Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Nicholas Scutari (D-Linden) hosted his 8th Annual Night at the Ballpark this evening at Citi Field, a $1,500-per-person fundraiser attended by Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin and retired New York Mets outfielder Mookie Wilson.
Scutari picked one of the prime games on the major league baseball schedule: the Subway Series between the first-place New York Yankees and the fourth-placed New York Mets. Scutari’s annual baseball fundraiser has become one of the premier fundraising events of the political season. The longtime Yankees fan shifted his event to Citi Field a few years ago to maximize profits, since Yankee Stadium— based on its superiority — is more expensive.
Wilson replaced former All-Star pitcher Dwight Gooden, who appeared at Scutari’s 2017 and 2018 fundraiser. Coughlin also attended last year’s event.
Now in his 16th year as a senator, Scutari is at the peak of his political power. He is the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and, since 2018, the Union County Democratic Chairman.
Democrats nominated Scutari, then a Union County Freeholder, for the Senate seat when incumbent Joseph Suliga withdrew from his re-election bid for personal reasons in 2003. He defeated Scotch Plains Mayor Martin Marks by a 55%-45% margin. Scutari was re-elected to fifth term in 2017 with 67% of the vote.
Scutari’s total fundraising haul for the event was not immediately available.
