Wayne DeAngelo

U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-Paterson) made it to the front page of the Star-Ledger and The Record today by asking the Federal Trade Commission to investigate allegations that Ticketmaster blocked consumers from purchasing tickets to a Bruce Springsteen concert so they could re-sell them at a higher price on an aftermarket website they own.  Now two Democratic Assemblymen are trying to replicate Pascrell's media hit with their own copycat local version. Gary Schaer (D-Passaic) and Wayne DeAngelo (D-Hamilton) are asking the state Attorney General to launch its own investigation.  Could the Star-Ledger bite again?

West Windsor Mayor Shing-Fu Hseuh, left, faces Councilman Charles Morgan in the May non-partisan election. Former Hamilton Councilman Jack Lacy, right, has aplogized for a racial slur sent in an e-mail last week.

Democrats say that West Windsor Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh, an independent, has agreed not to endorse Republican candidates outside of local politics in exchange for no Democratic opposition in his re-election campaign in May.  His deal helps him avoid a three-way race and leaves him with one opponent, Councilman Charles Morgan, a Republican. 

Hsueh has annoyed Democrats in recent years with his support of Republican Bill Baroni in races for the Senate and Assembly.  He has reportedly agreed to support Democratic incumbents Linda Greenstein and Wayne DeAngelo in their Assembly bid next year, and not to endorse Baroni in 2011.  Four years ago, Baroni backed Hsueh's re-election bid, while Greenstein helped then-Councilwoman Allison Miller.

Republicans have not yet settled on candidates to challenge Democratic incumbents Linda Greenstein and Wayne DeAngelo for the State Assembly in the politically competitive 14th district.

Former Mercer County sheriff candidate Jim McSorley acknowledged today that he is considering running for assembly in the 14th District.

“I’m thinking about it, to tell you the truth.  I haven’t made any decisions one way or the other,” said McSorley, a Hamilton resident and former State Police captain.  

The 14th is expected to be one of the prime battleground districts this year, with Republicans specifically targeting freshman Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo (D-Hamilton), a labor leader.  DeAngelo’s running mate, Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein (D-Plainsboro), is a five-term incumbent.

Republican Jim McSorley is a possible candidate for State Assembly in the 14th district this year.

Former State Police Captain Jim McSorley, who ran an aggressive but ultimately unsuccessful campaign for Mercer County Sheriff in 2008, is considering a bid for State Assembly in the fourteenth district.  The Hamilton resident worked as an aide to U.S. Rep. Christopher Smith (R-Hamilton) after leaving the state police.

JOHNSON/DeANGELO/EVANS/CONAWAY/COUTINHO BILL CREATING CHECK-OFF FOR FOOD PANTRY DONATIONS CONTINUES ADVANCING

(TRENTON) – Legislation sponsored by Assembly members Gordon Johnson, Wayne DeAngelo, Elease Evans, Albert Coutinho and Herb Conaway to address recent shortages and closings at food pantries continues to advance.

The legislation would establish the “Community Food Pantry Fund” in the Department of the Treasury and allow taxpayers to voluntarily donate a portion of their income tax refund to it..

The bill passed the Assembly in October. It was recently released by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee and referred to the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee for further consideration.

“The global economic crisis is hitting our state hard and may get worse,” DeAngelo (D-Mercer) said. “People who never thought they would ever visit a food pantry are now relying on them to put food on the table for their families. These are tough times, and anything we can do to make it easier for people to help those less fortunate is a good thing.”  

Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo (D-Hamilton)

PHILADELPHIA - A lot of the talk on the train is what to do with the infusion of cash the state will get from the federal government if President Barack Obama's stimulus package clears the U.S. Senate, and Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo (D-Hamilton), working a battleground district this year, says the money needs to go to the improvement of infrastructure.

"Fifteen to 20 percent of your work force is made up of blue collar workers, and if you take that money and commit it to sewer and utility projects, roads and infrastructure, bridges, you're going in the direction of economic recovery," says DeAngelo, a union leader in Hamilton.

