A state watchdog forges ahead, in an era of endangered oversight

August 7, 2023

Kevin Walsh had been an attorney for just two years when he picked a fight that would help topple the death penalty in New Jersey.

As counsel to New Jerseyans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, he challenged the state’s lethal injection regulations, a battle that led to a 2004 court moratorium on executions and a 2007 state law abolishing capital punishment.

Since then, he has become one of the state’s leading watchdogs on issues from affordable housing to police accountability, driving change in statewide policy with little regard to what powerful politicians he incenses along the way.

Whatever anyone’s objections to Walsh may be, one New Jersey political observer said his delayed confirmation isn’t good government.

“Senatorial courtesy is yet another tool that the very powerful political machines that run our state and control our legislature can use to get what they want,” said Julia Sass Rubin, a professor at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University. “Our state politics are very transactional and with senatorial courtesy, political machines can hold a governor’s appointee hostage.”

New Jersey Monitor, August 7, 2023

Recent Posts

NJSPL Report: Higher Education in New Jersey – A Policy Review

By Angie Nga Le, Stuart Shapiro, and Elizabeth Cooner New Jersey’s state higher education plan, “Where Opportunity Meets Innovation – A Student-Centered Vision for New Jersey Higher Education” (the Plan), was introduced in 2019. It envisions an ecosystem where every...

Healthcare, Policy, and the Opioid Crisis: Bridging Gaps in Access

Healthcare, Policy, and the Opioid Crisis: Bridging Gaps in Access with Zoe Lindenfeld This week on EJB Talks, new Bloustein School Assistant Professor Zoe Lindenfeld talks to Dean Stuart Shapiro about her research on substance use disorders, particularly the opioid...

Public Policy and Surveillance Tech

By Marc Pfeiffer ICMA.org, February 1, 2025 I asked Claude.ai to define surveillance technology. In response, it replied, “devices, systems, or software that are used to monitor, track, and collect information on people, places, or things.” Municipalities use a wide...

Lindenfeld & Mauri Find Uptick for MOUD at FQHCs

Introduction To reduce morbidity and mortality among individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD), the evidence is strongest for medications for OUD (MOUD), which include methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone. Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) are essential...

NJSPL: Ensuring Accurate & Equitable Vaccination Info

By Yonaira Rivera and Vivek Singh  In today’s digital world, large language models like ChatGPT are important sources of healthcare information, particularly for those who face barriers like insurance issues or language constraints. As part of the IMPACT-NJ project,...

Upcoming Events

Event Series Student Services

Bloustein Librarian Open Office Hours

Bloustein School, Civic Square Building 33 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ, United States

Have a research or library question you need assistance with? Visit Open Office Hours with Bloustein Librarian Julia Maxwell. Every Tuesday from 12:00 - 1:00 pm in the Civic Square […]