Gary Rose

In case you missed it: The Record’s reported on Friday that Gary Rose, who was a top economic advisor to Gov. Jon Corzine  until the start of this summer, owned stock in a company that benefited by a $1.5 billion bailout of the Meadowlands Xanadu project he influenced. 

In case you missed it: as Governor-elect, Corzine pledged a “zero tolerance” policy on members of his administration who personally profit off the workings of state government.

In case you missed it: in his inaugural address, Corzine told voters to “hold me accountable.”

In case you missed it: a recent Quinnipiac poll shows Corzine with an upside-down job approval rating.

In case you missed it: Republicans have not yet commented on the Rose story, although in fairness to them, it was a Friday!

A few things to watch for (in no particular order) this week, as local politics slows down and politicos prepare for national political conventions over the next two weeks: who will Democrats send to the State Assembly when they hold a special election convention to replace the guy who resigned because of his kiddie porn problem? Will New Jersey Republicans, including one who was appointed by the President, yell and scream about a top advisor to the Governor who , as The Record described it, “helped direct a $1.5 billion bail out of Xanadu while owning stock in a company poised to lose over a billion dollars if the Meadowlands project failed?”   Will vice presidential picks affect the battle for New Jersey’s fifteen electoral votes?  And will Democrats designate a replacement congressional candidate in the first district before the delegation leaves for Denver, or will they  wait until the September 17 deadline?

A four-hour impasse over public employee benefits reform legislation Monday night in the General Assembly left a number of top Assembly Democrats fuming after several Hudson Democrats held out their votes on the measure causing the delay.  The boycott -- apparently orchestrated by State Senator Nicholas Sacco, who holds three public jobs in addition to his wife's employment with the Hudson County School of Technology, forced Democrats to rely on Republicans to pass the measure, a common occurrence in the Senate but a rarity in the lower House which infuriated veteran Democrats. 

There’s some buzz from the front office that Lisa Jackson, the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, could wind up as Governor Jon Corzine’s new Chief of Staff.    Bradley Abelow is expected to leave after the budget is passed, and sources say that Michellene Davis, Corzine’s Appointments Counsel, is also a possible candidate for the top staff post.

With Gary Rose set to leave his Corzine front office post by the end of the month, there are already a few names being mentioned as possible successors as Chief of the Office of Economic Growth: state Transportation Commissioner Kris Kolluri; Caren Franzini, the CEO of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority; New Jersey Utilities Association President/CEO Karen Alexander.  A dark horse candidate: former Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Bill Gormley.

Gary Rose, a top aide to Gov. Jon Corzine, is expected to leave his state government post by the end of the month
Gary Rose, one of Governor Jon Corzine’s top advisors and the Chief of the state Office of Economic Growth, will be leaving by the end of the month, according to administration sources. With the state budget process nearing completion, Rose, who was a partner with Corzine at Goldman Sachs, is reportedly headed to a private sector position.