elections 
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Sat Jan 09, 2010 at 01:29:25 PM EST
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It's not a problem if people take personal time off and while they are on that time, they help out a campaign. If they take that time off and the records are destroyed to make it look like they were actually working, that's a problem and that is what is being alleged:Carmine Casciano, 63, of West Caldwell, faces charges of second-degree official misconduct, state officials said. Between Jan. 1, 2005 and Dec. 31, 2008, Casciano allegedly orchestrated a scheme in which employees of his office would be given days off to compensate them for vacation days they used to work on political campaigns. He told some of them to keep a log of vacation days used for campaigns, then later instructed them to alter or destroy those records. The case has not gone to the grand jury yet apparently. Casciano's attorney says his client will plead not guilty. This seems to be a situation of the more they look, the more they are finding:The latest revelation is the outgrowth of an ever-widening investigation that, until today, had ensnared 10 defendants accused of election fraud in the 2007 campaign of state Sen. Teresa Ruiz.
The biggest piece of the criminal case came Dec. 1, when a state grand jury indicted Essex County Freeholder Samuel Gonzalez, Ruiz' husband, along with four campaign workers on charges of ballot tampering in Ruiz' Senate race in the 29th Legislative District. It's important to note that no one has indicated Ruiz herself has of any wrongdoing. Here' more on the impact on the Gonzalez indictment:Just days after the Gonzalez indictment, the state Attorney General's Office issued subpoenas for Superintendent of Elections' employee records documenting vacation and sick time for some 20 election workers. Here was the reaction of the County Executive:"I'm taken aback and I'm surprised," said Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr., whose roots, like Casciano's, extend to Newark's North Ward and Barringer High School. "Like everybody else, you have to have your day in court." Divincenzo said he would ask him to step down immediately from his position with the Essex County Utilities Authority. He also said that the Superintendent position oversees his office and is appointed by the state and confirmed by the Legislature. If he were to be convicted, the SL says he could face a maximum sentence of 10 years in state prison, a criminal fine of up to $150,000 and a lifetime ban on any future public employment.
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Sun Nov 01, 2009 at 02:17:07 PM EST
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by Stephen Yellin
Note: For this article, I am relying on David Leip's Atlas of U.S. Elections. His website can be found at US Election Atlas
In just two days, voters will go to the polls in New Jersey to elect its Governor. Jon Corzine is locked in a dead heat with Republican Chris Christie, and it's clear that the winner will be the one that more successfully turns out their base of support. In a race that will probably be decided by a few percentage points either way, I feel it is worth examining where both sides will be expecting their votes to come from. Recent statewide elections in New Jersey have seen the Democrats win by comfortable margins, which will not be the case this year. What example, then, can we draw on to determine (as best we can) how New Jersey's 21 counties will vote in a close statewide election?
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Fri Jul 24, 2009 at 07:13:15 PM EDT
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(Crossposted from http://www.dailykos.com/story/... . Please recommend there if you have an account. Thanks!)
Hot off the wire, and hot on the heels of the mass arrest of several New Jersey politicians (as well as several rabbis) on corruption charges, comes the news (now confirmed) that Governor Jon Corzine has selected State Senator Loretta Weinberg as his running mate for the 2009 gubernatorial race.
If anything good came out of the scandal that has rocked the Hudson County Democratic Party (although that was not the only area of New Jersey where politicians were arrested, it was the epicenter of events), it's that Governor Corzine turned to Senator Weinberg today after previously considering several other possibilities (including State Senator Barbara Buono and "The Apprentice" winner/philanthropist Randall Pinkett).
Loretta Weinberg is the epitome of a progressive reformer. She's also one tough grandmother who's not going to let Chris Christie run away with this election.
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Thu Jul 16, 2009 at 11:03:14 PM EDT
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Wow! What spectacular pictures. Great job letting us know what it was like three rows from the stage. Thanks, mconvente! - - - promoted by Rosi
Hey all! I'm finally back home after a long day with the Rutgers Democrats, and I have some pictures and video to show you from today's rally with Barack Obama and Jon Corzine! Jump over the fold and check 'em out!
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Thu Jun 04, 2009 at 12:15:00 PM EDT
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They did better this time than the problems back in April, but Monmouth County election officials still can't get things right:This time, results from a half-dozen towns were delayed because of problems in transmitting data from machine cartridges, County Clerk M. Claire French said on Wednesday.
Each voting machine has a cartridge that stores the ballot information after votes are cast. The cartridges are plugged into a card reader that attaches to laptop computers used by municipal clerks, who are to transmit results to central election offices, French said.
