Before pointing fingers, however, the Republicans should remember to look to their own house first:
An Assembly Democrat has asked for a criminal investigation into the role a Republican assemblywoman and her former lobbying firm played in helping the state's lottery operator gain a new contract despite bidding nearly $32 million more than a competitor.
Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, D-Mercer, sent a letter Sept. 29 to Gregory A. Paw, director of the state Division of Criminal Justice, asking for an investigation to determine whether Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck, R-Monmouth, and her former lobbying firm, the MWW Group, illegally helped GTech get a new five-year, $106.7 million contract when competitor Scientific Games bid $75 million.
In a quasi-court hearing before former Supreme Court Justice Daniel J. O'Hern Jr., lawyers for Scientific Games said that state officials skewed the bidding process to keep GTech and that there was a conflict of interest because the MWW Group held a public relations contract with the New Jersey Lottery while also lobbying for GTech.
A full probe will determine if there's something there, but it sure looks like there is. Certainly more than in other alleged scandals being pushed at this time of year.
1 comment:
Reed Gusciora rocks. He's practically my favorite Assemblymember and if they had NJ State Legislature trading cards, I would give up a Bob Smith and three Leonard Connors for one Gusciora.
Culture of Corruption. It is a problem on both sides in New Jersey, but you get beyond our borders and the Republicans are absolutely disturbing with the extent of their corruption.
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