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Democrats On Judiciary Panel Back Farber For Ag

TRENTON – Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee today supported the nomination of Zulima Farber to be the next State Attorney General. The committee vote was 8-2 and the full Senate is expected to consider the nomination on Jan. 30th.

Senator John H. Adler, the Committee Chairman, said he was confident that Ms. Farber’s term as the State’s top law enforcement officer would be marked by “excellence, intelligence and compassion.

“I feel safer and I am confident New Jersey families will feel safer with her as Attorney General,” Senator Adler, D-Cherry Hill, said of Governor Corzine’s nominee.

Senator John A. Girgenti, the Committee’s Vice Chair, said he looked forward to working with Ms. Farber on the issues of counter terrorism, gangs and the operations of the State Police because he also serves as Chairman of the Senate Law, Public Safety and Veterans Affairs Committee.

“I liked what I heard from Ms. Farber about her willingness to communicate with us in the Legislature about the problems in law enforcement and citizens’ safety against terrorism,” said Senator Girgenti, D-Passaic and Bergen.

Senator Paul Sarlo, D-Bergen, Essex and Passaic, also said he liked Ms. Farber’s “communication skills” and looked forward to hearing her views in the near future on the state and federal roles involved with homeland security.

“I thought she did a good job communicating her concerns about the need for protecting our residents,” Senator Sarlo said.

Senator Nia H. Gill, D-Essex and Passaic, said she was well aware that Ms. Farber was a “no nonsense, let’s get it done-type” who would work hard to “ferret out corruption” and also would fully engage New Jersey in its State responsibilities under the federal Help America Vote Act.

“Zulima Farber will get people in New Jersey back to the polls by creating something positive to vote for,” Senator Gill said.

Senator Loretta Weinberg, D-Bergen, praised Ms. Farber as an outstanding civic activist and “a great advocate for women and minorities in all walks of life.” She said she was pleased that Ms. Farber vowed to look into the possibility of negotiating with federal prosecutors to eventually take over the monitoring process in the reforms underway at the University of Medicince & Dentistry.

“With the (legal fees) rates being charged with federal oversight at UMDNJ, it could very easily be costing over $16,000 a week,” Senator Weinberg said. “That’s money that could be spent on something else at the hospital to help patients.”

Senator Bob Smith, D-Middlesex and Somerset, said he was pleased that Ms. Farber vowed to make environmental prosecutions a top priority of her term as Attorney General. Senator Smith also serves as Chairman of the Senate Environment Committee.