Codey Crashes Opposing Party's party
PATERSON – The old adage says politics can make for strange bedfellows. But on Thursday night it made for unexpected party guests.
State Senate President Richard Codey, D-West Orange, came to The Brownstone catering hall where Clifton Democrats and Passaic County Republicans simultaneously held fundraisers.
After making the rounds among the Democrats, Codey announced, “I’m going upstairs to talk to Republicans” and extemporaneously left the oak-walled room on the first floor where his party gathered.
Codey was welcomed as he mingled with Passaic County Republican Chairman and Wayne Mayor Scott Rumana and former Freeholder Walter Porter. Many addressed Codey as “governor” referring to his stints as New Jersey’s acting chief executive following James E. McGreevey’s resignation in 2004 and Gov. Jon Corzine’s hospitalization earlier this year following a vehicle accident
But Codey wasn’t the only one to climb The Brownstone’s stairs to cross the partisan aisle. Freeholders Pat Lepore and Terry Duffy, who are both seeking re-election, soon followed the long-time legislator to work the GOP ballroom.
Downstairs, Freeholder Bruce James, recently named Clifton’s Democratic party leader, hosted his affair that included incumdent candidates Assemblywoman Sheila Oliver, D-East Orange, Assemblyman Thomas Giblin, D-Montclair, and Passaic County Democratic Chairman John Currie.
The Democrats’ event follows James and Currie’s announcement of a petition drive in Cliftonto force a referendum to change the city’s form of government from nonpartisan to partisan.
Clifton elected officials are not nominally affiliated with a party, and the city holds its elections in May instead of November.
Last week, the Clifton City Council denounced James and Curries’ effort as an attempt to exert influence over the city. The City Council retaliated by voting to draft a resolution to change Passaic County’s form of government to include a county executive.
When Codey was asked if he supported the idea of partisan elections in Clifton, he said, “I don’t live in Clifton so it’s none of my business.”
A interesting picture of Codey speaking can be found at http://www.pcrro.org/node/242 The home page is http://www.pcrro.org/ Codey spent more time at the Wayne Republican event than he did at the democrats event. Must have been the food...
Posted by: Tom Buckley | October 17, 2007 at 04:09 PM