Senator calls corruption hearings in response to Monmouth scandal
A state Senate committee will hold hearings next month to examine how to deter corruption by public officials.Sen. John Adler (D-Camden), who chairs the Judiciary Committee, said he decided to hold public hearings in the wake of the recent federal probe in Monmouth County that has so far nabbed 14 elected officials, public employees and contractors on corruption charges. "When you have that many people in one county indicted, it suggests the problem is pervasive in every level of government and we have to find ways on a statewide basis to deter it," Adler said. "One way to deter this crime is to more effectively punish the corrupt officials that commit the crime. Another way is to catch them more often."
Senator calls corruption hearings in response to Monmouth scandal
Thursday, April 07, 2005
BY RICK HEPP Star-Ledger Staff
A state Senate committee will hold hearings next month to examine how to deter corruption by public officials.
Sen. John Adler (D-Camden), who chairs the Judiciary Committee, said he decided to hold public hearings in the wake of the recent federal probe in Monmouth County that has so far nabbed 14 elected officials, public employees and contractors on corruption charges. "When you have that many people in one county indicted, it suggests the problem is pervasive in every level of government and we have to find ways on a statewide basis to deter it," Adler said. "One way to deter this crime is to more effectively punish the corrupt officials that commit the crime. Another way is to catch them more often."
The panel will consider whether officials convicted of corruption, bribery or extortion should face mandatory jail time and have their pensions automatically revoked, Adler said.
He also wants to look at whether the state Attorney General's Office needs more resources. Adler said the state prosecutors and investigators working on public corruption cases earn less than their counterparts in the federal government. In some cases, the earn less than those in similar jobs in county government.
Public employee pensions became a hot-button issue after former Assemblyman Anthony Impreveduto (D-Hudson), who also held a public school position, pleaded guilty in November to misusing $50,000 in campaign funds but was allowed to collect $4,855 per month in benefits. The state teachers retirement board said last month that it will reconsider that decision.
In addition, Adler said, the hearing might touch on a bill by Sen. Joseph Kyrillos (R-Monmouth) that would create an official public corruption unit within the Division of State Police. Currently, State Police detectives investigating those crimes are detailed to the special prosecutions unit in the Attorney General's Office.
Kyrillos yesterday said such probes would be "better off with the professionals in the State Police. Frankly, given the stresses the state is living through, I would think the Attorney General's Office would welcome it being under the direction of the State Police."
Attorney General Peter Harvey and State Police Superintendent Rick Fuentes both said they don't see the need for another state unit to investigate corruption by public officials.
"It's just politics, again and we know politics has no business in law enforcement," Harvey said. "It's a bad idea." |
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