Who’s the ethics champion?
By Matt Friedman, PolitickerNJ.com ReporterJennifer Beck and her 12th district running mates continue to try to chip away at State Sen. Ellen Karcher’s reputation on ethics reform, but the efforts have led Karcher’s campaign to ask one question: what has Beck done lately?
The 12th district Republican candidates issued a press release today criticizing Karcher and Assemblyman Panter’s pension forfeiture bills, which do not apply retroactively, allowing politicians like Wayne Bryant and Sharpe James to keep their pensions even if convicted. Beck, a first-term Assemblywoman, had introduced an alternative bill that would have applied retroactively.
“We have heard the excuse 'it's better than nothing' so many times that it has practically replaced 'Liberty and Prosperity' as New Jersey's state motto,” said Beck in the release.
The Democrats’ campaign responded that ethics reform legislation needs to be taken one step at a time -- that it’s better to pass a law with fewer teeth than no law at all. Karcher campaign manager Mike Premo said that it’s easier to introduce legislation that has no realistic chance of passing than to compromise and write legislation that will get majority approval. Beck, Premo noted, has never passed a piece of ethics reform legislation, while Karcher’s record goes back to her days as a Marlboro Councilwoman, when she went as far as to wear a wire to help build a case against corrupt local officials. The Republicans’ noise on the subject, he said, is merely campaign fodder.
“You’re comparing someone who has no record on ethics reform with someone that has a tremendous record on it,” said Premo. “The reason Ellen Karcher has been able to get real ethics reform passed into law is because she works with all sides and comes up with consensus legislation that has a chance of passing... she’s constantly moving the ball down the field. We didn’t get into this problem overnight and we're not going to get out of it overnight.”
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Syndicate
Ethics record?
Beck talking about ethics reform is like Bob Singer talking about driver safety.
Moving the ball down the field
Declan O'Scanlon: "Democrats in Trenton have passed a lot of nice sounding but ineffective legislation in recent years."
Karcher is relying on a tired fallacious argument - that you can lower the bar and claim success. She hasn't been "moving the ball down the field" - she's just moved the goal posts a little closer.
What an idiot....
USMC...take your head out of your....sand....there wasn't any ethics reform in Trenton before Karcher and Panter got there. They have at least put something through that otherwise would have been in committee forever...they at least got that legislation passed...something that for 2 years, Beck has failed to do. Also, someone needs to ask Jen Beck what she has to say about family values...lets see what a hypocrite she has become....then there's good 'ol Declan....who has done nothing but whine and complain about money for months now....at least this time they gave him other talking points to say....that was nice of the county republicans...especially since they don't let them talk for themselves...Comrade Puharic would never allow that to happen....just ask the republican Freeholders...they can't do anything without his say so....and who is Casagrande anyway....has anyone even met her? Does she really exist?
Beck is a hack!
Karcher and Panter are the ethical watchdogs of the Legislature, and have broken with their own party when it was the right thing to do.
Beck failed to pass any reforms as a Red Bank Councilwoman, and has similarly failed in the Assembly.
Yes, I understand that the D leadership won't give her any major legislative victory to hang her hat on, but she had many opportunities to work with D's on incremental measures and passed.
ideals are for dreamers
What is the sense of establishing an ideal if you immediately dismiss it as unobtainable? "it’s easier to introduce legislation that has no realistic chance of passing than to compromise..." Compromise indeed. Selling out your principles to claim a a headline victory is easy, too. A lot like standing in front of a 'Mission Accomplished" banner when the battle hasn't even started yet. I appreciate Karcher's and Panter's half a loaf is better than no loaf approach but if the loaf is moldy to begin with, I'll starve.
Minority
What has a Republican done lately? What can they do in the minority - not like and Dems will lend support to a Republican initiative – ahhh Democrats the masters of spin.
Republicans...
...get bills passed all the time, even those in competitive districts. If Beck wasnt such a, um, difficult person to work with, she might get something done.
Republican Bills
Are few and far between, and most of them have at least a Democrat on Prime Sponsor or Co-Sponsor, if not more then one. Anybody who has a real knowledge of the Assembly and Senate will tell you that.
The problem with Beck is that she hasn't played nice with the majority, but who can expect her to when she gets strong armed by watson coleman and the other dem ladies all the time. She hasn't made a name and reputation for herself and she hasnt been there that long either. Karcher has a name for herself, but if we are going to play the what have you passed lately game anyway can turn it around and say well how effective have you truly been?
The whole comedy in this is they critize Beck for not getting anything passed when they get piecemeal half assed bills passed and call it an accomplishment and stay away from taking big risks. The comedy involved in that is what's the risk when your the majority party? It sounds like they've become so big and ego based that they cant even agree amongst themselves and are forced to pass this piss poor legislation that doesnt quite do the job.
Trouble with Beck is
even her own party thinks she is shrill, nasty and ineffectual. Karcher and some of her like-minded colleagues on both sides of the aisle have forged a working relationship to get ethics reform moving. No one says it's perfect, but it is a step in the right direction. Beck puts in a bill 2 months ago and tries to act like she's been in the trenches to get reform. She is a big fake who is frustrated by the shining record of her opponent.
Beck talking about ethics is like.....
Michael Vick opening an ASPCA chapter.
County
If any of you think the Republican County organization has any say in this campaign you should probably start posting on another board or pick up a new hobby.
Beowulf....
What do you take us for? You can't expect anyone to believe that Stalinsta Puharic hand picked these people to run and then he doesn't have a say? Gimme a break! I'm sure they have to tow the Comrade Puharic line or they won't be around any more. Its his pattern. Just ask Anna Little....and Rob Clifton. He's the messenger boy for Comrade Puharic....and the bogus last minute pay to play reform that Comrade Puharic just happened to write a letter about.... the same day it was pulled. What a coincidence. We know who pulls the strings.....
This is silly
Sen. Karcher isn't going to fight for ethics reform. The Democratic powers that be are blocking the bills, just like they're blocking Assemblywoman Beck's. Besides, where do you think Sen. Karcher is getting the money to run her campaign? Hallmark? The party spoon feeds her ethics reform bills so she can claim she is ethical. That doesn't make her a reformer. It makes her a fool. Just because she sponsors a bill to ban transfats doesn't mean she's not still eating at McDonalds.