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PHALON'S FILE - 08/13/2008
(by Joe Phalon - OpEd Columnist - August 13, 2008)
Anne Milgram for governor!
Let me be the first in the state, or at least this room, to endorse New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram for the highest office in our fair state.
Milgram has demonstrated her fitness for public office, particularly here in Jersey. Already known as one of the state’s brightest and most competent attorneys general in recent memory, Milgram showed how a public official, in this case the highest-ranking law enforcement official in the state, should comport oneself when caught in a bit of trouble.
She was pulled over several weeks ago for allegedly driving 69 mph in a 50 zone. But rather than throw her weight around, she simply accepted the ticket and later paid the $176 fine. The officer who stopped her did not realize she was the attorney general, and she kept that fact to herself.
OK, so technically she has broken the law. But if a speeding ticket is the worst scandal that can be associated with her, I think we are ahead of the game.
It would have been easy for her to mention who she was to the officer. She just as easily could have had a stack of PBA cards and other “get out of jail” cards flow forth from her wallet. Her car could have been emblazoned with all kinds of stickers, emblems, gold shields and other “courtesy” items, the ones you see on the cars of local, self-important poobahs. She could have even had one of those fancy license plates that screams, “I’m important just in case you hadn’t noticed!”
But no, she didn’t. In fact, even her car was notable. It was her own 1994 Honda Accord. That in itself suggests the spoils of public office is something that has little appeal to her.
Compare that to a recent attorney general, Zulima Farber. Her boyfriend was stopped for not wearing a seatbelt and then cited for operating an unregistered vehicle with suspended driver’s license. He called Farber from the traffic stop, and the then-attorney general arrived in a State Police SUV, lights flashing and with a state trooper at the wheel. She used her office to try to get the tickets dropped. She resigned shortly afterward.
Just last month, a councilwoman in Newark, Dana Rone, was forced to resign after being convicted of a disorderly persons offense for arriving at the scene of her nephew’s traffic stop in her city-issued car and arguing with the police officers. A new state law can force the resignation of elected officials guilty of certain levels of offenses. This was passed after a number of politicians were re-elected despite convictions. There are places were voters would return popular local officials, even if they kidnapped the Lindbergh Baby.
So I say, let’s look ahead to 2009. Governor Jon Corzine seems to have a short-attention span, so maybe he will be looking for another challenge by then, freeing his attorney general to run for that office.
If that’s the case, run, Anne, run! She would be a refreshing change.
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