politics

Assembly speaker’s law firm has made millions since he took power. Critics cry foul.

April 25, 2024

“If you think that his being part of the firm has no impact on the fact that they’re getting this business, then I guess it doesn’t matter,” said Julia Sass Rubin, a professor at Rutgers’ Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy. “That seems a little unlikely.”

Let’s Keep Focus on “The Line” in NJ Politics

December 23, 2023

If you’re not in-the-know, The Line is where you want to be on the ballot if you’re running for office in New Jersey. Candidates granted The Line by NJ’s political gatekeepers are almost assured of victory, especially in a primary election. That’s why NJ’s powerful political machines invest so much time and treasure into determining who gets the line and (perhaps more importantly) who doesn’t.

Bar part-time officials from full-time perks, incoming N.J. lawmaker says

December 19, 2023

“That doesn’t excuse individuals who have consciously abused the system,” said Pfeiffer, now a professor at Rutgers University. “But there are probably any number of cases where elected officials can spend 30, 35 hours a week in their job as an unpaid or low-paid elected official.

EJB Talks–Navigating a Politically Turbulent 2023 and the Ominous Prelude to 2024

December 18, 2023

We’re closing EJB Talks for the year with a discussion of the tumultuous political events of 2023, including the chaotic dynamics within the Republican Party, the potential ramifications of Kevin McCarthy’s replacement as Speaker of the House, the ongoing challenges in passing crucial legislation, and more.

The Story of Freedom: An Op-ed from Mark Paul

December 13, 2023

Meaningful freedom will only be won through embracing an emancipatory vision of freedom that guarantees people political rights, civil rights, reproductive rights, and crucially, economic rights. Together these rights provide people with meaningful choices to be, and do, what they have reason to value.

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...

EJB Talks Season Finale: The Return of Not Normal – A Political Check-In with Stuart Shapiro

April 26, 2023

Wrapping up season 8 with Dean Shapiro’s take on President Trump’s indictment and his early thoughts on the 2024 election.

Some NJ officials will no longer have to disclose their addresses. This is why

March 31, 2023

Legislation removing address disclosure requirements for New Jersey local elected officials cleared its second major hurdle Thursday. What the legislation says: The bill would no longer require local elected officials — and some non-elected public...

Newark Public Schools May Ask Taxpayers for $1 Billion Bond

March 30, 2023

The Superintendent of the Newark Board of Education may soon ask taxpayers to foot a $1 billion bond in order to upgrade buildings. Superintendent Roger Leon made the announcement during a recent school board retreat, surprising observers because of the...

Can NJ Fix Its Messy School Funding Formula?

March 29, 2023

It’s a complicated situation. New Jersey’s school funding formula, which is supposed to equally provide all students with the chance to get a good education, is constantly being tweaked because some school districts wind up getting more or less than they need based on...