It's quite a well known fact that New Jersey State Senate President Stephen Sweeney holds two public offices. He's also the president and director of the Gloucester County Freeholder Board.
And even though the state legislature passed a law that prohibits dual office holding in New Jersey, the law doesn't apply to Sweeney or, for that matter to anyone who held office before the law was passed. All of those officials were grandfathered into the law. They're protected.
Sweeney isn't the only one in Gloucester County who's pulling this off. Assemblyman John Burzichelli holds his state Assembly seat and is the mayor of Paulsboro. Freeholder Frank DiMarco also has a seat on Deptford's township council. And Freeholder Joe Chila is also the mayor of Woolwich Township. Along with Sweeney, that makes four Democrats in Gloucester County who are dual officeholders.
As the Courier-Post points out in an editorial today, Sweeney has promised time and again that he will relinquish his seat on the Freeholder Board. But Sweeney has been tardy in keeping that promise. Over and over, he's postponed his departure from the board.
Sweeney now says he will leave the board by the end of this year. But the newspaper wants him to give up his board position now.
Hey, maybe if Sweeney does the right thing and resigns his board posts, the other three dual officeholders will follow.
There is no reason for anyone in New Jersey to be holding more than one public office.
You can read the Courier Post editorial by clicking here.
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