TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - New Jersey’s election watchdog agency on Tuesday picked sponsors for this year’s gubernatorial primary debates during its first meeting after a yearlong break.
The Election Law Enforcement Commission chose NJTV News and Stockton University to host the debates.
The commission last met in March 2016.
“It’s great to be back in business,” executive Jeff Brindle said after the meeting.
The panel lacked a quorum until earlier this month, when the Democrat-led Senate approved Republican Gov. Chris Christie’s nominees.
It met in a private session after a public sitting to consider potential judgments and fines - actions that were on hold during the past year. Decisions were not immediately announced.
The commission continued to conduct investigations, put out analytical reports and offer computer training for candidates during the hiatus, Brindle said.
There will be four gubernatorial primary debates, two Democratic and two Republican, with the candidates receiving public matching funds required to participate. So far, Democrat Jim Johnson has qualified for the funds as has Republican Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno. Commission compliance Director Stephanie Olivo said she expects three or four Democrats will have reached the $430,000 threshold required to get public matching funds and perhaps two or three Republicans.
Democratic front-runner Phil Murphy has loaned his campaign $10 million and is not taking public funds, though he may choose to participate in the debates.
Times and dates were not set on Tuesday but Olivo said the timeframe is from April 13 to May 23.
The four-member panel was down to one member and unable to meet. The commission continued to conduct investigations but delayed votes on final judgments and fines.
The new commissioners are Republican former prosecutor Eric Jaso and Democratic former Superior Court Judge Stephen Holden. They join Republican chairman Ronald DeFilippis on the board.
It’s unclear when or whether the commission will revisit a 2013 case against powerful Essex County Executive Joe DiVincenzo, who was accused of improperly using campaign funds to help finance a trip to Puerto Rico. DiVincenzo, a Democrat, had been an ally of the governor, but an administrative law judge dismissed the case because the commission did not have a quorum.
Brindle said the commission is awaiting a ruling in an appeal in that case.
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