Rocco Riccio

  To view a larger version of this cartoon, click here.

Senator Gerald Cardinale (R-39) responded to reports today that Governor Jon Corzine has paid a huge settlement to prevent the public disclosure of the unusual circumstances under which Rocco Riccio was dismissed from a string of patronage positions in which he was placed. Riccio was reportedly paid $362,500 in late-September after threatening to sue Corzine and make public the terms of his employment and eventual termination from a pair of taxpayer and tollpayer funded positions.

Republican State Chairman Tom Wilson sent a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee John Adler today accusing him of caving into political pressure and watering down a call for an investigation into Gov. Corzine's relationship with Rocco Riccio, the brother-in-law of his ex-girlfriend/paramour/companion Carla Katz.

But Senate Democrats say that Wilson's letter is based on a misconstrued premise.

On Monday, news outlets originally reported that Adler called on the Attorney General Anne Milgram to investigate the $15,000 gift Corzine made to Riccio after he was forced out of Turnpike Authority job by the Corzine administration. This took place at the confirmation hearing of comptroller nominee Matthew Boxer, who was present at a meeting with Riccio. But Adler's letter to the Attorney General sent later that day only asked for an investigation into whether Riccio illegally looked into tax records, and news acocunts amended accordingly.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman John Adler, the Democratic candidate for Congress in the third district, today asked state Attorney General Anne Milgram to “initiate a thorough criminal review” of Governor Jon Corzine’s $15,000 gift to Rocco Riccio, the brother-in-law of his ex-girlfriend and the President of the state’s largest public employees union.  Adler wants to know if any laws were broken.

Adler’s call comes fourteen months after Corzine told a Gannett New Jersey editorial board that he would not pick Adler as his Attorney General: “John Adler will not be my attorney general. We will pick the very best individual, with the skills to make sure we carry out an executive order to clean up politics in this state." – Jon Corzine, speaking at a Gannett New Jersey debate (Tamari, Asbury Park Press, 10/12/05)

Update: A new version of the AP article reports that Adler's letter to Attorney General Anne Milgram asks her to investigate whether Riccio engaged in misconduct by examining tax records. Adler did not mention the payment of $15,000 in the letter

In the letter, Adler said that he discussed the Rocco Riccio matter privately with Boxer after his initial testimony in front of the judiciary committee and reviewed his notes.

In the wake of a Quinnipiac University poll in which a majority of voters say Gov. Jon Corzine should make public his financial dealings with Rocco Riccio, Senate Minority Leader Leonard Lance again called on Attorney General Anne Milgram to investigate Riccio’s role in a government job.

The brother-in-law of state workers union leader and former Gov. Jon Corzine girlfriend, Carla Katz, Riccio apparently quit his government post after Corzine’s people told him he should leave instead of turning into a political flash point. Corzine later admitted to giving Riccio money, a move the governor’s detractors say occurred after Corzine’s people couldn’t get Riccio the private sector job they said they’d secure for him.

New Jersey voters polled by Quinnipiac University said Gov. Jon Corzine’s financial ties to Carla Katz’s brother-in-law, Rocco Riccio, should be a matter of public record and necessitate an independent investigation.

The results released today show that 55% of those in both parties polled believe the matter should be made public and should be independently examined, compared to 39% who say they believe it is a private matter.

State Sen. Gerald Cardinale wants the Senate Judiciary Committee to hold up on the confirmation of Matthew Boxer as State Comptroller until a Special Prosecutor is named to review Rocco Riccio's acceptance of a $15,000 cash gift from Gov. Jon Corzine.  Riccio is the brother-in-law of Corzine's ex-girlfriend, CWA President Carla Katz. 

--Special Prosecutor Must Be Named To Investigate And Report Publicly On Corzine Administration’s Handling Of Riccio Matter—

Senator Gerald Cardinale, (R-Bergen), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee today called on Committee Chairman John Adler to delay the Committee’s consideration of Matthew Boxer’s nomination to be State Comptroller, until a special prosecutor is appointed to investigate accusations surrounding Mr. Riccio’s acceptance of monetary gifts from Governor Jon Corzine.

A great line from one of our readers, the kind of guy Nick Acocella would affectionately describe as an "anonymous wag": "Well, at least Rocco Riccio is gonna be off the front pages for a bit."