William Payne

Lionel Leach and Jackie Teel, working the phones in Clinton HQ in NewarkWhen Sen. Ronald Rice and North Ward Democratic Party boss Steve Adubato find themselves in the same political foxhole, something is either amiss, or it’s a presidential election year.

In certain company, the lead-up to Tuesday’s historic Democratic Primary contest looks like some incidental skirmish in Newark with here-today, gone-tomorrow alliances, played out as a backdrop to that more fervent chess war between local rivals angling for the real epic of some area city council and freeholder races later this year.

Lionel Leach, Rice’s former campaign field director, serves as spokesman for Sen. Hillary Clinton in her campaign’s week-and-a-half old Broad Street headquarters, even as North Ward Democratic Organization campaign firebrand Sen. M. Teresa Ruiz continues to steel the Latino vote for Clinton in rallies statewide. On the heels of his own family fight with Adubato, U.S. Rep. Donald Payne also intends to do some campaigning for Clinton this weekend.

Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo, who had to preside over meetings with his two Deputy Chiefs of Staff – Teresa Ruiz and Bill Payne, both candidates for the same State Senate seat.

READ THE POLITICKERNJ.COM 2007 YEAR-END REVIEW

PAYNE/STANLEY NEW JERSEY SLAVERY APOLOGY
APPROVED BY ASSEMBLY
Would Make State Fifth in Nation to Formally Apologize for State's
'Disgraceful Past Embrace' of Slavery

(TRENTON) - Legislation Assemblymen William D. Payne and Craig A. Stanley sponsored to authorize a formal state apology for New Jersey's role in slavery during the early years of our nation's history was passed today in the General Assembly.

PAYNE BILL TO EXPAND LEAD-BASED PAINT TESTING BECOMES LAW

Measure Keeps Residents and Children Safe from Dangerous Lead Poisoning

(TRENTON) - Legislation Assemblyman William Payne sponsored to expand lead paint inspections to single-family and two-family properties was signed into law today by Governor Jon S. Corzine.

PAYNE/STANLEY NEW JERSEY SLAVERY APOLOGY CLEARS ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE

Would Make State Fifth in Nation to Formally Apologize for State's 'Disgraceful Past Embrace' of Slavery

(TRENTON) - An Assembly panel today released legislation Assemblymen William D. Payne and Craig A. Stanley sponsored to authorize a formal state apology for New Jersey's role in slavery during the early years of our nation's history.

PAYNE BILL REQUIRING PARENTING INSTRUCTION AS PART OF FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION ADVANCES

(TRENTON) - The Assembly Education Committee today released legislation sponsored by Assemblyman William D. Payne that would require New Jersey schools to provide instructions on parenting as part of the family life education curriculum.

GIBLIN BILL MOVING DIVISION OF ELECTIONS TO DEPARTMENT OF STATE ADVANCES

(TRENTON) - Legislation Assemblyman Thomas P. Giblin sponsored that would transfer the state Division of Elections from the Department of Law and Public Safety to the Department of State was unanimously released today from the Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee.

Donald Payne will have Joe DiVincenzo's backing in 2008 Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo says he will back Donald Payne for re-election to an 11th term in Congress next year.

Some Democrats say that 74-year-old Payne could face a challenge in the 2008 primary after his refusal to support the Democratic nominee for State Senate in Newark's 29th district this year.

Payne supported his brother, Assemblyman William Payne, who ran unsuccessfully as an Independent candidate for Senate against the party choice, Teresa Ruiz. Ruiz works for DiVincenzo and has the backing of power broker Steve Adubato and Newark Mayor Cory Booker.

In the 29th district, independent state Senate candidates Assemblyman William Payne and At-Large Councilman Luis Quintana this afternoon were making the most of their ground games against the favorite, M. Teresa Ruiz, who enjoys the mammoth machinery of the North Ward Democratic Organization.

Ruiz and her team have the line up here in Newark in an overwhelmingly Democratic district, which they're hoping will prove a key difference-maker in putting down the Payne-Quintana insurrection.

The Star-Ledger has weighed in with their second endorsement of the 2007 campaign, supporting Independent William Payne for State Senate in the 29th district.  READ