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Sarlo and the Senate Presidency

by: Jason Springer

Tue Sep 22, 2009 at 02:15:00 PM EDT

According to Charlie Stile, Paul Sarlo has set himself up front and center in the pending contest for Senate President between Dick Codey and Dick Sweeney:

The Wood-Ridge Democrat refused to say last week whether he would support Codey or Stephen Sweeney, the current Senate majority leader from South Jersey who is likely to challenge Codey this fall and after the governor's race.
"I'm not answering," Sarlo said while milling through the Bergen County Senior Citizens Picnic in Paramus last Tuesday. "It's an internal family conflict that should be worked out by the family behind closed doors."
Sarlo's non-answer actually spoke volumes. Translated, the family feud is a time of opportunity for Sarlo. While Codey and Sweeney duke it out over the Senate president's perch, Sarlo sits in the catbird seat.

Stile went on to talk about the importance of Sarlo when each side is counting their votes:

Sarlo could very well emerge as a key, North Jersey swing vote, which puts him in the position to leverage his next move up the political food chain in the state Senate. For example, Sarlo could cut a deal with Sweeney, agreeing to support him for Senate president in exchange for the Senate majority seat, a role that Sarlo failed to win in a bitter caucus contest against Sweeney last year. (Imagine the irony of that scenario: Despite the clamor for political reform that led to the state's first ban on dual elected office holding, the Senate would continue to be led by two power brokers exempted from the ban.)

That last note is sure to raise the eyebrows of many readers here at Blue Jersey. This isn't the first time Sarlo has found himself at the center of a leadership contest. After his election in 2001, where he received a good deal of support from the leadership PAC of the Minority Leader and Assemblyman Joe Doria, Sarlo chose to support Albio Sires for the Speakership. Stile also reminded readers that Sarlo supported Rob Andrews in the Senate primary last year over Senator Lautenberg. Codey will be trying to entice Sarlo's vote as well:

The threat of a Sarlo defection to the Sweeney-Norcross camp could force Codey to compete for Sarlo's support, with possibly more pork, appointments, or just about anything else that can legally be steered to Sarlo's south Bergen-based 36th Legislative District.
Last year, Codey showered Sarlo with several high-profile consolation prizes since Sarlo's failed bid for the majority leader. He was named chairman of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee, the first non-lawyer to hold that role in more than three decades. He was also named vice chairman of the Senate budget panel and was enlisted in Codey's leadership circle as a deputy majority leader.

This is the sausage making process that so many can't stand. While Codey will try to focus on the actions of Steve Sweeney seeking to take control, he clearly has, can and will play the game as well. For now, all involved say they are focused on the Governor's race. But it will be interesting to see who Sarlo decides to go with and why.

Jason Springer :: Sarlo and the Senate Presidency

Tags: Senate President, Steve Sweeney, Dick Codey, Paul Sarlo, (All Tags)

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Sarlo and the Senate Presidency | 9 comments

Sarlo shills (0.00 / 0)

Sweeney - Sarlo - it's all about development:

Legal Corruption - Senator Sarlo Shills for Builders
http://wolfenotes.com/2009/08/...

by: Winston Smith @ Tue Sep 22, 2009 at 19:16:32 PM UTC

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Sweeney is the future (0.00 / 0)

Sarlo can either jump on board or remain on the outside looking in.

Codey had his day,it is time to move on.

by: firstamend07 @ Tue Sep 22, 2009 at 20:31:38 PM UTC

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Maybe Sweeney's Future Isn't A Good One (0.00 / 0)

Maybe Sweeney has the votes to be Senate President, maybe he doesn't. But what does it say if the Democratic Senate President wants to bring worker benefits down to the average level rather than try to raise that average?

Also, wouldn't it be nice to first vet Sen. Sweeney to see what secrets may be in his closet before anointing him the next President. The dual office holding and the temptations that situation has held for corruption should make everyone in the Democratic party pause.

by: princetonblue @ Tue Sep 22, 2009 at 22:19:46 PM UTC

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Sweeney's on the environment (0.00 / 0)

Global warming bill hijacked
http://wolfenotes.com/2007/12/...

Political Pressure on DEP - How The Game is Played
http://wolfenotes.com/2009/09/...

DEP Opposes Wind Project in Delaware Bay
http://wolfenotes.com/2009/09/...

by: Winston Smith @ Tue Sep 22, 2009 at 23:21:38 PM UTC

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Sweeney is a "doer' (0.00 / 0)

Say what you mean please. By talking about "secrets in his closet" you reveal yourself as a "closet" Norcross hater.

The closet door for Sweeney has always been wide open. Peak in ,there is nothing unusual.

State Senator Sweeney has tried to save State worker jobs and pensions. When times are tough isn't it more important that jobs be saved at the expense of having to "chip in" on benefits?

The corrupt politicians don't need the excuse of dual office holding. Corrupt is corrupt and State Senator Sweeney has never even been discussed as a target of law enforcement.

The State Democratic Party has to move on and begin to embrace the mantra of "realism" .Thereare simply more needs then there is money to help with those needs. Sweeney is a realist and that will be the wave of the future.

by: firstamend07 @ Wed Sep 23, 2009 at 00:21:29 AM UTC

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Corruption and Dual Office Holders (0.00 / 0)

"The corrupt politicians don't need the excuse of dual office holding."

Do you have some special knowledge of corrupt politicians? Past scandals seem to indicate that dual office holding increases the chance of corruption.

As a general rule, I like my political leaders to beyond reproach. I know that is a difficult concept in NJ, particularly in the Norcross world, but that's the standard we should be looking for in NJ.

-pb

by: princetonblue @ Wed Sep 23, 2009 at 01:08:29 AM UTC

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Sarlo (0.00 / 0)

I see Sarlo going with Codey. He was Chair of Labor, and is Chair of Judiciary. He has been treated well and doesn't stand to gain enough from a leadership change.

Sweeney did make moves on pension reform, but missed the issue. He did not touch Police and Fire pensions. Only public employees and teachers.

by: sd007 @ Wed Sep 23, 2009 at 04:35:57 AM UTC

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Dual Office Holding (0.00 / 0)

Past scandals seem to indicate that dual office holding increases the chance of corruption.

I actually think the arrow of causality goes the other way. Dual office holding may increase the opportunity for corrupt actions, but the kind of power that allows an individual to gain dual offices usually only falls to those who are corrupt in the first place.

by: Dvd Avins @ Wed Sep 23, 2009 at 14:22:54 PM UTC

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I think we agree (0.00 / 0)

I don't think that people who sought dual office holding were inherently any more corrupt. It's just that more opportunities presented themselves and eventually many gave in.

Given how the political climate has changed, one has to wonder current dual-office holders who refuse to give up one of their positions.

by: princetonblue @ Wed Sep 23, 2009 at 16:34:08 PM UTC

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