TRENTON – Senator Ellen Karcher, D-Monmouth and Mercer, issued the following statement regarding the findings of Governor Codey’s Special Counsel for Ethics Reform, which released a report detailing recommendations on promoting more ethical government on Monday:
“New Jersey voters are suffering from a crisis of faith in their elected representatives, having faced the shame of corrupt politics in recent years while some officials have abused their offices to the breaking point. Now, we have a real map to reform, and I look forward to its swift passage through the Legislature.
“The reform initiatives outlined by the Special Counsel report are not revolutionary, and build on many of the concepts that I’ve been advocating for since I joined the Legislature. However, the impact of these reforms will go a long way towards removing the pervasive influence of government corruption from the hearts and minds of voters and the front pages of newspapers across the State.
“We need to continue to strive towards the highest ethical standards. The voters of New Jersey deserve no less than government that is accountable to the will of the people, and serving in the best public interest, not private interests of a select few who have the political connections to get something done. The reforms laid out by Governor Codey’s Special Counsel will set the stage for New Jersey State government to return to a body that is for and by the people, not the corrupt politicians who trade in the sanctity of their sworn oath of office for a quick buck.”