Ray Lesniak

April 16, 2008 - 6:23pm

Newark Democrats react to guilty verdict in Sharpe James trial

Tags: Steve Adubato, Sharpe James, Ronald Rice, Ray Lesniak, Luis Quintana, Larry Hamm, Joseph Cryan, Ellen Karcher, Cory Booker

Sharpe James NEWARK - A lot of Democrats who worked with Sharpe James over the years had one word to describe what they felt today as they watched a federal jury deliver a guilty verdict in the former mayor’s corruption trial.

They felt sad.

"Sometimes we cooperated, sometimes we didn’t, but I really believe he cared about Newark," said North Ward Democratic leader Steve Adubato. "It’s a terrible tragedy."

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March 7, 2008 - 3:09pm

Kennedy wants to run for U.S. Senate

By Max Pizarro

Tags: Richard Codey, Ray Lesniak, Murray Sabrin, Joseph Pennacchio, James Howard, Gerald Carinale, Frank Pallone, Brian Kennedy, Anne Evans Estabrook

Calling homeland security the most important issue of these times, former state Sen. Brian T. Kennedy of Wall would like to challenge Sen. Frank Lautenberg, and said he plans to discuss the matter with GOP State Chairman Tom Wilson and Monmouth County GOP Chief Adam Puharic.

"I am very, very seriously thinking about this," said Kennedy, 73, who served in the state Senate from 1977 to 1983, before losing to Democrat Frank Pallone.

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5 comments

January 29, 2008 - 3:32am

Democrats see similarities between Humphrey vs. Kennedy '68

By Max Pizarro

Tags: Barack Obama, Ray Lesniak, Hillary Clinton, Richard Hughes, Steve Adubato, Lyndon Johnson, Brian Hughes, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Hubert Humphrey, Kibili Tayari, John Cunningham, 1968 election

Robert F. Kennedy campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1968

Working guard duty at Fort Dix in 1968, 22-year-old government issue Ray Lesniak counted himself a fortunate one because he didn't get shipped off to Vietnam.

"Even though I ain't no senator's son," said the senator, 40 years later now, quoting the Creedence Clearwater Revivial song lyrics from the older era.

He was into politics even then, and he liked Sen. Robert Kennedy for president.

"I was a huge supporter," he said.

For insiders like Lesniak who have been immersed in Democratic Party stand-offs for decades, the primary rumble between senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama bears traces of that 1968 match-up between establishment warhorse Hubert Humphrey and tousle-headed rock star Kennedy.

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March 4, 2008 - 6:58pm

New Jersey Dems cozy up to Texas and Ohio

By Max Pizarro

Tags: Shirley Turner, Ron Rice, Richard Codey, Ray Lesniak, Mark Alexander, Jose Torres, Jon Corzine, John Graham, Joe Cryan, Hillary Clinton, Grace Spencer, Cory Booker, Brigid C. Harrison, Bob Menendez, Bill Pascrell, Barack Obama

Clinton supporter from left, U.S. Rep. Donald Payne, U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, and U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone

Mark Alexander assumed the familiar posture this week of a man with a phone in his hand making calls for presidential candidate Barack Obama. This time, however, the scenery was different, as he occupied unfamiliar territory on the other side of the Delaware River somewhere in a mid-western American state called Ohio, a rust-belt cousin of New Jersey.

"It’s raining," the former Jersey state director for the Obama campaign told PoltickerNJ.com in a 30-second conversation between calls, where Obama and his Democratic Party rival Sen. Hillary Clinton are competing today as well as in three other primary states: Texas, Rhode Island and Vermont.

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June 12, 2007 - 12:19pm

Retro Quote of the Day

By Wally Edge

Tags: John Gregorio, Ray Lesniak, Thomas Dunn

In 1977, Thomas Dunn was a State Senator and the Mayor of Elizabeth, while John Gregorio was an Assemblyman and the Mayor of Linden. Union County Democrats dumped Dunn from the organization line and ran Gregorio for the Senate; Dunn sought re-election as an Independent.

"Mayor Gregorio said that while the (Union Democratic) County Committee had adopted a rule against holding dual public offices he and Mayor Dunn had been 'grandathered in" because they had held the two positions prior to the adoption of the rule."
-- Alfonso A. Navarez, New York Times, 10/16/77.

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Codey-Lesniak Bill Aims to Protect NJ Students from Burgeoning Loan Scandal

By Jason Butkowski - May 18, 2007 - 4:03pm

Tags: Richard Codey, Ray Lesniak, College Loans,

Release Date: May 18 2007

CODEY/LESNIAK BILL AIMS TO PROTECT NJ STUDENTS FROM BURGEONING LOAN SCANDAL

TRENTON - Senate President Richard J. Codey (D-Essex) and Senator Raymond J. Lesniak (D-Union) introduced a bill this week to safeguard New Jersey college students from the predatory pitfalls emerging from the growing national student loan scandal. Bill S2729 would establish tough new restrictions on the relationship between higher education and student lending institutions.

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State Senator Raymond J. Lesniak

By Jason Butkowski - April 5, 2007 - 3:08pm

Tags: Ray Lesniak, NJ 101.5, Bigotry,

Release Date: Apr 5 2007

LESNIAK STATEMENT ON HATRED AND BIGOTRY ON NJ 101.5

TRENTON - State Senator Raymond J. Lesniak, D-Union, issued the following statement today at a State House news conference regarding hatred and bigotry broadcast on New Jersey talk radio station 101.5 during their afternoon radio program:

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State Senator Raymond J. Lesniak

By Jason Butkowski - April 4, 2007 - 5:31pm

Tags: Ray Lesniak, NJ 101.5, Hate, Bigotry,

Release Date: Apr 4 2007

** MEDIA ADVISORY**

COALITION AGAINST BIGOTRY AND HATE TO DISCUSS SLURS BY 101.5 TALK RADIO TOMORROW

TRENTON - The "Coalition Against Bigotry and Hate on NJ101.5 Radio" will hold a news conference at NOON tomorrow, Thursday, April 5, in Room 109 of the State House to unveil an information program to condemn the ethnic slurs, anti-gay comments and religious hate broadcast daily by the station's afternoon hosts.

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Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck

By bguhl - February 5, 2007 - 8:01pm

Tags: Ray Lesniak, Indiana,

Release Date: Feb 5 2007

BECK: TURNPIKE SALE IS A BAD DEAL FOR NEW JERSEY

HOPES PITFALLS IN THE PLAN WILL BE EXPOSED BY EXTENSIVE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE HEARINGS ON THE MATTER

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State Senator Ray Lesniak

By Jason Butkowski - February 2, 2007 - 6:47pm

Tags: Atlantic City, Ray Lesniak, Las Vegas,

Release Date: Feb 2 2007

LESNIAK SAYS FINAL SAY ON SPORTS BETTING SHOULD GO TO VOTERS

Senator Says Allowing Atlantic Casinos to Take Bets Could Generate Millions in State Revenue

TRENTON - With Super Bowl weekend serving as a back-drop, Senator Ray Lesniak announced today that he will be pushing efforts to allow voters to decide if they want to legalize sports betting in the State of New Jersey.

"With the biggest sporting event of the year taking place this weekend, it's naive to think that sports betting isn't taking place right now in the Garden State," said Senator Lesniak, D-Union. "But because of an act of Congress, we've surrendered sports betting to organized crime, off-shore casinos and Las Vegas. Why should millions of dollars go to Las Vegas, off-shore casinos and the mob? I believe New Jersey voters will want a say on this."

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