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Attorney Pleads Guilty To Tampering With Public Records To Conceal An Illegal Straw Donor in NJ Pay to Play Scheme

pay cash by quaziefoto1

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Morristown NJ,  Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal today announced that an attorney pleaded guilty today to tampering with public records to conceal an illegal straw donor scheme. She was charged in an investigation by the Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA).

Continue reading Attorney Pleads Guilty To Tampering With Public Records To Conceal An Illegal Straw Donor in NJ Pay to Play Scheme

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Morristown Attorney Charged in NJ Public Official Bribery Scheme

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

TRENTON NJ, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal today announced charges against an attorney stemming from a major corruption probe by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) that previously led to five former public officials and political candidates in New Jersey being charged with taking bribes.

Continue reading Morristown Attorney Charged in NJ Public Official Bribery Scheme

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Large Donation Precede Bergen County Contract

Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco

by Jim Arakelian

Midland Park NJ, Nothing to see here folks. One-party rule is killing us with corrupt pay to play. According to the “The Record” Two days before Bergen County’s freeholders awarded a $5 million contract to a Midland Park contractor to restore the Teaneck Creek, records show that a second company owned by the contractor’s brother gave County Executive Jim Tedesco’s reelection campaign a $2,500.

The county says there is no connection between the donation and the contract and that the county does not track political contributions. Bergen County Jim Tedesco, a Democrat, is up for reelection next in 2022

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JOLT Ridgewood joins other Groups to Protests Corruption in New Jersey Politics at Chamber Train

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Coalition to Restore Democracy: Grassroots and community leaders to launch efforts to tackle corruption in New Jersey politics at Chamber Train

Ridgewood NJ, On Thursday, February 28, at 11am in Newark, community leaders and activists, many of which played integral roles in the 2018 midterm victories and defeated state Democrats’ efforts to gerrymander legislative districts, will join together to launch a coalition focused on tackling and transforming New Jersey’s pay-to-play system of governing.

They will convene together at Newark Penn Station in the morning as passengers board the Chamber Train for the Walk to Washington, one of NJ’s premier private political events of the year, attended by elected officials and political insiders.

Continue reading JOLT Ridgewood joins other Groups to Protests Corruption in New Jersey Politics at Chamber Train
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Corruption Trial Witness Say Democrat Senator Menendez Lived large Dominican Republic

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file photo by Boyd Loving

September 19,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, according to a resort executive Andres Pichardo Rosenberg , Democrat Senator Menendez’s stays at the luxurious Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic gave him access to white-sand beaches, a marina filled with expensive yachts and five golf courses. The seven-acre gated community on the Caribbean also boasts the top-rated golf course in the Dominican Republic, six international restaurants, a security staff of 800, and access to elite sports like pheasant shooting. Pheasant shooting in Dominican Republic you ask, yes according to testimony eggs are imported and the birds are bred for sport .

Opthalmologist , Dr. Salomon Melgen, who owns a home that the Senator stayed in Casa de Campo. has denied that the home was a bribe, describing it as a modest getaway for the doctor and his close friends and family. Rosenberg  stated that there are 1,850 private houses on the resort some costing over $10 million. Rosenberg estimated that homes in Melgen’s neighborhood are worth up to $2.5 million.

NJ Senator Menendez, 63, is accused of accepting lavish gifts from Melgen, including stays at the villa and flights on private jets, in exchange for helping the married eye doctor obtaining visas for his three foreign girlfriends and straightening out an $8.9 million tab for overbilling Medicare.

Recent testimony suggests that Menendez lived the life in Dominican Republic  , also staying at the exclusive $765 per night Tortuga Bay Hotel and Punta Cana Resort & Club where Melgen shelled out another $766 for other amenities, including golf, bars and restaurants. Mind you this Dominican Republic where the GDP per Capita $6,733 per year

Melgen also footed the bill of $875 per hour for an 8 hour pick up in a chauffeured car for Menendez in Hoboken ,credit car receipts confirm that Menendez was brought to an upscale Chinese restaurant where Melgen was waiting for both him and the vehicle.

