Loretta Weinberg

43

Loretta Weinberg : biography

February 6, 1935 –

Following Baer’s resignation, Ferriero backed Zisa to fill the vacancy, as expected. Huttle prepared to challenge Zisa for the nomination. Weinberg then let it be known she was interested, and on September 11, 2005, United States Senator Jon Corzine, the Democratic candidate for Governor of New Jersey, endorsed Weinberg for Baer’s seat. Huttle bowed out of the race and endorsed Weinberg.

The Bergen County Democratic Organization caucused on September 15, 2005, to select a candidate. In balloting to replace Baer on an interim basis, Weinberg lost by a 114-110 margin to Zisa. In a separate vote, by a 112-111 margin, Zisa was selected over Weinberg to be the party’s candidate on the November ballot. Though she congratulated Zisa in remarks made after results were announced at the September 15 caucus, Weinberg stated that inclusion of several uncounted ballots might change the results in her favor.Jones, Richard Lezin. , The New York Times, September 16, 2005. Accessed April 1, 2008.

Weinberg filed a legal challenge to the caucus results to have the unopened ballots included, which she believed were cast for her. On September 20, 2005, New Jersey Superior Court Judge Peter Doyne refused to interfere in what he held was a party matter and upheld the decision of the election mediator, Rep. Steve Rothman, to exclude the five ballots. On September 23, 2005, an Appellate Court panel sent the case back to Judge Doyne, ruling that he did have the authority to address a party issue and that the five uncounted ballots cast by Tenafly Democratic Committee members could be counted irrespective of the failure to file their names within the specified 30-day window. Zisa announced on September 26, 2005, that he would appeal the Appellate panel’s decision to the New Jersey Supreme Court. Judge Doyne’s hearing on September 28 to readdress the issues was underway when the Supreme Court issued a ruling upholding the Appellate Court’s decision and affirming that the 30-day rule for submission of new County Committee members could not be enforced. Judge Doyne decided on October 3, 2005, in Weinberg’s favor, ruling that ballots from the "Tenafly Five" should be counted.Fallon, Scott. , The Record (Bergen County), October 4, 2005. Accessed April 1, 2008.

On October 5, 2005, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that it would not hear an appeal from Ken Zisa and the Bergen County Democratic Organization. The "Tenafly Five" ballots were opened by Judge Peter Doyne, and each ballot was cast for Loretta Weinberg, thus giving her the slim margin of victory. Weinberg defeated Zisa by one vote in balloting to fill Baer’s vacated seat on an interim basis, 115-114, and won the contest for the Democratic ballot spot in November, by a total of 116-112.Fallon, Scott. , The Record (Bergen County), October 6, 2005. Accessed April 1, 2008.

With Weinberg’s victory, Bergen County Freeholder Valerie Huttle and Englewood Mayor Michael Wildes both announced their candidacy for Weinberg’s Assembly seat. The choice was decided by yet another special convention of the Bergen County Democratic Committee on October 6, 2005, with Huttle outpolling Wildes 121-96.Fallon, Scott. , The Record (Bergen County), October 7, 2005. Accessed April 1, 2008. "Freeholder Valerie Huttle will succeed Loretta Weinberg as a Democratic Assembly candidate in the 37th District after defeating Englewood Mayor Michael Wildes in a county committee election Thursday night. Huttle won, 121-96, to be the party’s nominee on the Nov. 8 ballot. She will fill the rest of the Assembly term after Weinberg resigns." On Election Day, November 8, 2005, Huttle won the Assembly seat.

Biography

Weinberg serves on the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee (as Vice-Chair) and on the State Government Committee (also as Vice-Chair)., New Jersey Legislature. Accessed March 24, 2008. She is a former member of the Senate Commerce Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Weinberg was chosen by Democratic committee members in March 1992 to fill the seat vacated in the Assembly by D. Bennett Mazur, who had resigned due to illness.Staff. , The Record (Bergen County), March 17, 1992. Accessed June 15, 2010. She served in the General Assembly, the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature, until 2005. In the Assembly, Weinberg served as the Majority Conference Leader from 2002 to 2005, Deputy Minority Leader from 1996 to 2001 and Assistant Minority Leader from 1994 to 1995. Weinberg served as the Chairwoman of the Health and Human Services Committee and Vice Chairwoman of the Family, Women, and Children’s Services Committee. Additionally, she also served on the New Jersey Historical Commission, Legislative Services Commission and the New Jersey Israel Commission. Some of her past Committee assignments include the Community Services Committee, the Veteran Affairs Committee and, most recently, the Consumer and Regulated Professions Committee.