The good news is that members of the New Jersey General Assembly are apparently not beholden to their campaign contributors.
Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing), who appears to be the loser in the race for Speaker, has contributed $107,000 from her campaign account to Democratic Assembly candidates. Sheila Oliver (D-East Orange), the apparent winner in the Speaker sweepstakes, gave a total of $70 to Democratic Assembly candidates.
Watson Coleman sent five contributions of $16,400 each to: Matthew Milam (D-Vineland) and Nelson Albano (D-Vineland) in District 1; Paul Moriarty (D-Washington Twp.) and Bill Collins in District 4; Linda Greenstein (D-Plainsboro) and Wayne DeAngelo (D-Hamilton) in District 14; Frederick Scalera (D-Nutley) and Gary Schaer (D-Passaic) in District 36; and Joan Voss (D-Fort Lee) and Connie Wagner (D-Paramus) in District 38.
Oliver sent $70 to Elease Evans (D-Paterson) in District 35.
Six of the ten Democrats Watson Coleman contributed to — Milam, Albano, Moriarty, Collins, Greenstein and Scalera – endorsed Oliver. DeAngelo, Schaer, Voss and Wagner have not made a formal endorsement; neither has Evans.
Watson Coleman also gave $14,400 to the Democratic State Committee. Democratic State Chairman Joseph Cryan (D-Union) endorsed Oliver, and is expected to take Watson Coleman's job as Majority Leader.
