER - They were a scrappy, grassroots group of no-name organizers when Peter Brown and Julie Diaz sat in a diner bull-dozed up to the side of a Jersey highway months ago.

But anti-establishment candidate Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-Il) victory in the Democratic presidential Primary propelled them, and NJ for Obama director Keith Hovey, into the laps of New Jersey’s political establishment tonight as the three of them attended a dinner at the Inverness Hotel hosted by Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman (D-Fair Lawn).

"I’m just happy to be here, I don’t care if I have to sit behind Guam," said Hovey.

U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) at Sunday night's dinner at the Inverness Hotel.: Politicker Photo

DENVER - Members of the New Jersey delegation are button-holing hard the Obama campaign to get U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-Union City) a speaking slot at the Democratic National Convention this week.

"You don’t understand how important this guy is," a source told PolitickerNJ.com. "When Menendez won his Senate seat, it was a full banner, front page headline in Florida."

As he entered the Inverness Hotel tonight on his way in to a kickoff dinner hosted by U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-Cliffside Park) and U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman (D-Fair Lawn), Menendez fielded a question about whether or not he would speak at the convention.

U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman (D-Fair Lawn): Politicker photo 

TEANECK - Barack Obama may compromise on some issues, but John McCain is a straight-up foot soldier for the oil barons, according to U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman (D-Fair Lawn) and state Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Teaneck).

In anticipation of McCain’s landing Tuesday in Bergen County, Rothman and Weinberg criticized the presumptive Republican presidential nominee for accepting 33 oil and gas industry lobbyists as campaign advisors, laying out an energy plan that gives Exxon Mobil $1.2 billion in tax breaks, and accepting $2 million in contributions from Big Oil.

"‘Exxon John’s’ energy policy includes nearly $4 billion in tax cuts to the top five oil corporations, complained Rothman, who stood in the Teaneck Marriott beside a super-sized $2 million check made out to "Exxon John" and signed by Big Oil.

The amount is seven times what Obama received from people connected to the industry, said Rothman, the only member of the New Jersey congressional delegation who supported the Illinois senator for president during the Democratic primary.

Bob Decheine, left, and U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman in Teaneck today.: Politicker photoTEANECK - Among those backing up U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman (D-Fair Lawn) at today’s press conference on the eve of Sen. John McCain’s (D-Ariz.) visit stood Bob Decheine, Rothman’s chief of staff.

Decheine was in the running to be Obama’s state director, a contest he ultimately lost to union leader Tricia Mueller.

But as chief of the only member of New Jersey’s congressional delegation who endorsed Obama in the Democratic Primary, Decheine landed a position with the campaign as senior advisor.

"This is a big job we have to get done," Decheine told PolitickerNJ.com.

He said he appreciated the opportunity to meet Mueller for the first time when the new state director went to Washington last month to meet with Decheine in person.