Testimony also revealed that Immediately after the FBI raided Florida eye doctor Salomon Melgen’s West Palm Beach offices, Melgen’s son-in-law contacted the Federal Aviation Administration to block the public from tracking his private jet. Melgen’s private jet had been used several times to fly Menendez between New Jersey and Melgen’s vacation home in the Dominican Republic ,these flights prosecutors charge were bribes Melgen paid Menendez in exchange for official favors.

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In New Jersey Governor’s Race, Money Can Take a Circuitous Route

Phill Murphy -Sara Medina del Castillo

By NICK CORASANITIAUG. 27, 2017

Newark. Credit Todd Heisler/The New York Times

Sheila McPherson is listed as a homemaker on an Internal Revenue Service report from the Democratic Governors Association. This year, Ms. McPherson donated $80,000 to the association, the first time, records show, that she gave to the national group. She also sent $10,000 to the New Jersey Democratic Committee.

Mrs. McPherson, who lists her residence in Rutherford, N.J., is married to Kenneth McPherson, a lawyer at a powerful firm, Waters, McPherson, McNeill.

Had her donations gone directly to Philip D. Murphy, the Democratic candidate for governor in New Jersey, it would have prevented her husband’s firm from getting any state contracts under a potential Murphy administration, the result of New Jersey’s strict pay-to-play laws. She also would have been able to give only $4,300 to Mr. Murphy directly.

Had she donated to any of the officials in counties where her husband’s firm has contracts, which total about $630,000, according to the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, they too would have come under scrutiny for potential pay-to-play violations.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/27/nyregion/new-jersey-governors-race-campaign-finance-phil-murphy.html?_r=0

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Two Former Birdsall Executives Sentenced to Jail Terms for Evading Pay-To-Play Law with Illegal Political Contributions

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June 6,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ,  Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino announced that two former executives of Birdsall Services Group (“BSG”) were sentenced to jail today for participating in a criminal scheme in which more than $1 million in corporate political contributions were illegally made through firm employees to evade New Jersey’s pay-to-play law. Eight former executives, shareholders and managers of BSG have pleaded guilty in the scheme, along with the engineering firm itself, which is no longer in business.

These defendants were sentenced today by Superior Court Judge James Den Uyl in Ocean County. Each man was sentenced to 270 days in the county jail as a condition of a term of two years of probation:

Robert Gerard, 56, of Wall, N.J., former Chief Marketing Officer for BSG, and
James Johnston, 55, of New Brunswick, N.J., former President of the Environmental Services Group within BSG.

Gerard and Johnston pleaded guilty on April 12 to fourth-degree charges of making prohibited corporate political contributions through employees. Gerard was required to forfeit $86,200 to the state, and Johnston, $93,720. Each man is debarred for 10 years from personally bidding on public contracts in New Jersey or holding an interest of 5 percent or more in any company that bids for such contracts.

Deputy Attorney General Anthony A. Picione, Chief of the Corruption Bureau, and Deputy Attorneys General Mallory Shanahan and Brian Faulk prosecuted Gerard and Johnston and handled the sentencing hearings for the Division of Criminal Justice.  The charge was contained in a March 26, 2013 indictment, which also charged BSG and six other executives and shareholders. The indictment stemmed from an investigation by the Division of Criminal Justice Corruption Bureau, which found that the defendants allegedly conspired to avoid the restrictions of New Jersey’s Pay-to-Play Act by disguising illegal corporate political contributions as personal contributions of employees.

“The many guilty pleas we have secured in this case hammer home an important message that criminal schemes aimed at evading New Jersey’s pay-to-play law will be met with stern punishment,” said Attorney General Porrino.  “Our law prevents politically connected firms from garnering public contracts based on campaign contributions, but Birdsall’s executives gamed the system and secured millions of dollars in contracts for which they should have been disqualified.”

“My office recently announced two anti-corruption programs – a reward program offering up to $25,000 for tips about public corruption, as well as a whistleblower program that allows lower-level participants in a corruption scheme to potentially avoid prosecution by self-reporting,” Attorney General Porrino added.  “I urge people to help us and help themselves by taking advantage of these programs, which expire on August 1.”

