Tag: Kevin O’Toole

Where will Addiego sit?

The New Jersey Office of Legislative Services has two days to physically move State Sen. Dawn Addiego’s desk in the New Jersey State Senate from the Republican side. Addiego now sits in one of the Republican rows in the Senate, between Joseph Pennacchio (R-Montville) and Steve Oroho (R-Franklin). Seating assignments are made by Senate President Steve Sweeney. Sweeney can move James Holzapfel (R-Tomes River) to Addiego’s seat and then and
Read More

The Life and Times of Paul DiGaetano

There was a time back about a generation ago when Paul DiGaetano was a bright, rising star in New Jersey Republican politics.  He he was one of the most powerful politicians in the state.  Some Republicans openly fawned over the idea of a young, blue-collar, Catholic, Italian-American Republican running for statewide office.  He was likeable, popular, and incredibly ambitious. Jump ahead thirty years, and sadly for him, the only thing
Read More

What if GOP ran a Muslim for Congress?

Essex County Republican Chairman Al Barlas has positioned himself as one of the most powerful people in the race to succeed Rodney Frelinghuysen in Congress.  His alliance with Passaic County’s Peter Murphy means that the road to the Republican nomination runs through the two counties.  That means in lineless Morris, where the field of prospective congressional candidates seems to be growing, the support of the Barlas/Murphy block could be critical. Some insiders
Read More

Budget seat goes to Addiego

State Sen. Dawn Addiego (R-Burlington) now has a seat on the powerful Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. She was re-elected to the Senate by a narrow 52%-48% margin last November. Two Republican seats opened up on the panel following the defeat of Jennifer Beck and the resignation of Kevin O'Toole to become Chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.  The other Senator from Burlington County, Democrat
Read More

Judiciary shrinks to 11 members

The Senate Judiciary Committee will have two less members this year, with Senate President Steve Sweeney and Minority Leader Tom Kean agreeing not to fill the seats of two Senators who did not seek re-election. The powerful panel, which must approve all gubernatorial nominations before the full Senate votes on them, will go from thirteen members to eleven.   Joseph Kyrillos (R-Monmouth) and Raymond Lesniak (D-Union) retired from the upper house
Read More