DNA evidence clears Long Branch Man of 1992 rape conviction

Dion Harrell of Long Branch spent four years in prison for a rape he did not commit.

Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni announced this afternoon that a recent DNA test proved the Harrell was not the source of the biological evidence found in the 17 year old victim of the 1987 rape.  Gramiccioni sad that Harrell’s conviction will be vacated.

Harrell was convicted on March 26, 1993 and released from prison in 1997.  He turned 50 years old last week and is homeless, according the the New Jersey Sex Offenders Registry.

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Beck Opposes Sweeney/Prieto Gas Tax Plan

Senator Jennifer Beck (R-Monmouth), the leading opponent of a gas tax increase in the legislature, announced her opposition to the compromise legislation out forth by Senate President Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto.  Beck says the Sweeney/Prieto plan is just as bad for taxpayers as the Senate plan that failed last month.

“The tax plan announced by Democrats today would still raise the gas tax by 23 cents per gallon, just as the last failed plan would have,” said Beck. “The cosmetic changes that the Senate President and Assembly Speaker have agreed to are just window dressing on the core $1.2 billion tax increase on drivers that remains largely unchanged from the previous version of the legislation.”

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Sweeney and Prieto Agree On A Transportation Trust Fund Deal

Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto have a compromise deal on the Transportation Trust Fund, according to an announcement on the NJ Senate Democrats website.

“We have an agreement on a plan that is needed to address the state’s critical transportation needs at the same time it provides targeted tax savings for retirees, the working poor and middle class families,” said Senator Sweeney (D-Salem/Cumberland/Gloucester). “This is a bipartisan plan that supports a $2 billion a year Transportation Trust Fund and provides affordable tax cuts that will allow us to meet the state’s pension obligations without creating a fiscal crisis. This is an investment plan that will create jobs and support immediate and long-term economic growth.”

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Christie makes Senate new offer to end N.J. road project shutdown

TRENTON — After calling the Senate president’s proposal to end a stalemate over funding for construction projects “ridiculous” earlier this week, Gov. Chris Christie on Thursday delivered a counteroffer. No details of either proposal are known, but a spokesman for Senate President Stephen Sweeney said he is reviewing the latest proposal. The governor and Senate are… Read the rest of this entry »

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Split Over Transportation Funding in New Jersey Appears To Be Growing

Now nearly three full weeks old, the political impasse in Trenton over transportation funding is no closer to being resolved, and there are some signs key leaders may actually be moving further apart Reports out of Cleveland,… Read the rest of this entry »

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Christie Selected, Pallone Snubbed by National Bobblehead Hall of Fame

Breaking news out of Cleveland is that Governor Chris Christie has been admitted to the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum.  The Hall and Museum are actually in Milwaukee, WI, but their representatives are in Cleveland this week selling their wares to RNC delegates and protesters. Presumably they will be in Philadephia next week for the Democratic Convention.

By glaring omission, New Jersey’s 6th District (Monmouth and Middlesex counties) Congressman Frank Pallone has not yet been admitted to the Bobblehead Hall of Fame.

Clearly, Pallone merits the honor more than any politician, athlete or movie star.

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David Samson, close confidant of Christie, pleads guilty in airline shakedown

NEWARK–David Samson–the embattled former chairman of the powerful Port Authority of New York and New Jersey–pleaded guilty Thursday afternoon to using his considerable clout to coerce one of the nation’s largest airlines to accommodate his desire for a regularly scheduled, non-stop flight to a South Carolina summer home. Samson, 76, a well-connected lawyer and one-time New… Read the rest of this entry »

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Golden keeps up the campaign for honest disbursement of 9-1-1 fees

Golden’s message to Republican naysayers: “Get on board.”

Monmouth Sheriff Shaun Golden is not letting up on his campaign to get Trenton to disburse the $.90 per month, per line, that we all pay on our cell and land line bills.

In case you missed it, Golden and the Monmouth County Freeholders held a press conference last week to highlight Trenton’s diversion of our fees, at the expense of public safety and in apparent violation to the federal “NET 911 Act of 2008.”  Monmouth County’s leadership on the issue garnered significant media attention, including on both New York and Philadelphia local TV news stations.

Golden brought the issue to the attention of NJTV yesterday:

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Sweeney delivers Christie new gas tax plan to end N.J. road project shutdown

TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie and Senate President Stephen Sweeney met privately Tuesday in an attempt to broker a deal to fund transportation projects and bring an end to a statewide construction freeze. Sweeney presented Christie with a new proposal for replenishing the now-expired and soon-to-be-broke Transportation Trust Fund, according to a spokesman for the governor.… Read the rest of this entry »

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Sweeney says he’ll offer Christie new gas tax plans to end N.J. road work shutdown

Senate President Steve Sweeney

TRENTON — Senate President Stephen Sweeney said Monday he will present multiple proposals to Gov. Chris Christie this week to re-up the Transportation Trust Fund and break a stalemate that’s suspended road and rail projects across the state. Sweeney (D-Gloucester), declined to elaborate on the funding plans, but acknowledged that timing is a concern as Republicans… Read the rest of this entry »

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