CHAMBER TRIP MORE SUBDUED THAN IN YEARS PAST
NORTHEAST CORRIDOR – The Chamber of Commerce “Walk to Washington” train lurches out of the station and it isn’t even past Newark before some of the old-timers are predicting – with a degree of sadness – that no one’s going to get thrown off the train.
There’s a sense among the Democrats that if they let it all hang out with booze and bad behavior in an economic downturn and gubernatorial election year, they will appear crass and out-of-touch.
The establishment Republicans who are here probably have in their minds a preposition-ending statement issued yesterday by the gubernatorial campaign of Republican frontrunner Chris Christie: "Former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie wants to bring real change to Trenton and that comes with ending politics as usual, which this trip has become a symbol of," said spokesman Bill Stepien. (Pizarro, PolitickerNJ)
http://admin.politickernj.com/max/26998/chamber-trip-more-subdued-past-years-governor-leads-delegation-dc
CRYAN BLASTS REPUBLICAN GOV. CANDIDATES
BALTIMORE – As Republicans like state Sen. Tom Kean, Jr., (R-Union) and Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroce (R-Parsippany-Troy Hills) mingled with lobbyists and fellow politicians on the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce train trip to Washington, D.C., this afternoon, Democrats seized on the apparent contradiction of their presence here.
“I’d like to know why the three Republican gubernatorial candidates aren’t interested in finding answers for our economic troubles and are instead all too eager to throw their friends and colleagues under the bus as a political stunt,” said Democratic State Chairman Joe Cryan, referring to thumbs-down statements of the chamber event issued by former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie and other Republicans candidates for governor. (Pizarro, PolitickerNJ)
http://admin.politickernj.com/max/27001/cryan-blasts-republican-gubernatorial-candidates-throwing-gop-under-train
LIPSKI BOWS OUT OF JERSEY CITY RACE
Jersey City Councilman Steve Lipski, calling it "one of the most difficult decisions" of his life, Lipski announced that he's not planning to seek re-election to his Journal Square council seat.
The Ward C representative since 2001, Lipski has been under heavy pressure to bow out of May's municipal elections since his arrest in Washington, D.C., last November for urinating on concertgoers during a Grateful Dead Tribute Band concert. (Jersey Journal)
http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2009/01/lipski_bows_out_of_race.html
SENATE OKs EXPANDED COVERAGE FOR CHILDEN
WASHINGTON — The Senate voted Thursday to expand a health insurance