“New Jersey’s pay-to-play law seeks to ensure fair and open public contracting, free of the sway of political interests,” said Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice.  “By criminally prosecuting this firm and its executives, we have given the law real teeth.”

Individuals may report information and apply for the Anti-Corruption Reward Program or Anti-Corruption Whistleblower Program by August 1 by one of the following methods:

Call the DCJ hotline 866-TIPS-4CJ to speak with detectives 24 hours/7 days a week; or

Visit www.njdcj.org to submit an online report.

BSG pleaded guilty on June 13, 2013 to charges of first-degree money laundering and second-degree making false representations for government contracts. As a result of its plea, BSG paid two major criminal penalties: a $500,000 public corruption profiteering penalty and a $500,000 anti-money laundering profiteering penalty. In each instance, the penalty was the maximum amount authorized by law. BSG also paid the state $2.6 million to settle a civil forfeiture action filed by the Attorney General’s Office in connection with the criminal case.

Six other executives, shareholders and managers of the Birdsall firm previously pleaded guilty:

On April 22, 2016, Howard Birdsall, formerly CEO and largest shareholder of BSG, was sentenced to four years in prison on a charge of second-degree misconduct by a corporate official. He paid $49,808 to the state in forfeiture of his illegal political contributions.

On June 10, 2016, Thomas Rospos, formerly executive vice president of BSG and its second largest shareholder, was sentenced to three years in prison on a charge of third-degree tampering with public records or information. He paid $150,000 in forfeiture of his illegal contributions.

On July 11, 2016, William Birdsall, formerly senior vice president and a large shareholder of BSG, was sentenced to 270 days in the county jail and two years of probation on a charge of third-degree misconduct by a corporate official.  He paid $129,115 in forfeiture of his illegal contributions, as well as a $75,000 public corruption profiteering penalty.

On Jan. 6, 2016, Scott MacFadden, former chief administrative officer of BSG, pleaded guilty to third-degree misconduct by a corporate official.  He faces a recommended sentence of up to 364 days in jail and a term of probation.  He must pay $30,000 in forfeiture of his contributions.

On Nov. 30, 2012, Philip Angarone, the former marketing director for BSG, pleaded guilty to third-degree tampering with public records or information and fourth-degree making prohibited corporate political contributions through employees. He is awaiting sentencing and faces a sentence of up to 364 days in jail and a term of probation. He must forfeit $26,775.

On Feb. 12, 2013, Eileen Kufahl, a former marketing manager for Birdsall, pleaded guilty to a fourth-degree charge of making prohibited corporate contributions through employees. She forfeited $17,119 and was admitted into the Pre-Trial Intervention Program.

Under the alleged scheme, instead of Birdsall Services Group making corporate political contributions to campaigns and political organizations that would disqualify it from public contracts awarded by certain government agencies, shareholders and employees of the firm made personal political contributions of $300 or less, which are deemed unreportable. Multiple personal checks were bundled together at Birdsall Services Group and sent to the appropriate campaign or political organization. The shareholders and employees were then illegally reimbursed by Birdsall Services Group, directly or indirectly, through added bonus payments, and the firm falsely omitted the illegally reimbursed contributions in documents filed with the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) and with government agencies that awarded the firm engineering services contracts. The scheme continued for more than six years and involved more than $1 million in contributions.

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Why an FBI raid of this small N.J. city has been a long time coming

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By Jessica Mazzola | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on January 17, 2017 at 7:05 AM, updated January 17, 2017 at 5:49 PM

ORANGE — When about two-dozen federal agents rolled up in their black-tinted SUVs to Orange City Hall this past week, forcing the government to shut down for the day as they combed through its files, few people gave much notice – and none seemed all that surprised.

There were no flashing lights or police lines. Passersby shrugged and continued to their cars with their shopping bags. A make-shift sign on the front door said city hall would reopen the next day, and a janitor politely turned people away.

“It’s going to be a long day,” he said.

But records show it’s a day that’s been a long time coming.

An NJ Advance Media review shows that, for at least five years, a tightly knit web of political operators has left behind a trail of financial problems in Orange, a city of about 30,000 where playing fast and loose with taxpayer funds appears to be the norm.