However, in several cases after the polls closed Tuesday the cartridges had to be physically transported to central election offices in Freehold, where the data was downloaded, French said. They said they are studying what went wrong because numerous test runs were done leading up to the election including on Tuesday. But Tuesday night and the April problems aren't the only difficulties they have had in the past:Two years ago, a delay in tabulations at the county level was blamed on some of the 1,700 local election workers misunderstanding instructions. In the 2008 general election, other technical issues delayed results. No matter where they decide the blame lies, the constant seems to be the delays. It's not like the county isn't committing the financial resources to try and get it right:Monmouth County purchased 950 Sequoia vote machines three years ago for $8 million - relying mostly on federal funds - and also spent $80,000 for 60 laptops solely for municipal use on election nights.
Equipment maintenance comes to more than $20,000 annually, and the county has also spent more than $2,000 per election night for on-hand Sequoia representatives. Can someone explain to me why they are spending over $1300 per laptop for each municipality to rent for 1 night? They could buy them for less and have them to use all year round. And despite that fact that they made this expenditure, things still didn't go smoothly. By this point, I'd be sending my own bill asking for a refund already because they haven't gotten elections right since they switched over to the new Sequoia machines it appears. Coincidence?
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Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 12:15:00 PM EST
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We are poised to miss the deadline to have a Voter Verified Paper trail, and last week the Senate failed to pass the extension legislators were looking for. One of the questions has been whether machines would automatically be retrofitted as a result of inaction. Nia Gill summed up moving forward with current retrofitting plans:"New Jersey, in New Jersey style, is one of the few states that has not decertified Sequoia machines," she said. "One of the few states in the nation. We don't only not decertify it, we're going to put an attachment on it that everybody knows doesn't work." According to the article, the extension legislation that went down last week marked the first time a bill formally lost in Trenton in nearly five years. I had no idea it had been that long and that should say something.
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Wed Dec 03, 2008 at 12:27:14 PM EST
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A few days ago, Jason Springer wrote about the recount suit in Closter. A commenter asked if Springer thought the recount should have been filed before the count was final (which was not Springer's point) - and we now have an answer: Democrats on Tuesday lost a second court battle in their effort to chip away at the GOP-ruled Borough Council.
State Superior Court Judge Estela De La Cruz on Tuesday rejected the party's latest effort to get a recount in the Closter Council race, which Democratic candidate Leonard Asch lost by three votes.
De La Cruz ruled that the Democrats failed to file an appeal within 15 days of Election Day.
"Simply stated, petitioner had the ability, opportunity and legal resources to accomplish statutory compliance but did not do so," she wrote in her latest denial.
The ruling reaffirms her Nov. 21 denial of an earlier recount request.
If I had been running the campaign, I'd have filed for a recount the moment the results were final. Rule of thumb: If you can count the margin on one hand; recount.
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Sun Sep 07, 2008 at 06:22:26 PM EDT
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The special meeting to put Rob Andrews back on the ballot has been scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 8 at the Bellmawr Park Fire Company, located at 12 Essex Avenue in Bellmawr.
The meeting is open to the public so please come and show your support for democracy.
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Wed May 07, 2008 at 10:32:57 AM EDT
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One of the great stories out of this last week was the success of one stop registration and voting in North Carolina. Over 300,000 people had voted even before election day. Many were able to vote only because they were allowed to register at the last minute. The fact is that although people who read blogs like Blue Jersey are bound to be registered, many people only pay attention just as the election approaches -- that includes the media, which often covers local elections only in the last week.
There's no reason a citizen who simply lacks a bureaucratic form should be denied his fundamental right to vote under the New Jersey Constitution:
3. (a) Every citizen of the United States, of the age of 18 years, who shall have been a resident of this State and of the county in which he claims his vote 30 days, next before the election, shall be entitled to vote for all officers that now are or hereafter may be elective by the people, and upon all questions which may be submitted to a vote of the people;
This is no abstract concern. History shows that states with Election Day Registration have an average turnout 12% higher than other states. Let's help those people vote.
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Tue Nov 06, 2007 at 08:57:37 AM EST
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The Big Story
- Vote.
Take your next door neighbor with you. Offer a ride to that lady across the street who doesn't walk very well anymore. Ask that guy at work who always complains about the conservative pundits if he voted before work or is going after. Remind people that voting is the most important thing we do in a democracy. Don't let something so silly as rain make a difference. Get out the vote!
- Regardless of how the votes go, there will be a lot of new faces in the legislature in the next term.
- Big names weigh in on the debate over the stem cell Ballot Question.
State News
- Our Fair State's health is getting worse, and our health care system needs some work. We have low rates of prenatal care and increasing numbers of uninsured compared to the rest of the country. Truly a painful embarrassment.
- It won't be formally announced until next spring, but the 511 system for traffic information is fully operational. It's a free call, too!
- The new Green Governor: Jon Corzine.
- A fine for using your cell phone or texting while driving? Long overdue. Hang up and drive!
