NJ State Senator Had No-Show Job (Sopranostan BARF Alert!)

Houston Chronicle ^ | 9/18/06 | Geoff Mulvihill

[Clemenza]

MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. — A powerful southern New Jersey politician was paid for a no-work job at a scandal-ridden state university while helping the school garner millions of dollars in new state funding, according to a report released Monday.

The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey paid state Sen. Wayne Bryant, chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, $35,000 a year "to lobby himself in his capacity of state senator," according to the report of a federal monitor who had investigated the school's finances.

The report said all Bryant appeared to do at the university's School of Osteopathic Medicine was show up for three hours most Tuesdays to read newspapers.

Bryant, a Democrat, was the sole subject of the report released Monday. He did not return calls seeking comment and did not show up to an event he was expected to attend on Monday at a college near Newark.

Herbert J. Stern, a former federal prosecutor and judge, was appointed to investigate the university in December after the school admitted overbilling Medicaid by more than $5 million. A previous report he issued suggested losses from fraud and abuse there could exceed $243 million.

The report said that Bryant was employed at the university's School of Osteopathic Medicine from March 2003 until February 2006 and that during that time, the school's state allocation skyrocketed.

According to the report, Bryant helped deliver a total of $12.8 million over the three years _ up from $2.8 million per year before the school created a job for him.

In 2003, the osteopathic school created a position for Bryant and did not advertise it publicly, the report found.

John Crosbie, an official at the school, told investigators that Bryant was hired only for his "political juice."

The report said Bryant did not grant an interview to investigators.

Stern, the federal monitor, said it's up to prosecutors to determine whether Bryant should face criminal charges. Michael Drewniak, a spokesman for U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie, said his office would study the report.

Meanwhile, Gov. Jon S. Corzine, also a Democrat, suggested Monday that Bryant consider stepping down as chairman of the Senate Budget Committee while the investigation runs its course. But the governor said that decision should be made by legislators. Some Republican lawmakers used the report to argue for reforming state ethics rules.

[Clemenza]

Garden State Ping!

[pissant]

Can we pay them ALL to do nothing? We'd be much better served.

[cyborg]

How did I know you made this post! LOLOLOLOLOL

[Dinah Lord]

Culture of Corruption!!!!

/like I'm shocked.

[stm]

Hear that? That's the sound of their accredation circling the bowl (we can only hope)

[csvset]

The weasel in question.

[Clemenza]

Ping!

[socialismisinsidious]

...after the school admitted overbilling Medicaid by more than $5 million. A previous report he issued suggested losses from fraud and abuse there could exceed $243 million.

According to the report, Bryant helped deliver a total of $12.8 million over the three years _ up from $2.8 million per year before the school created a job for him.

Lawyers have nothing to do with the high cost of health care (John Edwards says so!)....and the Medicare/Medicaid system is just fine thank you!...now hurry up and Nationalize Health care b/c poor children are dying.

[Clemenza]

Aren't you glad you live in Connecticut?

[G L Tirebiter]

"Sopranostan" - that is great...thanks. I have to ring my former colleague in Princeton Junction tomorrow to catch up and drop that into our chat.

[Chode]

do I really have to say it???

[Zeppo]

"to lobby himself in his capacity of state senator,"

Didn't they used to warn that if you did stuff like that you'd go blind???

[DeweyCA]

He's not mentioned to be a Democrat unril the 4th paragraph, and then only once. I knew right away that he was a Dem when the 1st paragraph didn't mention party affiliation. Typical liberal news bias.

[OldFriend]

The Federal investigator has NO subpoena power. The university has said that Bryant was hired by people who are no longer there and he wouldn't be hired by the present administration.

REALLY?????????? So how come he was there until yesterday???????????

[Tired of Taxes]

Can we pay them ALL to do nothing? We'd be much better served.

Now there's an idea. Especially here in New Jersey. If only they all would sit in lobbies doing nothing...

[Coleus]

The only good thing about Sen. Wayne Bryant was that he, while an assemblyman, was the architect and chief proponent of welfare reform in NJ.

He, the democrat, had to do it while the Republican majority, lacking in testosterone, didn't have the nads, fortitude or will to do it.

That's why the republicrats in NJ stink and can't win elections. A bunch of ---less wimps who did very little in the 10 yrs. they had control of the Legislature.