WASHINGTON – According to a report in today’s New York Times, yet another person detained for immigration-related reasons has died following a lack of medical care for a life-threatening condition. Hiu Lui “Jason” Ng died from cancer and a broken spine last week while in detention. Mr. Ng came to the U.S. from Hong Kong in 1992, had built a career in New York and was raising a family with his American-born wife. He had applied for a green card, but was thrown into a detention center in July 2007. Even as he developed excruciating back pain, he went undiagnosed and untreated.

U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) is the Senate sponsor of the Detainee Basic Medical Care Act (http://menendez.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=298134). Two weeks ago he visited the Elizabeth Detention Center in New Jersey to tour the facility and meet with detainees and officials (http://menendez.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=301428&). Today, he released the following statement:

“This is yet another gut-wrenching story of subhuman treatment in our nation’s detention centers. Regardless of how anyone feels about particular immigration cases, we can all agree that humans must be treated as humans. We can all agree that a detention should never amount to a death sentence.

“Not only did Jason Ng die because of a cancer that detention center officials ignored, but he was essentially tortured by the pain that he endured as his cancer spread and his spine broke. If our nation is to promote human rights around the world, then we have to live up to that standard here at home.

“Mr. Ng’s case is another reason that we need to ensure a certain basic level of medical care in detention centers. That is the purpose of the legislation I have introduced in the Senate and Rep. Lofgren has introduced in the house. It’s about treating human beings as human beings. It’s about ensuring that if you have cancer ravaging your body and your spine is breaking, you will be able to see a doctor.”

Agencies praise New Jersey for “significant progress” in restoring fiscal stability

TRENTON -- Gov. Jon S. Corzine said today that he was gratified that fiscally responsible steps taken by the administration have been recognized by Wall Street’s ratings agencies, all of which issued ratings reports highlighting the State’s progress toward restoring fiscal stability,  restoring structural balance to the budget and easing the debt burden on State finances.  

 “While we still have a lot of work ahead of us, it is good to see that Wall Street recognizes New Jersey’s continued efforts to put our finances back on solid footing,” Corzine said.  “These assessments affirm that we have made significant strides employing unprecedented measures of fiscal responsibility to try and reverse the state’s deep-seated fiscal problems and restore long term stability.”

In a ratings report issued yesterday for the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority’s $345 million remarking transaction,  Standard and Poor’s cited the State’s “significant progress in balancing its budget and restoring reserves” in affirming the State’s ‘AA’ GO rating.

“In recent years New Jersey has made significant progress in balancing its budget and restoring reserves.  Since fiscal 2006 the state has adopted annual budgets that made strides toward structural balance. Improvement in the financial position is evident since the low point in fiscal 2005, when the state had to borrow $2.0 billion to balance operations, to fiscal 2007, which ended with a…fund reserve of $1.41 billion…its highest level since fiscal 2001.”

“The fiscal 2009 budget cuts spending by $600 million, representing the largest reduction in budget spending in New Jersey’s history,” S and P said.  

Along with the reduction in spending, the Governor’s FY ‘09 budget also reduced the size of government by up to 3,000 workers through early retirement and attrition; cut the operating budgets of every state department by an average of five percent and eliminated altogether the Department of Personnel and the Commerce Commission.

In another report, Fitch Ratings also opined on the FY ‘09 budget:  “Fitch recognizes recent positive and decisive actions to correct a chronic structural imbalance and begin addressing the state’s long term liabilities;” The report went on to note the Corzine Administration’s “absolute reduction in year over year spending” and the use of excess surplus for the newly created debt reduction and capital expenditure fund. Fitch also affirmed New Jersey’s General Obligation bond rating of AA-.

Yesterday, Governor Corzine announced that the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) approved resolutions to use $650 million in excess surplus to retire or defease all or a portion of certain EDA outstanding bonds.  This was part of the larger effort to achieve debt service savings of approximately $130 million in each of the next five fiscal years.

In its report, Moody’s affirmed its AA3 rating of New Jersey’s General Obligation debt, noting that the State has “addressed the structural gap” and also pointing out that the State’s “debt burden has moderated in recent years, ending a pattern of sizable increases.”

 

LAUTENBERG ATTEMPTS TO DODGE CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAWS

-- 24-Year Incumbent Seeks to Have Special Interests Pay Back His Campaign Loans --

Lawrenceville, NJ – In a letter quietly sent to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), lawyers for Senator Frank Lautenberg are asking federal regulators to disregard a law that prohibits him from accepting unlimited special-interest contributions to pay back his personal campaign loans after the election.

The 2002 McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform law provides that any personal campaign loans exceeding $250,000 that are not repaid within 20 days of an election will be considered to be nonrefundable campaign contributions. The law was intended to avoid special-interest contributions going straight into newly elected or reelected officeholders' pockets.

If successful in his request to the FEC, Lautenberg will be able to use special-interest money raised after 2008 to repay his personal loans to the campaign.  According to his most recent FEC reports, his 2008 campaign owed him $1.65 million as of June 30. 

Lautenberg’s lawyers want the FEC to rule that the loan repayment provision at issue, which is part of the so-called Millionaires’ Amendment to the McCain-Feingold law, is unconstitutional.  Click here to view entire Lautenberg letter.  Ironically, Lautenberg endorsed the Millionaires’ Amendment just last month after other parts of it had been ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court.  At that time he said he supported it because it “leveled the playing field” between rich candidates and their opponents (“Dick Zimmer races to raise cash and make a name.” The Star-Ledger. 6 July 2008).

The Zimmer for Senate campaign today issued the following statement:

“It is disgraceful that Senator Lautenberg would ask the FEC for special treatment that would benefit him financially.  This type of selfish behavior shows that he has completely lost touch with average New Jerseyans.  While New Jerseyans are trying to readjust their family budget to address soaring gas prices and the rising cost of living, Senator Lautenberg is off seeking special treatment to line his own wallet,” said Zimmer for Senate Communications Director Kristen Hainen.  “It is time for change.  New Jerseyans need a leader who will make New Jersey’s interests his top priority.”