Richard Codey
 Richard Codey      (politician) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | Richard James Codey November 27, 1946 Orange, New Jersey, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | Fairleigh Dickinson University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Mary Jo Codey | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Party | Democratic Party (United States) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Governor of New Jersey after predecessor resigned in sex and ethics scandal
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Richard James Codey is an American Democratic Party politician who was the 53rd governor of New Jersey from 2004 to 2006. He was in the New Jersey Senate since 1982 and served as the President of the Senate from 2002 to 2010. He represents the 27th Legislative District, which covers the western portions of Essex County and the southeastern portion of Morris County. Codey is the longest-serving state legislator in New Jersey history, having served in the New Jersey Legislature continuously since January 8, 1974. He has been the Deputy Senate President Pro Tem since 2022.[1]
Governor of New Jersey
"A 32-year veteran of the legislature, Codey was the constitutionally designated successor when Governor James McGreevey resigned following a sex and ethics scandal. Codey wasted no time in getting to work on his agenda. Over the next 14 months, he pushed through measures to raise the state minimum wage, increase school security and require steroid testing for high school athletes. He banned junk food in schools and smoking in indoor public places, including bars and restaurants. He signed legislation to clean up diesel vehicles in the state, reducing soot pollution in the air by 10 percent. He called for expanding the state’s investment in stem-cell research, with $380 million in research grants and a new research lab. In his budget, Codey eschewed one-time revenue fixes and set aside $600 million for emergencies."[2]
Chris Christie
After Chris Christie took office in 2010, Codey was stripped of the state trooper who had been assigned to him part-time for security during public events. His former chief of staff was fired from a state job in Trenton. Codey's cousin lost a Port Authority post. All three events happened on the same day. It's all been in retaliation for his opposition to various Christie policies, Codey believed.[3]
