Fewer Foxes Guarding the Henhouse

At the beginning of last week, the New Jersey State Senate approved legislation that would ban members of the Legislature from serving on the Joint Legislative Committee on Ethical Standards, the Committee that investigates allegations of ethical impropriety made against current legislators. The bill mandates that all members of the Committee be chosen from the public and reduces the size of the Committee by one-half. A maximum of two Committee people can be former legislators. The filing of complaints within 90 days of an election is prohibited, as well. While this is not legislation that will completely reform New Jersey politics, it is a step in the right direction. Unfortunately, several other bills that would have further reformed New Jersey politics were shelved by the Democratic majority in the Legislature at the end of last week.

For too long, legislators serving on the Joint Legislative Committee on Ethical Standards have neutered the Committee to protect their own. The Committee rarely met and when it did, it gave, at best, a slap on the wrist to the most egregious of ethical offenders.Could anything else be expected when foxes are guarding the proverbial henhouse?

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Michael M. Shapiro, founder of ShapTalk.com, is an attorney who resides in New Providence, New Jersey. He currently serves as the Editor of The Alternative Press Contact Mike at mike@shaptalk.com

Lieutenant Governor: No Longer a Patronage Job

Last week's rapid decline of Governor Eliot Spitzer and this week's elevation of Lieutenant Governor David Patterson to the highest office in New York State Government bear important lessons for New Jersey politics. Voters will elect the first Lieutenant Governor of the State in 2009, when Governor Corzine runs for re-election. The Lieutenant Governor will not run in a primary since the gubernatorial candidates will choose their respective Lieutenant Governor running mates thirty days after the Primary. The Governor will run with the Lieutenant Governor on a single ticket for the same term of office. Names previously bandied about for the spot in New Jersey are not heavy-weights by any sense of the word but rather are representatives of large constituencies in areas key to Democratic or Republican success in State elections. With Spitzer's fall from grace, the possibility of having a Lieutenant Governor in New Jersey become the Governor is very real, especially to New Jersey voters.

Where the Lieutenant Governor position could have been filled with a political patronage hack pre-Spitzer, voters will now demand better. Politicians in the State can no longer view the Lieutenant Governor role as simply ceremonial and powerless. Therefore, they will vie for the position and competitive campaigning will likely take place, if not visibly, at least internally amongst Party regulars. Candidates for Lieutenant Governor will not only have to be qualified but will have to prove they are able to lead the State on Day One should the Governor have to abdicate his office.

Continue reading ShapTalk.com: Lieutenant Governor: No Longer a Patronage Job.

Michael M. Shapiro, founder of ShapTalk.com, is an attorney who resides in New Providence, New Jersey. He currently serves as the Editor of The Alternative Press Contact Mike at mike@shaptalk.com

The Long Slog Ahead

Hillary Clinton’s strong showing in Ohio’s primary coupled with a victory in the populous state of Texas has re-energized her flagging campaign and ensured that the race for the Democratic nomination will go into April and, most likely, even longer. The problem for the Democrats is that the longer the race goes on, the more expensive, as well as more competitive and negative it will also become, perhaps irreparably tarnishing whoever will win the Democratic nomination. These issues may well turn off the newly-engaged first-time voters who have been so numerous in the Democratic primaries this year. On the other hand, Senator McCain has the opportunity to limit his spending and, at the same time, throw punches at the Democratic candidates while he is insulated from attacks by those in his own party, enabling him to continue to maintain his high positive ratings while the approval ratings of Obama and Clinton fall. A shop-worn nominee, a divided Democratic Party, and an independently-minded Republican nominee with high approval ratings spell trouble for the Democrats in November.

The long slog ahead will do great damage to Democrats’ hopes for November and may so polarize the Party’s voters that the eventual nominee is unable to garner the kind of support typical of nominees of the Party. While many would like to see the race for the nomination concluded so that all energies can be focused on the general election, this does not appear to be in the cards.

Continue reading ShapTalk.com: The Long Slog Ahead.

Michael M. Shapiro, founder of ShapTalk.com, is an attorney who resides in New Providence, New Jersey. He currently serves as the Editor of The Alternative Press Contact Mike at mike@shaptalk.com

Freedom of the Press -- The Victor!

In January, the Student Government Association (SGA) at Montclair State University (MSU), under the leadership of SGA President Ron Chicken, stopped funding for the MSU student newspaper, The Montclarion. The SGA took this drastic step because the newspaper had used its SGA-funded attorney, Sal Anderton, to pursue action against the SGA for holding closed meetings allegedly in violation of the Open Public Meetings Act. In addition to freezing funding for the paper, the SGA also fired Anderton and demanded the newspaper use the SGA’s attorney, Aaron Easley. As part of the SGA’s requirement that the newspaper use Mr. Easley, Mr. Chicken also required the newspaper to submit legal inquiries for Easley through Mr. Chicken and was not permitted access to Mr. Easley directly. Hmmm.

Fortunately, while the dispute was being mediated, funding was unfrozen to allow for publication of the newspaper. This past week, the administration at MSU, led by MSU President Susan Cole, determined that the newspaper should not be financially dependent on the SGA because it is important for the press and the government to remain as separate and independent entities. As a result, President Cole has agreed to work with the newspaper and the SGA to separate them by the summer. In addition, Dr. Cole has committed to finding an independent funding source for the newspaper.

Continue reading ShapTalk.com: Freedom of the Press -- The Victor!

Michael M. Shapiro, founder of ShapTalk.com, is an attorney who resides in New Providence, New Jersey. He currently serves as the Editor of The Alternative Press Contact Mike at mike@shaptalk.com