TRENTON – Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney, Majority Leader Barbara Buono and Senators Nicholas P. Scutari and Paul Sarlo today said they will seek to prohibit state contractors from donating to political shadow organizations, saying that the front groups are just as political as the party organizations they seek to augment and should be subject to the same pay-to-play rules.
The lawmakers said their call stems from the controversy raised over the recent fundraising by a group that calls itself “Reform Jersey Now,” but is a collection of top political advisors to Governor Christie. Earlier this month, the group paid for mailers in certain legislative districts – including Sweeney’s – expressly promoting the Governors agenda and urging recipients to call Democratic lawmakers and demand they support the Governor. The group openly tells contributors that state disclosure rules allow them to make unlimited, unreportable donations.