In New Jersey, Power Remains an Aphrodisiac

The New York Times ^ | August 15, 2004 | PETER APPLEBOME

[MadIvan]

IT'S about much more than the sex.

"Garden State" may be a swell movie, but its story line couldn't top Gov. James E. McGreevey's Garden State reality show last week.

But if there's no lesson beyond the sex, expect New Jersey's continuing race to the political bottom to keep repeating itself in different forms. And, if anything about Mr. McGreevey's self-immolation should be clear, it's that America's most powerful governor's office has become its most problematic.

There are few, if any, political positions more powerful and more perilous than New Jersey governor. As the only officeholder elected statewide, with the ability to appoint thousands of state workers and board members, the New Jersey governor is so powerful that the columnist George Will once compared the position to "an American Caesar."

But that much power creates a big target. And almost limitless power can breed almost limitless hubris. So of the last four governors, Jim Florio became a pariah for his proposed tax increases; Christie Whitman was re-elected but saw her reputation battered once she left office because of controversies over racial profiling, state borrowing and wrong turns like the disastrous $400 million contract for auto emissions testing that went to a politically connected company; Donald T. DiFrancesco took office after her but declined to run on his own after being chewed up by ethics scandals; and Mr. McGreevey's unending series of troubled appointments and compromised associates had left him hanging by a thread long before he cut it himself.

Mr. McGreevey has constructed his own political hell. But there are reasons for scandal being the background music to New Jersey politics. First is the state's notorious "pay to play" system, which is ingrained in its political culture.

Second is the entrenched power of the county bosses, with so much money and clout that anyone who runs for office first has to curry favor with them, and then is expected to return the favor with contracts and jobs.

Third is the governor's ability to handpick state officeholders, so there's no one to keep him accountable. The only way to understand the illogic of Mr. McGreevey making a young Israeli with a background in public relations one of his homeland security advisers and then a "special counsel" making the same $110,000 salary is that - sex or no sex - he can.

NEW JERSEY'S strong governor system was enacted in 1947 and reflected that era's post-New Deal belief that a strong executive was more capable of dealing with complex problems than a part-time Legislature was. "The system is contingent upon a governor having a clear sense of mission and indeed affection for good public policies,'' said Richard Harris, a political scientist at Rutgers University-Camden. "It's fair to say that Governor McGreevey has received a lot of criticism for appointing people one might not think would be on the A list for a position."

It's no accident that New Jersey's endless pinwheel of corruption keeps spinning.

So what to do? Douglas R. Forrester, a likely candidate for the Republican nomination for governor, is calling for an elected state lieutenant governor and auditor. Dr. David Rebovich, a political scientist at Rider University, would prefer an elected auditor and attorney general. That can have its problems too, if the attorney general, for example, is gunning for the governor's job. But it would remove some power from the governor's office and also provide training at the state level for ambitious up-and-comers.

Other broad areas are a truly tough state ethics code with someone to enforce it and the kind of stringent curbs on pay to play at the county level that the Legislature hasn't shown any interest in enacting. Sometimes it takes an overdose of scandal to jump-start reform. But it's unclear whether this round will emerge as anything more than fodder for Oprah and the tabloids. If it does not, Mr. McGreevey will be far from the only loser.

[MadIvan]

I'm shocked this appeared in the NY Times - you would expect them to be playing full defence of McGreevy at the moment.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Ping!

[jocon307]

I don't know if power people in NJ would know how to function without pay-to-play. Another oddity of NJ politics is that the legistlature is "part time" it is also bi-cameral, it is also possible to hold two elected offices at once. For example, my town's mayor is also a state assemblyman (or maybe he's a senator). We really have an entrenched political class.

[conservative in nyc]

The Slimes has distanced themselves from McGreevey from the day of his coming out party. Their editorial that day basically said that McGreevey only told have of "his truth" when he said he was a "gay American". And the Slimes fell just short of calling on McGreevey to resign immediately.

