6/21/10 - Van Drew folds under pressure
Today Senator Jeff Van Drew announced that he would stop exercising senatorial courtesy over the well-respected Jim Plousis who has been nominated to the state parole board by Governor Chris Christie.
It is clear that Senator Jeff Van Drew lacked the political stomach to fight to block Marshall Plousis so he could get his way on an unrelated nomination.
This entire episode revealed how broken Trenton politics is and how willing some of our own local politicians are willing to play the same old Trenton games to get their way.
Fortunately, the public outcry against Senator Van Drew's use of this antiquated practice forced him to fold.
Lesson learned.
5/27/10 - Van Drew and Sestak; any comparison?
The news headlines in Pennsylvania are filled with the allegation by Congressman Joe Sestak that he was promised a high paying position by an official in the Obama administration in exchange for getting out of the US Senate Primary, to clear the way for Arlen Specter to be nominated.
If true (and Sestak said it himself so why should it be doubted?), this is quid pro quo politics at its worst.
Or is it?
Here in South Jersey, we have Senator Jeff Van Drew who is using the draconian senatorial courtesy to block a great man --- US Marshall Jim Plousis --- from taking a seat on the state parole board.
Why?
Because Van Drew admittedly says that he wants the Governor to appoint the man he wants as Cape May County's prosecutor. If that occurs, then Van Drew says he'll go along with Plousis.
How is Van Drew's behavior any different from what happened to Joe Sestak in Pennsylvania? Even Democrats in the Keystone State are outraged at the tactics waged to get Sestak out of the race --- and he ultimatly trounced Specter at the polls.
Let's hope Democrats here start to tell Senator Van Drew that his quid pro quo politics need to go too.
5/17/10 - In case you missed it: Van Drew wrong to use courtesy ploy
In case you missed it, in today's Press of Atlantic City, Senator Jeff Van Drew was called to task for his use of senatorial courtesy.
Read the complete editorial here.
5/2/10 - Van Drew miscalculates
The very politically calculating Senator Jeff Van Drew (D-Cape May) has made a serious error in blocking the nomination of US Marshall Jim Plousis to the state parole board.
Van Drew is holding up Plousis' nomination using the antiquated, unwritten and controversial "senatorial courtesy" power which allows a state senator to block a governor's nominee from his home county without stating a reason.
Usually senators are a bit more discrete in their use of the power. But not Van Drew. He came right out and told the world why he is blocking Plousis: leverage to get his friend Robert Taylor reappointed as Cape May County's prosecutor.
Unfortunately, this is the way business in Trenton has been conducted for many, many years. Van Drew fails to recognize that the election of Governor Chris Christie has brought to our state a new era of transparency and fairness to the process of governing.
The Governor is entitled to make nominations to various government entities pursuant to our state constitution. Each of those nominatees should be judged individually on his or her own merits with a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee and an up-or-down vote.
Van Drew's linkage of Plousis' nomination -- who has unquestionable integrity and qualifications for the parole board -- with Taylor, who he appears to be pushing for personal and political, rather than policy reasons, demonstrates that he is putting party politics before doing the people's business.
Van Drew ought to stop this political ploy now and let the Senate act upon the nomination of Plousis to the parole board.
4/2/10 - Welcoming another new Republican -- Mike Rivera
At our convention the other night, not only did we nominate an incredible slate of candidates (LoBiondo, Curcio, McDevitt & Dase), but we also welcomed in a new member of our party.
Buena Vista Township Committeman Mike Rivera declared himself as a Republican on Wednesday, which gives our party representation on the governing body in BVT for the first time in over a decade.
I look forward to working with the newly revived Republican organization in Buena Vista to elect even more R's in the township.
Welcome to the party of fiscal responsibility and economic growth Mike!
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