The three-month review – including hundreds of pages of city and court records, as well as interviews with current and former city officials – found nearly every city department has been cited since 2011 for violating some of the most basic spending rules.

https://www.nj.com/essex/index.ssf/2017/01/why_an_fbi_raid_of_this_small_nj_city_has_been_a_l.html?utm_campaign=Observer_NJ_Politics&utm_content=New%20Campaign&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=New%20Jersey%20Politics#incart_most-read_

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BOMBSHELL: Gottheimer Under Investigation for Pay-for-Play Scandal

Josh Gottheimer

November 1,2016

the staff of the Rmidgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ,  Turns out that Josh Gottheimer has more in common with “family member” Hillary Clinton than he lets on.

While his mentor Hillary Clinton is under FBI scrutiny again, it’s now come out that Josh Gottheimer is currently under investigation by the United States Senate for pay-for-play allegations.

During Gottheimer’s time at the FCC, the FCC granted a conditional waiver to LightSquared, a client of Burson-Marsteller, Gottheimer’s previous employer.

“The National Broadband Plan contains an obscure provision… LightSquared is the primary beneficiary of this provision… Mr. Gottheimer may have contributed to or profited from his employer’s relationship with LightSquared and now, as the lead FCC staffer on the President’s National Broadband Plan, he may have played a role in the consideration of LightSquared’s proposed network.” (Senator Chuck Grassley, “Letter To FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski,” United States Senate, 1/30/11)

Not only did the Senate begin investigating Josh Gottheimer – The Washington Post launched its own investigation into allegations of impropriety on Gottheimer’s part.

In a shocking twist, Gottheimer refused to meet with Members of the Senate, and refused to answer questions about his role in the FCC LightSquared waiver.

Below is the timeline of the LightSquared/Gottheimer scandal – even Democrats joined the chorus of outrage over Gottheimer’s pay-for-play scheme.

November 2009: Clinton confidant Mark Penn’s Burson-Marsteller begins representation of LightSquared (Senator Chuck Grassley, “Letter To FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski,” United States Senate, 1/30/11)

June 23, 2010: Without qualifications or experience, Josh Gottheimer lands the role of FCC Senior Counselor with a special responsibility towards implementing President Obama’s National Broadband Plan (Senator Chuck Grassley, “Letter To FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski,” United States Senate, 1/30/11)

July 20, 2010: A new comprehensive public relations and marketing strategy is launched for LightSquared, spearheaded by Burson

November 18, 2010: LightSquared submits FCC application for authorization

January 19, 2011: California Democrat Rep. Anna Eshoo writes letter of concern about LightSquared waiver request

January 26, 2011: FCC grants conditional waiver to LightSquared

January 30, 2011: Sen. Charles Grassley begins investigation into Josh Gottheimer’s FCC position and his relationship to LightSquared.

February 2, 2011: Washington Democrat Sen. Patty Murray writes letter of concern about LightSquared waiver request

February 8, 2011: – Minnesota Democrat Sen. Amy Klobuchar writes letter of concern about LightSquared waiver request

September 19, 2011: The Washington Post begins an investigation into Josh Gottheimer’s involvement in LightSquare’s FCC waiver

September 23, 2011: The Wall Street Journal launches a LightSquared investigation

March 8, 2012: After months of obfuscating, Gottheimer refuses to meet with Members of the Senate raising questions about his role in the FCC LightSquared waiver

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MANY DONORS TO CLINTON FOUNDATION MET WITH HER AT STATE

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BY STEPHEN BRAUN AND EILEEN SULLIVAN
ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON (AP) — More than half the people outside the government who met with Hillary Clinton while she was secretary of state gave money – either personally or through companies or groups – to the Clinton Foundation. It’s an extraordinary proportion indicating her possible ethics challenges if elected president.

At least 85 of 154 people from private interests who met or had phone conversations scheduled with Clinton while she led the State Department donated to her family charity or pledged commitments to its international programs, according to a review of State Department calendars released so far to The Associated Press. Combined, the 85 donors contributed as much as $156 million. At least 40 donated more than $100,000 each, and 20 gave more than $1 million.

