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There has been a lot of speculation about who Corzine will nominate for Lt Gov. One name on the short list is Senator Loretta Weinberg. I had long hoped that the Senator would be considered for the post, but was not sure the tight-knit club down in Trenton would ever let her in. However, it was originally Corzine who recommended the Senator for the District 37 slot over the wishes of the Bergen bosses. The rest, as they say, is history.
As Senator, Weinberg nearly single-handedly brought democracy to Bergen County against all the odds and the folks who had given up hope long ago. No one thought you could stand up to Joe Ferriero and walk away victorious. People may say that it was Chris Christie who brought down Ferriero, but it was Democrats in the 37th who stood up to Joe and showed that the emperor had no clothes and that in fact, his designer brand was not only worthless, but a liability. We all fought long and hard for nearly four years at the Senator's side to keep the hope of Democracy alive in Bergen County while Joe Ferriero's supporters forged documents, threw us off the line, or challenged us at elections. We worked hard and we did it because we were inspired by Senator Weinberg's courage and unwavering moral compass. She is a true leader who always kept the best interests of the people of NJ front and center.
Senator Weinberg didn't just fall in line when the Party asked her to. She kept her integrity intact throughout the most bruising political attacks and dirty tricks that her own party could throw at her. I know because I saw it firsthand and experienced some of it for supporting her. At the same time she was fending off the corrupt Dems, she continued to do her job through it all - bringing much needed legislation through the chambers in Trenton. Senator Weinberg knows how to make laws even under the worst of times. She also has the respect of her fellow legislators across the aisle, bridging the political gap to make laws work for all the people of NJ not just her own supporters.
Chris Christie will probably use the fall of Ferriero as his ticket to the Governor's mansion, but I have a very hard time reconciling his record as a corruption-buster with the latest reports of doing the Bush Administration's dirty work. Perhaps Christie got off the list of canned prosecutors by falling in line when the Bush Administration wanted him to do their bidding - like keeping track of folks through the GPS on their cell phones. The no-bid contracts he awarded were disappointing too.
I can't help but thank Christie for prosecuting Ferriero, but he couldn't have done it without the Dems in Bergen County sick of the corrupt tactics and Pay-to-Play mentality who called public attention to his antics and openly challenged his power on the ballot. Honest dems inspired to action by Senator Weinberg. Christie also couldn't have done it without the reporters from the Record who, despite being in Hackensack, (Ground Zero of Pay to Play in Bergen), had the guts to shine a spotlight on what was going on and tell folks what pay to play is and why it is wrong. A lot of folks had a hand in bringing Joe Ferriero down - most of all Joe himself.
When you consider Senator Weinberg's reputation for being a progressive voice and her reputation as a corruption fighter (her expose of the shadow government Utilities Authorities is just one example), I think it would be disingenuous for Chis Christie to use the indictment of Ferriero to skate into the Governor's mansion, when a potential Lt. Governor has much more street cred when it comes to political corruption-busting that she nearly singlehandedly freed Bergen County and brought Democracy back here. With her bi-partisan Party Democracy Act, she would do the same for the rest of the state. THAT is a leader.
Putting Senator Weinberg on the ticket would help Corzine overcome rumors that he is still beholden to the Party Bosses. Chris Christie may say he is anti-corruption, but the difference is, Senator Weinberg is also against corruption when it happens in HER OWN PARTY.
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