They are distancing themselves for good reason --- McGreevey's nicknames aren't "McGreasy" and "McGreedy" for no good reason. There have been so many scandals in his 2 1/2 years in office that the Slimes shouldn't know where to begin when trying to report them.

That leads me to the FOURTH reason why New Jersey governors and politicians tend to be corrupt --- New Jersey is a state without a major media market. The local television newscasts are broadcast in from New York and Philadelphia, which traditionally have given short shrift to New Jersey news. There are only a handful of not-so-powerful New Jersey TV stations (an NBC affiliate on the Jersey Shore, their low-power "New Jersey Network" PBS stations, a variety of localized cable news outfits, and arguably, the New York City UPN station, which has its studios in Secaucus). The local New Jersey newspapers are fairly parochial -- there's no real statewide paper with the pull of the Hartford Courant or New Hampshire's Union Leader, for example. And the New York and Philly newspapers treat New Jersey news like a red-headed stepchild.

The Democrat machine still lives in New Jersey. Hopefully, McGreevey's corruption will help kill it.

[JerseyHighlander]

This is how deep it goes, Senator
Ronald L. Rice (D) is a deputy mayor of Newark, NJ, AND a state legislator for Legislative District 28. While
Sharpe James (D) is the legislator for district 29, and the mayor of Newark. It's a crazy world here in NJ.

[lainde]

bttt

[StockAyatollah]

The problems in NJ have nothing to do with their system of government. Corruption, waste, fraud: these are classic symptoms of a 'rat infestation.

[eno_]

So, like, how did his proposal to his wife go? "Hey, I'm an ambitious but flaming pol, and you are a femdyke - wannbe be my beard? Sperm donor opportunity, too."

[eno_]

Yeah, those New Jersey Democrats... they should look to New York Republicans, especially on Long Island, for good examples.

[Cagey]

Corruption, waste, fraud: these are classic symptoms of a 'rat infestation.

Not entirely. The "Pay to Play" system entrenched in New Jersey is an equal opportunity corrupter. Slime exists on both sides of the aisle in New Jersey. A recent Republican example is John Bennett from Monmouth county who was Senate co-chairman and was up to his elbows in corruption. He was defeated in this last election, thankfully.

[nmh]

"The only way to understand the illogic of Mr. McGreevey making a young Israeli with a background in public relations one of his homeland security advisers and then a "special counsel" making the same $110,000 salary is that - sex or no sex - he can. "

I didn't know the NJ Gov. had THIS much power. The worst thing you could do then would be to put this kind of power in the hands of a tortured soul that is totally confused, a homosexual. If they can't even get it straight who they are attracted to God only knows what else will befuddle them.

It is OUTRAGEOUS that this homosexual would put the ENTIRE state of NJ at risk by appointing a sex partner who is a poet from Israel in charge of homeland security! That only goes to show how skewed the thinking of a homosexual is. It was more important for him to have a SEX TOY in place than have a qualified person protect us.

If McGreedy has even a smidgen of honor left the least he can do is put up the position for special election by the people. Most likely another Demoncrat will win since the House and Senate is controlled by Demoncrats - it would be the right thing to do.

One thing that will change is McGeedy's political future. It is ruined. He is not electable for dog catcher since he is not trustworthy. I can't help but wonder why his wife still stands next to him - money?

[nmh]

Don't you see what the homo run NYT is doing?

They are shifting the blame to the "system" and veering it away from an OUT OF CONTROL HOMOSEXUAL.

It IS his HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVIOR that put NJ at risk. In no way shape or form should a foreigner who cannot get clearance be asked to head NJ homeland security. His qualifications is that he is a POET! The NYT is RUN by HOMOSEXUALS. They don't want to admit that their emotional misguided zeal could create this mess.

[Libloather]

There are few, if any, political positions more powerful and more perilous than New Jersey governor.

Then how does that one corrupt individual get to pick his successor - without any other citizens voting? NJ better demand he leave - now...