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Go Ahead, Senator Sweeney, Make My Day

by: jeffpickens

Sun Dec 26, 2010 at 10:05:57 AM EST

(What do you think, Blue Jersey? Should Sweeney stay in the sidelines or use this as an opportunity to do some "mischief"? - promoted by deciminyan)

Talk about "below the fold".

On Christmas Day, 1:00pm, when most people were not reading the Star Ledger or NJ.com, came the news that Governor Chris Christie and Lt Governor Kim Guadagno are both taking vacation out of state, leaving Senate President Stephen Sweeney as acting governor while both are away. Maybe I missed something, but wasn't the position of Lt. Governor created to provide for continuity in the NJ Executive branch while the Governor was unavailable to discharge his duties? How do they get away with leaving the state at the same time?

While we know that the Governor will be in Disney World in Florida with his family, it has not been released (not to this writer, at least) where Lt Gov. Guadagno will be, other than that she will be out of state. Perhaps she will be in Disney World with the governor, standing behind him, gazing longingly, Nancy-Reagan-like, while Christie hob-nobs with Mickey and watches his kids enjoy the rides.

According to the Star Ledger:

"Theoretically, Sweeney could sign legislation Christie hasn’t acted on or even file nominations Christie would never dream of filing. Sweeney could even re-nominate former state Supreme Court Justice John Wallace Jr. to the bench, whose pass-over by Christie in favor of attorney Anne Patterson angered Sweeney. But he won’t.

Sweeney's reply below the fold

jeffpickens :: Go Ahead, Senator Sweeney, Make My Day

Says Sweeney:

“I wouldn’t do that to him. The guy is going on vacation with his family, and I’m not going to ruin it by creating mischief. The governor’s office is something that people shouldn’t think is a toy. It’s a serious responsibility.”

It speaks volumes that the governor has left the State government in hands of Sweeney, with full confidence that there will be no "mischief", where "mischief" may be defined as reinstating Justice John Wallace, or signing the "Back To Work NJ" and the anti-bullying bills.

While we're on the subject of missed opportunities, since this is a time when teachers, and many others, have the week off, this would have been the ideal time for the governor to defer his vacation and hold some "Town Hall" meetings at a time when his audience would include members of his constituency who typically cannot attend such meetings on normal weekdays. After all, if his "Reform" is so urgent, why leave the state now? Certainly a Disney vacation can wait until the next school break in the spring.

So, how about it, Senator Sweeney? You're right, the governor's office is a serious responsibility. So how about some mischief?

Tags: Trenton, Stephen Sweeney, NJ, Kim Guadagno, Chris Christie, acting Governor, Double Dipper, freeholder, resign, end of the year, (All Tags)

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Go Ahead, Senator Sweeney, Make My Day | 11 comments

Governor, Senator AND freeholder (0.00 / 0)

wow, that's like being Salt, pepper AND hot sauce all at once. he's got four days to lose the freeholder spot. anyone gonna predict he goes back on that promise?

activist for hire.

by: Jay Lassiter @ Sun Dec 26, 2010 at 17:05:34 PM UTC

by: you @ soon

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of course he is going to break his promise (0.00 / 0)

What was the last promise that Sweeney kept?

by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Sun Dec 26, 2010 at 18:43:15 PM UTC

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What You see is what you get (0.00 / 0)

Sweeney will be done as a freeholder on December 30th.

Unlike some of the other lowlifes who took over as Governor for a few days in the past Sweeney will be a man of his word and do nothing unless there is an emergency ( State workers pay attention on Monday after the snow!).

Say what you want about him, he is man of his word.

by: firstamend07 @ Sun Dec 26, 2010 at 18:40:14 PM UTC

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Sweeney (0.00 / 0)

I don't know if I'd guarantee Sweeney is done as a freeholder at the end of the month. I predict he will keep the freeholder seat but give up the director's position.

I would agree, though, that he won't do anything that would cause problems.

There's no purpose of re-nominating Judge Wallace unless you can get the Senate together before Gov. Christie gets back from vacation. We all know that won't happen.

by: southernbluedog @ Sun Dec 26, 2010 at 20:43:26 PM UTC

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Add this one to the list... (0.00 / 0)

...of reasons to have voted for Corzine/Weinberg in 2009. A Jewish LG would have been able to work on Christmas.

In fact, a LG Loretta Weinberg could have held a dim sum/movie party at Drumthwacket (since Corzine didn't live there) for all of the lonely New Jersey Jews on Christmas.

by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Sun Dec 26, 2010 at 18:57:20 PM UTC

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Not necessarily (0.00 / 0)

If Weinberg had kids off from school she would likely be on vacation as well. I'd bet her grandkids are on vacation with their parents.

When I was growing up my Dad always took time off for vacations. And you can be sure the hotels and condos along Florida's "Gold Coast" are full of Jewish families with kids on vacation.

http://christiegonewild.blogsp...

by: ken bank @ Mon Dec 27, 2010 at 04:20:00 AM UTC

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Being LG is different... (0.00 / 0)

...and I think that she would honor her commitments to the people of the State of New Jersey and be here when the Governor isn't.

by: Bertin Lefkovic @ Mon Dec 27, 2010 at 06:32:00 AM UTC

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At least sign anti-bully law (0.00 / 0)

Even Christie can't object to that.

http://christiegonewild.blogsp...

by: ken bank @ Sun Dec 26, 2010 at 19:58:27 PM UTC

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Signing the anti-bullying law (4.00 / 1)

would be an excellent and helpful act.

What would Gov. Christie have to say about it when he got back? That the bill discriminates against bullies?

Wouldn't that be hitting sort of close to home? ;)

by: laur @ Sun Dec 26, 2010 at 20:17:17 PM UTC

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No Sweeney's right (0.00 / 0)

For better or worse Christie was elected Governor and it's reckless and irresponsible to play politics with the line of succession. Christie is governor and he gets to set the agenda, we can oppose that agenda, but taking advantage over the Christmas holidays while the governor is on vacation with his kids is just plain petty politics.

Plus the blowback against whatever Sweeney chose to sign or enact would be worse than any possible gain.

by: JackHarris @ Mon Dec 27, 2010 at 01:39:21 AM UTC

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TNuts bash Christie (0.00 / 0)

Even unreconstructed Loneganistas are piling on Christie for going on vacation.

http://christiegonewild.blogsp...

by: ken bank @ Mon Dec 27, 2010 at 04:27:40 AM UTC

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Go Ahead, Senator Sweeney, Make My Day | 11 comments