Around The Towns
Beyond Jersey
Check back with Blue Jersey all day to read stories from the field, and to tell your own. This is an open thread: Tell us what you're seeing out there!
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Mon Oct 22, 2007 at 10:16:54 AM EDT
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By Stephen Yellin
"Rep. Scott Garrett, R-Wantage, hates poor people. Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan hates immigrants. And state Sen. Gerry Cardinale, R-Demarest, loves bankers."
Alfred Doblin began his Friday political column in the Bergen Record with those words. Doblin is an equal-opportunity critic of politics, who calls out politicians on both sides of the New Jersey aisle for corruption. As you may know, Garrett was one of just three Congressional Republicans in New Jersey to vote against the S-CHIP override. Lonegan is an anti-immigrant crusader who was recently caught employing illegal immigrants. So it's good to see that Doblin is "playing fair" and telling the truth about Gerry Cardinale and his Republican cohorts - that they are hypocritical ideologues.
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Thu Oct 18, 2007 at 01:04:56 PM EDT
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By Stephen Yellin
From the way Republican State Senator Gerald "Gerry" Cardinale (the leading obstructionist in New Jersey's legislature) talks about ethics, you'd think he was a spotless, blameless white knight of New Jersey politics. After all, he chaired the Ethics Committee in Trenton when the Republicans ruled the roost, and is on record as saying "I can't be bought with a trip". Furthermore, Cardinale has ceaselessly railed against New Jersey's Democratic Party, blaming Governor Corzine, State Senate President Codey, Speaker Roberts and numerous government officials for New Jersey's problems. The real "problem", though is with hypocrites like Gerry Cardinale, who will say and do anything for a vote - or a free vacation. As the old saying goes, "People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones", and this axiom is true for Cardinale.
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Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 03:48:10 PM EDT
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21 days from today, New Jersey voters will vote on whether or not to have the state spend $45 million a year for the next 10 years on stem cell research. The funding would go toward advancing medical treatments and attracting leading scientists and research companies to the state. The New Jersey for Hope political committee is a group of citizen activists, medical professionals, and elected officials who have come together for the purpose of advocating the passage of the public Stem Cell Ballot Question. Today we are asking anyone who believes in the promise of stem cell research, who knows that Everybody Knows Somebody who could benefit from the promise of stem cell research, to support our campaign.
Support the campaign in New Jersey by contributing $21 today by visiting our website:
www.njforhope.org. Voting YES offers the best hope we have today for treating and curing diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Stem cells also hold great promise in addressing spinal cord injuries and birth defects. Scientists are making tremendous progress. We want to do everything we can to support this research. George Bush and his band of Radical Republicans will stop at nothing to preserve their narrow and immoral agenda. They showed that when they attacked Michael J. Fox during the Missouri stem cell campaign, or a 12-year old who had the gall to benefit from a government administered health care program, or soldiers who dared to speak the truth about the debacle in Iraq.
And in New Jersey, it's happening again. Disgusting lies, distortions and misrepresentations are being made by people who claim to support life but would just as soon see others suffer and die from diseases and injuries for which treatments and cures could be just around the corner. The progressive movement has created great momentum in California and Missouri with pro-cure victories at the ballot box. The Radical Right sees the New Jersey initiative as an opportunity to halt our progress and validate the George Bush extremist agenda. Please support us today so we can keep moving forward towards groundbreaking treatments and cures.
Again, New Jerseyans vote for Hope in just 21 days. Please consider contributing $21 today to our campaign to fund stem cell research by visiting www.njforhope.org
Think of elections that have been lost by a narrow margin-what would we give to have a chance to change that? We don't want to look back on New Jersey, the day after the election, and say, it might have been. We almost got half a billion for research-almost? Not good enough for so many who are depending on the treatments and cures that will come from stem cell research There are 21 days until the vote: let us use those days. We can make sure our stem cell research supporters know what is at stake, and rouse the State to turn out and vote, this coming November 6th, and stand up for stem cells! Also, be sure to read a profoundly moving Op-Ed authored by Carl Riccio, a longtime stem cell research advocate and a hero to New Jersey residents who favor stem cell research, that ran in last Sunday's Bergen Record. In it, Carl makes a compelling argument for Voting YES on November 6th and what is at stake for Carl and all of us.
Read Carl Riccio's Op-Ed Here
Obviously, if New Jersey wins, everybody wins-- cures have no boundaries.
But first, the New Jersey Stem Cell Research Bond Act must pass.
Please support our efforts today.
