September 25, 2008 - 9:45am
News

Jon Corzine's Wednesday: fix the problem of money in politics, then name a DNC member to the state Ethics Commission

One of the gripes some members of the state political elite have with Gov. Jon Corzine is that politically he can be a bit tone deaf.  Here's an example: yesterday, Corzine announced a rather bold proposal for campaign finance reform, taking on those so-called party bosses and special interest groups. Then later in the day, he quitely nominated a new member of the state Ethics Commission: newly-elected Democratic National Committeewoman Stephanie Bush-Baskette, a former Assemblywoman from East Orange and state Community Affairs Commissioner.  She now works (albeit part-time) at Florio Perrucci Steinhardt & Fader, a politically active law firm that is registered to lobby state government.  The highly regarded Bush-Baskette also runs an urban policy center at Rutgers University, which has numerous overlaps with state government.

(Editor's note: Bush-Baskette, who defeated Roz Samuels for the DNC seat in July and took office a few weeks ago, resigned her seat yesterday, just prior to Corzine's announcement.)

Corzine also renominated Bill Schluter, a former Republican State Senator from Mercer County and a longtime ethics watchdog.  Schluter holds no party post and does not lobby.

Wally Edge can be reached via email at politicsnj@aol.com.

Comments

Two liberals


And Schluter is the more liberal of the two. Is he even still a Republican? Didn't he switch parties?

09/25/08 9:58 am

This is a JOKE


We are in the midst of the worst economic crisis since the 1930's and rather than reassuring people all elitist Corzine wants to do is raise tolls on working-class New Jersey and pass goody two shoes "ethics reform" thatll keep regular people from running for office.

It is time to recall and recall now!

09/25/08 10:46 am