Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Lisa Jackson remains the leading candidate to become Jon Corzine's Chief of Staff when Bradley Abelow leaves. Speculation of Abelow's departure has persistsed for the last six months, but sources close to the administration say the former Goldman Sachs partner will most certainly be gone by the end of the year. Democratic insiders say that Maggie Moran, Corzine's politically savvy Deputy Chief of Staff for the last four years (and State Director when he was in the Senate) will leave state government to become manage the Governor's re-election campaign.
If Jackson moves to the Governor's office, Corzine will need to appoint a new Commissioner to run the DEP. Possible candidates include: Adam Zellner, the Governor's policy director who has served as DEP Assistant Commissioner and ran the Highlands Council and the state Smart Growth office; Eileen Swan, the Executive Director of the Highlands Council and a former Mayor of Lebanon; Highlands Council Chairman John Weingert, the Associate Director of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University and a veteran DEP staffer under two Democratic Governors and two Republicans; Jennifer Godoski, a former Democratic operative who is now Deputy DEP Commissioner for Policy and Legislative Affairs; John Watson, the Deputy DEP Commissioner of Natural and Historic Resources, and the brother of Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman; and State Sen. Robert Smith (D-Middlesex), the Chairman of the Senate Environment Committee.
There has also been speculation that Abelow won't depart the front office empty handed: some Democrats say he could be named Chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to replace Anthony Coscia -- although that is clearly just speculation at this point.
Morning News Digest: May 24, 2012By Missy RebovichTry State Street Wire, Follow PolitickerNJ on Twitter and Facebook. Text "PNJ" to 89800 to receive alerts In News 12 debate in Teaneck, Pascrell hounds Rothman on decision not to face Garrett After diving into a five-month slugfest...
A fundraiser for embattled Hamilton Mayor John Bencivengo has been cancelled, according to a source close to event coordinator Bob Mule.
Read More >By Roberto Muñiz The NJ Department of Health and Human Services has documented the many financial abuses in the adult day care system, reporting numerous providers who have scammed Medicaid to reap small fortunes off the backs of taxpayers. Negative... Read More >
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"Wow." - U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-9), in response to U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman's assertion that Pascrell could have moved out of the district to challenge U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen.
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