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Article IndexNew Jersey Residents Prefer Honest Officials, even if Ineffective
The poll tested tolerance for corruption by asking respondents to choose between a "politician who might be corrupt but could get important things done" and "an honest politician who had trouble making things happen." Overwhelmingly, New Jerseyans choose the honest politician, 78 percent to 15 percent. When asked, "In government, corrupt means are needed to achieve important goals," 80 percent disagree, while only 15 percent agree.
Distinctions Between Lawbreaking and Favoritism
The poll presented five specific activities (below) that citizens or public officials might consider corrupt. The first three are illegal:
- A bribe to avoid a speeding ticket
- No-bid contracts by a City Council member
- "Ghost" employees on a senator's staff
- Access to the governor by a corporate executive campaign donor
- Candidate promises to fill potholes.
Respondents overwhelmingly consider lawbreaking to be corrupt, with from 65 percent to 87 percent considering these three activities to be "extremely corrupt." Interestingly, 30 to 40 percent consider the last two items — which are not illegal — to be "extremely corrupt."
"There is such a pervasive sense that politics is corrupt in New Jersey that it spills over to activities, like pothole-filling promises, that are simply part of the political process," said Redlawsk. "
Residents Call on Citizens Groups to Take the Lead
Citizens groups are preferred by 28 percent of respondents to take the lead in raising ethical standards, while 22 percent think it is up to state and federal prosecutors. The governor and the state Legislature are each named by 17 percent, while only 3 percent think business leaders should take the lead on political corruption and ethical standards.
"These results are similar to what we found in a 2006 poll, when 25 percent picked citizens groups, followed by the governor (20 percent), prosecutors (19 percent) and the Legislature (12 percent)," noted Redlawsk. "More than half of all New Jersey residents look outside for help — either through citizens groups, prosecutors, or business leaders, another indicator of the lack of trust that politicians can get the job done."
— ANDY LAGOMARSINO, NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