Donors who were granted time with Clinton included an internationally known economist who asked for her help as the Bangladesh government pressured him to resign from a nonprofit bank he ran; a Wall Street executive who sought Clinton’s help with a visa problem; and Estee Lauder executives who were listed as meeting with Clinton while her department worked with the firm’s corporate charity to counter gender-based violence in South Africa.

The meetings between the Democratic presidential nominee and foundation donors do not appear to violate legal agreements Clinton and former president Bill Clinton signed before she joined the State Department in 2009. But the frequency of the overlaps shows the intermingling of access and donations, and fuels perceptions that giving the foundation money was a price of admission for face time with Clinton. Her calendars and emails released as recently as this week describe scores of contacts she and her top aides had with foundation donors.

https://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CAMPAIGN_2016_CLINTON_FOUNDATION?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-08-23-14-35-04

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The Clinton Foundation, State and Kremlin Connections

hillary-clinton-what-difference-does-it-make

Why did Hillary’s State Department urge U.S. investors to fund Russian research for military uses?

By
PETER SCHWEIZER
July 31, 2016 4:33 p.m. ET
716 COMMENTS

Hillary Clinton touts her tenure as secretary of state as a time of hardheaded realism and “commercial diplomacy” that advanced American national and commercial interests. But her handling of a major technology transfer initiative at the heart of Washington’s effort to “reset” relations with Russia raises serious questions about her record. Far from enhancing American national interests, Mrs. Clinton’s efforts in this area may have substantially undermined U.S. national security.

Consider Skolkovo, an “innovation city” of 30,000 people on the outskirts of Moscow, billed as Russia’s version of Silicon Valley—and a core piece of Mrs. Clinton’s quarterbacking of the Russian reset.

Following his 2009 visit to Moscow, President Obama announced the creation of the U.S.-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission. Mrs. Clinton as secretary of state directed the American side, and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov represented the Russians. The statedgoal at the time: “identifying areas of cooperation and pursuing joint projects and actions that strengthen strategic stability, international security, economic well-being, and the development of ties between the Russian and American people.”

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-clinton-foundation-state-and-kremlin-connections-1469997195

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Hillary Clinton’s $13M fail as Secretary of State

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By Post Editorial Board

January 1, 2016 | 11:21pm

It turns out that Bill Clinton raked in millions from entities with matters before Hillary Clinton’s State Department. Oh, and the Clinton Foundation collected millions more from the same bunch.

In total, The Wall Street Journal reports, two dozen companies and groups, plus the Abu Dhabi government, gave Bill more than $8 million for speeches, even as they were hoping for favorable treatment from Hillary’s bureaucracy. And 15 of them also gave at least $5 million total to the foundation.

At her confirmation hearing, questioners raised the issue of her hubby’s global business. Hillary vowed to take “extraordinary steps . . . to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest.”

Count 13 million record fails for those “extraordinary steps.”

Hillary’s solemn promise recalls a line from George R.R. Martin: “Words are wind.” Heck, it must be the House Clinton slogan.

The issue first arose thanks to Peter Schweizer’s book, “Clinton Cash.”

“The really troubling thing about Bill’s speeches is the apparent correlation between his fees and Hillary’s decisions during her tenure as secretary of state,” he wrote.

“The timing of the payments, the much-higher-than-average size of some of them, and the subsequent actions taken by Hillary raise serious questions about just what those who underwrote these exorbitant fees were actually paying for.”

Clinton campaign spokesman Brian Fallon says “no evidence exists” connecting State Department actions under Hillary to Bill’s lucrative speeches.

 

 

https://nypost.com/2016/01/01/hillary-clintons-13m-fail-as-secretary-of-state/?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=NYPFacebook&utm_medium=SocialFlow

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Top 25 NJ special interest groups spent $311 million on campaign contributions, lobbying and independent spending over 15 years

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ELEC Analysis: top 25 NJ special interest groups spent $311 million on campaign contributions, lobbying and independent spending over 15 years

The top 25 special interest groups during the past 15 years spent a combined $311 million on campaign contributions, lobbying and independent spending, according to an analysis by the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC). (Politicker Staff)

https://www.politickernj.com/80871/elec-analysis-top-25-nj-special-interest-groups-spent-311-million-campaign-contributions-lobby

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Ridgewood Planning Board details process, payment for hearings

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Ridgewood Planning Board details process, payment for hearings

SEPTEMBER 8, 2014    LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2014, 6:00 PM
BY LAURA HERZOG
STAFF WRITER

“Rights” related to money spent by amendment applicants on hearings before the Ridgewood Planning Board – including the payment of village professionals, as detailed in Ordinance 3066 – were among the topics discussed during a review on Tuesday of proper board behavior.

