October 8, 2009 - 11:56am

Inside Edge

Watson Coleman invests nearly $50k in Oliver supporters

By Wally Edge

The good news is that members of the New Jersey General Assembly are apparently not beholden to their campaign contributors.

Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing), who appears to be the loser in the race for Speaker, has contributed $107,000 from her campaign account to Democratic Assembly candidates. Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange), the apparent winner in the Speaker sweepstakes, gave a total of $70 to Democratic Assembly candidates.

Watson Coleman sent five contributions of $16,400 each to: Matthew Milam (D-Vineland) and Nelson Albano (D-Vineland) in District 1; Paul Moriarty (D-Washington Twp.) and Bill Collins in District 4; Linda Greenstein (D-Plainsboro) and Wayne DeAngelo (D-Hamilton) in District 14; Frederick Scalera (D-Nutley) and Gary Schaer (D-Passaic) in District 36; and Joan Voss (D-Fort Lee) and Connie Wagner (D-Paramus) in District 38.

Oliver sent $70 to Elease Evans (D-Paterson) in District 35.

Six of the ten Democrats Watson Coleman contributed to -- Milam, Albano, Moriarty, Collins, Greenstein and Scalera - endorsed Oliver. DeAngelo, Schaer, Voss and Wagner have not made a formal endorsement; neither has Evans.

Watson Coleman also gave $14,400 to the Democratic State Committee. Democratic State Chairman Joseph Cryan (D-Union) endorsed Oliver, and is expected to take Watson Coleman's job as Majority Leader.

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

Related topics: Bonnie Watson Coleman, Sheila Oliver, Joseph Cryan

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