Maybe Brad Abelow was telling the truth this week when he told the Star-Ledger that he was “not aware” of any link between Nicholas Asselta’s vote for Governor Jon Corzine’s school funding bill and his appointment to the state Board of Public Utilities. Sources say that Abelow was not in that loop, and that Corzine dealt with his politically savvy Deputy Chief of Staff, Patti Nelson McGuire, on that deal.
Several Republicans had been angling for the GOP seat on the BPU since Connie Hughes announced her retirement last March, including Steven Corodemus, who served in the State Assembly from 1992 until his retirement on Tuesday. According to sources on the other side of the aisle, Corodemus was a potential yes vote on school funding – until Asselta came to an accord with Corzine. Corodemus voted no.