The idea that Ridgewood’s applicants are afforded additional rights – beyond those afforded to applicants in other communities, who may not foot the bill for municipal experts during the hearing process – was ultimately rejected by the board attorneys.

But one key point was revealed: Ridgewood has the right to foot the bill for a master plan amendment application hearing, with or without Ordinance 3066 on the books, and thereby bring only its own experts in for a hearing, rather than also including an applicants’ experts.

During the discussion, Planning Board Attorney Gail Price also presented a legal overview regarding Open Public Meetings Act requirements and board obligations related to the Municipal Land Use Law (MLUL).

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/ridgewood-planning-board-details-process-payment-for-hearings-1.1083491#sthash.uZY7zkt6.dpuf

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A limit to pension investing oversight as political donations from executives can go unchecked

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A limit to pension investing oversight as political donations from executives can go unchecked

MAY 27, 2014, 11:10 PM    LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, MAY 27, 2014, 11:11 PM
BY MELISSA HAYES AND JOHN REITMEYER
STATE HO– USE BUREAU
THE RECORD

Last year, nearly 2,000 businesses doing $6.4 billion in public work reported — as required by state law — that they made $10.1 million in contributions to New Jersey’s various political parties and candidates.

But when it comes to New Jersey’s pension fund — and the increasing share of the nearly $77 billion in assets going to hedge funds, private equity and venture capital funds — such disclosures aren’t so clear-cut.

The pay-to-play law makes it clear that executives and their employees working on the state’s pension fund investments cannot make political contributions to New Jersey candidates and political committees. But those venture capital firms and hedge funds often take the state pension dollars and invest them in other companies whose executives do not have to disclose their political donations.

Now the pension fund’s directors are putting more money into those alternative investments. The complex nature of those investments, the inability of the pay-to-play law to cover all their financial relationships and the lack of any accompanying public database like the one for state contractors make tracking political connections difficult. That comes as Governor Christie has built a national fundraising network that includes donors with backgrounds in the finance industry.

And the state Department of Treasury relies on the investment firms themselves to determine which employees are covered by the law, and to disclose any political contributions made by them. The Election Law Enforcement Commission, which regulates other businesses with state contracts, also relies on companies to self-report contributions. But the commission also maintains a public database of campaign donations and state contractors that allows for increased scrutiny of the donors doing public business.

The council that oversees the state’s investments will meet today for the first time since Christie announced last week that he would cut nearly $900 million from this year’s pension payment to close a budget gap.

The New Jersey State Investment Council, which manages the $76.76 billion pension system, is set to discuss three alternative investment proposals and get an update on its plan for the coming fiscal year. The meeting comes as questions have been raised over the legality of Christie’s scaled-back pension payments and amid claims that the state awarded investments to campaign contributors who support the governor.

From the council’s agenda, it’s unclear whether it will discuss Christie’s reductions or the pay-to-play allegations. A spokesman did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

The New Jersey Education Association and the Communications Workers of America, which represents state employees, are already threatening to sue Christie after he signed an executive order last week setting the pension payment for this year at $696 million, down from $1.58 billion. The governor is also calling on lawmakers to approve a $681 million payment for the fiscal year beginning July 1, down from the $2.25 billion the state was supposed to contribute under phased-in payments Christie signed into law in 2010.

The governor said the state cannot afford to pay for the “sins of the past” and acknowledged that the contributions he agreed to are too burdensome. Christie said he plans to announce additional changes to public employee pensions next month.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/a-limit-to-pension-investing-oversight-as-political-donations-from-executives-can-go-unchecked-1.1024284#sthash.0VZzacRs.dpuf