Capital Games

Stack the Dwek

Anyone who doubts officials in Hudson County are skittish following the July 23 corruption arrests should consider this exchange.

With a story I wrote for Thursday’s paper about the many politicians and committees that received campaign contributions from Solomon Dwek, the government’s star witness in the corruption probe that broke onto the front pages a week earlier, I reported that state Sen. Brian Stack, D-Union City, had “no response” when asked about the money.

That’s not the whole story.

Ban on driving and texting?

Just filed an advance on the news conference I'm covering this morning, where Sen. Bob Menendez and two colleagues will call for a ban on driving while sending text messages.

The bill is a reaction to a new study about the increased risk of accidents. That study, by researchers at Virginia Tech, can be found here.

Legalizing concealed weapons

My story on the furor over a proposal in the Senate to expand where concealed handguns could be carried is now posted on northjersey.com, and an update will hopefully be posted soon.

Sen. Frank Lautenberg ran a news conference earlier today where Sen. Bob Menendez and colleagues from New York, Rhode Island and California all denounced the bill. His comments have been put up in audio format by his press team.

The amendment Lautenberg opposes is sponsored by Sen. John Thune, R-SD

Menendez: Transit & climate linked

As the Senate began considering a cap-and-trade climate bill in committee today, Sen. Bob Menendez complained at a different hearing that mass transit needs to be part of the solution.

Menendez pointed to the development that has grown up around the light rail system in Hudson County as an example of the coordination of transit and land use policy that Congress should be encouraging nationwide.

The reason, he said, is that one-third of the carbon emissions in the United States come from transportation.

"There is a perception swirling around Washington, DC that we have already done what we can on transportation," Menendez said, citing efforts underway to increase fuel efficiency standards and fund research and incentives for plug-in hybrids, electric vehicles and advanced biofuels.

But Menendez said that doesn't solve the problem.

“Pursuing strategies to increase fuel efficiency and cleaning our fuel mix alone will result in failure," he said. “Why? Because the carbon and petroleum savings from these strategies are projected to be completely wiped out by increases in vehicle miles travelled."

While he praised the climate bill the House passed last month, he said the opening hearing on the bill taking place today in the Senate Energy and Environment Committee should have included testimony from transportation officials as well.

Menendez, who chairs the Senate subcommittee with responsibility for mass transit, said he would push to include a transit and land use component in the Senate bill.

Cap and trade fallout

The political heat is bearing down on the three New Jersey Republicans – Reps. Leonard Lance of Clinton Township, Frank LoBiondo of Millville and Chris Smith of Robbinsville -- who voted for the House bill to combat climate change by imposing a cap and trade system on carbon emissions. [See editorial in Today's Record]

A press secretary for one of the three showed up to work last Sunday, two days after the vote, and noticed the fax machine blinking. After paper was added, the machine spit out two reams of angry faxes in an hour.

High school art contest winners

Another year’s worth of winners of the 28th Annual Congressional Art Compeition for high school students is lining a wall of the tunnel that runs under Independence Avenue from the Cannon House Office Building to the Capitol.

The three winners from congressional districts covering Bergen and Passaic counties were:

“Boars Head,” a charcoal rendering by Megan Dreisbach of Andover, who attended Pope John XXIII Regional High School in Andover. Her work was chosen by Rep. Scott Garrett, R-Wantage, from the recommendation of a panel of local judges from 32 submissions.

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“Self Portrait,” a pencil drawing by Ysmel Guzman from Passaic High School. His work was chosen by Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-Paterson.

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“Tupelo Honey,” a photo collage by Daniel Curtain of Saddle Brook High School. Seen from one side, the flower the bee comes to rest on is white when viewed from one side, and yellow when viewed from the other side. Curtain’s work was selected by Rep. Steve Rothman, D-Fair Lawn, from 56 entries.