Rigging the Assembly

by: Thurman Hart

Tue Jul 04, 2006 at 12:23:15 PM EDT

A few days ago, Blue Jersey's Juan Melli was taken to task for saying Assembly Dems were acting childish. Today, the Jersey Journal provides further proof that Mr. Melli was right:

On Wednesday, Assemblywoman Joan Quigley of Jersey City was asked to stay away from the Assembly budget panel by Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts, mainly because she supported Gov. Corzine's state budget proposal, and she was replaced by Assemblyman Albio Sires of West New York. And it was a good thing.
During the budget committee's tense session, Assemblyman Lou Greenwald, D-Camden, who backs Roberts' position on the budget, and Assemblyman Joseph Cryan of Union, the chairman of the state Democratic Party, who supports Corzine's plan, got into an extremely heated exchange. Sires used his entire 6-foot-5 body to get between the two men to avoid an ugly situation. Somehow, it is hard to imagine Quigley managing to keep them separated, but then again, who knows.

More below the fold.

Thurman Hart :: Rigging the Assembly

Now, if Joe Roberts wants to give the budget a fair shake, why is he stacking the committee against it?

Maybe it would have been better if Quigley HAD been there - after all, she holds that committee seat and she was elected by people in my district to represent us. Roberts needs to understand that he isn't Assembly Dems Monarch. He is supposed to manage the Democratic majority - not dictate that they bend over and kiss his ruby red butt.

What has become painfully clear to me through this all is that Joe Roberts needs another position. We need someone leading our majority that wants to play fair with the Governor and Senate. We need someone who has the interests of ALL New Jersey at heart.

Tags: Joe Cryan, Joe Roberts, Joan Quigley, Alibo Sires, lou greenwald, (All Tags)

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Rigging the Assembly | 2 comments

Good Question, The Answer is Obvious (0.00 / 0)

"Now, if Joe Roberts wants to give the budget a fair shake, why is he stacking the committee against it? "

This crisis is, ultimately, about the question of whether Nj is going to have a clean and responsive government, or we will continue with a system that is "ruby red" to the max.

The interests feeding off of the status quo will always keep on pushing to make as few real changes as possible...their greed has no limit.

Corzine must stand strong and tall.

If a multimillionaire who also happens to be a governor can't stand up to these people, then we're really in trouble (again I almost used a dirty word ;-).

by: Nick Lento @ Tue Jul 04, 2006 at 19:02:30 PM UTC

the circus is in town (0.00 / 0)

this is becoming a real sideshow complete with fools and clowns. Just as Democrats should be working to win contested Congressional seats we are showing the public just how silly we can be.

The republicans are just sitting back relatively quietly enjoying the show and seeming very rational.

THe citizens are not paying attention to the details, they just see that the Democrats are responsible for closing beaches and of course our "precious casinos".

by: sandy23 @ Wed Jul 05, 2006 at 01:33:42 AM UTC