New Jersey might lose one of its thirteen House seats after the 2010 census is completed; new districts will be drawn by a bi-partisan six-member commission in time for the 2012 elections. The Democratic and Republican State Chairs will each appoint two members, and the Senate President, the Senate Minority Leader, the Assembly Speaker, and the Assembly Minority Leader will each appoint two members. Several legal experts told PolitickerNJ.com that Senate President Richard Codey (D-Roseland) could appoint two congressional redistricting commissioners before the end of his current term. The law requires members of the congressional redistricting commission to be appointed by June 15, 2011, but does not specific how early an appointment could be made. Sources close to Codey would not say if this is something the Essex County Democrat might consider.
If Codey does this, watch Stephen Sweeney head right to court. But there is some precedent here: Kathleen Donovan appointed the Republican members of the legislative redistricting commission in 1990, just before Bob Franks defeated him in a contested race for GOP State Chair.
One Republican leader suggested that Codey could save his job if a deal with GOP Senators included Republican control of congressional redistricting. That scenario is highly unlikely, although even the mere possibility of such an accord would have to frighten several Democratic Congressman.
Garden State Equality fires new broadside at Dems Smarting over the state Senate's refusal to pass marriage equality and disillusioned at the moment with the Democratic Party majority, Garden State Equality’s 85-member Board of Directors unanimously decided against giving financial contributions to political parties and their affiliated committees. ...
“We will work harder and smarter to protect consumers, to preserve civil rights, to effectively regulate the alcoholic beverage industry, to ensure that the integrity of New Jersey’s casino gaming industry continues, to keep drives, passengers and pedestrians safe on our streets, to assist victims of crimes, and to remember always the importance of juvenile justice on issues affecting the state." -- Attorney General-designate Paula Dow, at her Senate confirmation hearing.
- PolitickerNJ.com, 02/08/10Press releases are submitted by PolitickerNJ users, not by staff. They do not represent the viewpoint of PolitickerNJ.com.