Joe Doria is the ultimate Trenton insider. He is a former Speaker of the Assembly. He recently resigned his seat in the State Senate and his office as Mayor of Bayonne to accept Governor Corzine's appointment to be the Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs (DCA), one of the most powerful cabinet level posts in State government.
And, Doria was a party to corruption, ticket-fixing and other official misconduct in the Bayonne Parking Authority, according to allegations filed in a federal lawsuit by two fired employees of the Bayonne Parking Authority. In addition to the federal lawsuit, a State Grand Jury is investigation corruption at the Bayonne Parking Authority.
Doria was nominated by the Governor to head DCA in September. He has been Acting Commissioner since October 9, 2007. The Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved his nomination on November 8, 2007. The nomination awaits approval of the full Senate. According to the State Legislative Calender the next Senate voting sessions are on December 10 and December 17.
How this nomination is handled, by the Senate, the Governor and Doria himself will tell us volumes about how serious our leaders are about restoring confidence to our government, which has been shaken by numerous corruption scandals. As bad as all the corruption scandals have been, most to date have involved bit players and second stringers. Doria is an All Star. Will the Trenton elite circle the wagons and protect one of their own, or will this nomination be tabled until these serious allegations are resolved? So far, the silence is deafening.
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