Gary Rose

Gov. Jon Corzine's pick to succeed Gary Rose as his top economic advisor, Democratic lawyer Jerold Zaro, isn't likely to encounter much opposition from the Republicans: his law firm website lists four personal references for Zaro, including Corzine's possible 2009 opponent, GOP U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie.  Zaro's other references: Joseph Buckalew, a GOP fundraiser and Ocean County Republican powerhouse who served on the Board at Commerce Bank; Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman John Adler; and Sports Authority Chairman/developer Carl Goldberg.

Democratic lawyer Jerry Zaro is Gary Rose's replacementGov. Jon Corzine is expected to announce today that Jerold Zaro, a politically active attorney from Monmouth County, will replace Gary Rose as the new Chief of the Governor's Office of Economic Growth.  Corzine plans to announce his economic growth plan in a major address on Thursday.

Zaro, 57, is the President and Managing Partner of Ansell Zaro Grimm & Aaron.  He is a former Chairman of the New Jersey Highway Authority, and served on the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority.  He also served as an Ocan Township Councilman.

Governor Corzine has been in denial about how the past six years of unchecked tax increases and growth in government regulation have depressed New Jersey's economy. His economic roundtable is the first sign that he is willing to confront the real problems of our state.

There is only one way to clear up the questions about potential conflicts of interest in the Xanadu bailout negotiations: Gary Rose must give a full accounting to the public.

Gov. Jon Corzine: Politicker file photoNEWARK - Hit with reporters’ questions here today about the business connections of his former chief of economic development, Gov. Jon Corzine said he did not know when he selected him that Gary D. Rose had a financial stake in the Xanadu Meadowlands project.

Corzine himself had close ties to a private firm behind the large-scale East Rutherford development - envisioned as a $2 billion pleasure dome of shops and entertainment hot-spots and slated to open next year.

In his capacity as economic chief, Rose helped facilitate a privately funded bailout of the once-floundering project, even as he owned stock in a company that stood to lose over a billion dollars, according to The Record reporters Jeff Pilletts and John Reitmeyer.

Rose left the Corzine administration in June.

In case you missed it: The Record’s reported on Friday that Gary Rose, who was a top economic advisor to Gov. Jon Corzine  until the start of this summer, owned stock in a company that benefited by a $1.5 billion bailout of the Meadowlands Xanadu project he influenced. 

In case you missed it: as Governor-elect, Corzine pledged a “zero tolerance” policy on members of his administration who personally profit off the workings of state government.

In case you missed it: in his inaugural address, Corzine told voters to “hold me accountable.”

In case you missed it: a recent Quinnipiac poll shows Corzine with an upside-down job approval rating.

In case you missed it: Republicans have not yet commented on the Rose story, although in fairness to them, it was a Friday!

A few things to watch for (in no particular order) this week, as local politics slows down and politicos prepare for national political conventions over the next two weeks: who will Democrats send to the State Assembly when they hold a special election convention to replace the guy who resigned because of his kiddie porn problem? Will New Jersey Republicans, including one who was appointed by the President, yell and scream about a top advisor to the Governor who , as The Record described it, “helped direct a $1.5 billion bail out of Xanadu while owning stock in a company poised to lose over a billion dollars if the Meadowlands project failed?”   Will vice presidential picks affect the battle for New Jersey’s fifteen electoral votes?  And will Democrats designate a replacement congressional candidate in the first district before the delegation leaves for Denver, or will they  wait until the September 17 deadline?

A four-hour impasse over public employee benefits reform legislation Monday night in the General Assembly left a number of top Assembly Democrats fuming after several Hudson Democrats held out their votes on the measure causing the delay.  The boycott -- apparently orchestrated by State Senator Nicholas Sacco, who holds three public jobs in addition to his wife's employment with the Hudson County School of Technology, forced Democrats to rely on Republicans to pass the measure, a common occurrence in the Senate but a rarity in the lower House which infuriated veteran Democrats. 

There’s some buzz from the front office that Lisa Jackson, the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, could wind up as Governor Jon Corzine’s new Chief of Staff.    Bradley Abelow is expected to leave after the budget is passed, and sources say that Michellene Davis, Corzine’s Appointments Counsel, is also a possible candidate for the top staff post.