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Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 09:56:56 AM EDT
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In my last article on New Jersey's 39th Legislative District, I discussed how Republican State Senator Gerald "Gerry" Cardinale has become entangled in the "culture of corruption" (to borrow a national term) that plagues New Jersey. To recap, in 2000 Cardinale introduced four pieces of legislation to improve profits for the banking industry; over the next two months, he received nearly $6,000 in vacation money from the same industries he was proposing to streamline. Coincidence? I don't think so, Gerry. Luckily, Democrat Joe Ariyan, his opponent has been taking it to Gerry on the stump and in their debates. You can learn more about him at Voice for the 39th - Ariyan, Fletcher and Manna
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Fri Oct 12, 2007 at 12:38:10 PM EDT
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I suppose one could call this a "breaking" news story, but in a way it's not: the story goes back several years, and revolves around a Republican State Senator in New Jersey who's been around for 28 years - Gerald Cardinale. "Gerry" (as he's more commonly known) is an out-of-touch conservative obstructionist in a progressive state, and he's in the fight of his life this November against Democratic challenger Joe Ariyan (Here's his website) . But Cardinale's fight just got a bit tougher, as he's now being accused of violating the state's legislative ethics laws. Which, in fact he has repeatedly done over the years, to his advantage and to the disadvantage of his constituents.
Read on to see what I mean...
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Thu Oct 11, 2007 at 09:07:55 AM EDT
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On his new campaign website, Republican State Senator Gerald "Gerry" Cardinale explains in a video clip why he's established the site: "So that you can know the truth about my record." I'll be happy to take Mr. Cardinale up on his offer, as I have been doing for the last month, and bit by bit reveal to you, the reader his extraordinarily extreme record in 28 years as a New Jersey legislator. For example, Cardinale talks a good game when it comes to government transparency, but did you know that he prefers cutting off newspaper advertisements of public meetings? I didn't either at first. But if you get to know the real Gerry Cardinale as I have, you'll understand as well as I do why he needs to be defeated on November 6th.
Read on if you want to know the dirty details?
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Sat Oct 06, 2007 at 10:10:40 AM EDT
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By Stephen Yellin
Just yesterday I wrote about New Jersey's upcoming referendum on Stem-Cell research, and why the proposal is an excellent one for New Jersey both economically and as a step in a progressive direction for the state. But while the voters of New Jersey will have their say on November 6th on the issue, they'll also have their say on 40 legislative districts across the Garden State. One of the most competitive ones that will be decided is one I have covered extensively before - New Jersey's 39th Legislative district, located in Bergen County. And one of the biggest opposition leaders in Trenton to the Stem-Cell referendum is Gerald "Gerry" Cardinale, the GOP's State Senator in NJ-39. Think Mitch McConnell as a purely New Jersey-style legislator, and you've got Cardinale. And like Mitch McConnell, Gerry Cardinale must be defeated.
Click here to learn more about his opponent
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Fri Oct 05, 2007 at 11:26:41 AM EDT
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By Stephen Yellin
In my last diary (on New Jersey's 39th legislative district), I briefly discussed how New Jersey has the potential to be what Wisconsin was under "Fighting Bob" LaFollette 100 years ago - a progressive laboratory for the United States. To do this will require in part the election of more Democratic and progressive leaders to serve in both the state legislature in Trenton and on the county and municipal levels. However, there is another factor apart from elections that can make a state truly progressive: the support of the public for a progressive vision for their state and country. LaFollette introduced the concept of the initiative, the referendum and the recall to Wisconsin, and some states still follow that legacy. Now, New Jersey's Democratic leaders are trying to make New Jersey a progressive bastion as well - through a ballot referendum this November on Stem Cell Research.
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Sun Sep 30, 2007 at 01:10:01 PM EDT
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Up until now, I haven't made any financial pleas for New Jersey's 39th Legislative District. This is because I feel as if "getting the word out" about the district, its out-of-touch Republican incumbents (Gerry Cardinale, John Rooney and Charlotte Vandervalk) and the Democrats taking them on (Joe Ariyan, Esther Fletcher and Carl Manna) was more important. In fact, it still is, because turning NJ-39 blue - with your help - will not only be a tremendous victory for New Jersey and its Democratic Party, but will serve as a textbook example of how to turn the suburbs and exurbs of America Democratic as well. I'm working hard to turn State Senator Cardinale and his Assembly running mates out of office - and now I need your help.
http://www.voicefor3...
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Sun Sep 23, 2007 at 12:17:05 PM EDT
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- By Stephen Yellin
In my last two articles on New Jersey's 39th Legislative District, I discussed why the Republican incumbent, Gerald "Gerry" Cardinale was too extreme to represent a rapidly changing district (towards the left, I might add), and why it's time to fire him. Today, I want to introduce you all to his Democratic opponent, and why he should be hired to serve in the New Jersey State Senate. His name is Joe Ariyan, and he'll be an excellent State Senator for New Jersey. His life and credentials will tell you why.
My previous articles on NJ-39:
http://www.bluejerse...
http://www.bluejerse...
http://www.bluejerse...
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