He concedes he's in a fight this year.

"I'm walking around with a target on my forehead," he says. "I'm their number one target."

Assemblyman David Rible (R-Wall) laughs.

The Associated Press reported that Neptune Township Mayor Randy Bishop will challenge Rible and running mate Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini (R-Ocean), but it's not the high profile contest that most insiders predict will result when DeAngelo defends his seat this year. 

PLAN TO MAKE NEW JERSEY 11TH STATE WITH ‘SILVER ALERT’ SYSTEM FOR MISSING ELDERLY CONTINUES ADVANCING

(TRENTON) – Legislation sponsored by six Assembly Democrats to make New Jersey the 11th state with a “Silver Alert” system to notify the public about missing elderly people continues advancing.

The plan is based on the “Amber Alert” system used by state police to locate missing children.

The measure is sponsored by Assembly members Wayne DeAngelo, Sandi Love, Paul Moriarty, Pamela R. Lampitt, Cary Rodriquez and Elease Evans.

The bill was recently released by a Senate committee and is now pending before appropriations committees in both houses.

“Unfortunately, it’s common for an elderly loved one suffering from dementia and other ailments to wander,” said DeAngelo (D-Hamilton). “This can be dangerous and even life-threatening for our loved ones and stressful for caregivers and family. This new system would be a common sense step toward protecting those who deserve our best, the elderly.”

ASSEMBLY BILLS TO UPDATE, IMPROVE NEW JERSEY’S CORPORATE BUSINESS RULES NOW LAW

Measures Are Among Nearly 40 advanced by Assembly to Further Enhance Efforts to Ensure N.J. Emerges Strong from Economic Crisis

(TRENTON) – Assembly bills to simplify New Jersey’s corporate governance statutes and further enhance efforts to ensure New Jersey emerges strong from the global economic crisis are now law.

The measures were signed Tuesday by Gov. Jon S. Corzine.

They’re sponsored by Assembly members Patrick J. Diegnan Jr., Joseph Vas, Albert Coutinho, Wayne DeAngelo, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Upendra Chivukula and Pamela R. Lampitt. 

“For New Jersey to be competitive as a home for industry in the global marketplace, we need laws that will allow them to operate in real time, using 21st century technology,” said Diegnan (D-Middlesex), who crafted the bill package.

ASSEMBLY DEMOCRATIC COMMENTARY ON MEASURE PROMOTING NJ-BASED 'GREEN' MANUFACTURING

(TRENTON) - Assembly members Pamela R. Lampitt, Wayne P. DeAngelo, Gary S. Schaer and Jack Conners today issued a multimedia package on legislation, released from the Assembly State Government Committee, that would promote home-grown, in-state solar and wind energy manufacturing.

The bill (A-3616), sponsored by Lampitt (D-Camden) and DeAngelo (D-Mercer), would grant a preference to New Jersey businesses that produce alternative energy hardware when awarding state contracts involving solar and wind energy projects, further supporting New Jersey "green" businesses and jobs.  The measure also would support projects that aim to use a majority of parts manufactured or produced in the state in the assembly of a final project.

LAMPITT/DeANGELO BILL PROMOTING NJ-BASED SOLAR AND WIND ENERGY BUSINESSES ADVANCES

Bill Designed to Promote Clean, Energy; Is Among Many Pushed by Assembly to Promote Alternative Energy

(TRENTON) - Legislation sponsored by Assemblywoman Pamela R. Lampitt and Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo to promote New Jersey's solar and wind energy businesses was released today by an Assembly committee.

The bill (A-3616) would grant a preference to New Jersey businesses in the awarding of state contracts for solar panels, wind turbines and other solar and wind energy devices further supporting "green" businesses and jobs in the state.

It also would support projects that aim to use a majority of parts manufactured or produced in the state for the assembly of a final product.