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Policy Committee will look for legislative measures they can suggest to prevent the crime
BY TOM HESTER SR.
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
The federal roundup of a number of New Jersey public officials last month moved Assembly Republican Leader Alex DeCroce (R-Morris) to announce Tuesday that a rarely heard from panel called the Assembly Republican Policy Committee will hold a number of hearings on public corruption around the state.
The first hearing will be held at 10:30 a.m., Monday in Room 209 of the Statehouse Annex in Trenton. Republican staffers said former prosecutors, criminal defense attorneys, and members of the public are expected to testify but could not immediately identify potential speakers. Additional hearings have not been set.
Assemblyman Jon Bramnick (R-Union), the committee's chairman, said DeCroce asked him to convene hearings throughout the state to examine public corruption and explore ways to stamp it out. Bramnick said the panel's goal is to expose the cause of corruption and draft legislation to prevent it. The committee does not have the power to introduce or approve legislation.
A new poll by Monmouth University/Gannett News showed 55 percent of the respondents believe there is more corruption in New Jersey than any other state. The pollsters noted that just four years ago only 41 percent felt that way.
Along with Bramnick, the committee includes: Assemblywoman Dawn Marie Addiego (R-Burlington), Assemblywoman Denise Coyle (R-Somerset), Assemblyman David Rible (R-Monmouth), Assemblyman Scott Rumana (R-Passaic), Assemblywoman Charlotte Vandervalk (R-Bergen) and Assemblyman David Wolfe (R-Monmouth).
Rich Savner, an Assembly Republicans' spokesman, said the Policy Committee was formed in 2005 or 2006 and has met four or five times on such issues as green energy, affordable housing, state mandates for local government and the idea of a sales tax holiday.
"Their goal is to come up with achievable and realistic solutions or suggestions to problems facing the state,'' Savner said.
Anyone interested in speaking before the committee should contact Diane Walsh, Bramnick's chief-of-staff, at 908-232-2073.
All 80 Assembly members are seeking re-election on Nov. 3.
