Comparing 2 Legislators From 2 Different Parties

Legislators

Two New Jersey State Legislators -- Biographies and Legislative and Ideological Histories of Democrat John D. Adler and Republican Joseph Palaia

This paper is a biographical paper on two state legislators from two different political parties, illustrating how the two of them compare on issues pertaining to judicial ethics and the environment of the state. The member of the majority party, Democrat Senator John D. Adler of the New Jersey State Legislature currently represents Cherry Hill, New Jersey, one of the southernmost counties of the state. Adler studied government at Harvard University, earning his A.B. In the subject, and later going on to earn his law school degree from the same university in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Adler is particularly noteworthy for his work on the New Jersey Israel Commission from 1995 to the present. He thus takes a strong interest in international as well as national affairs, although part of his interest in Israel is tied to Cherry Hill's large and passionately Jewish population. He also has notable service for the N.J. Intergovernmental Relations Commission from 1994-2002. This commission emphasizes New Jersey's relations with outer lying states, and again, partly reflects Cherry Hill's proximity to Pennsylvania but also perhaps this relatively young State Senator's forward-thinking attitude regarding his own career, perhaps extending outside of the Garden State to national and even international affairs. Before he entered the New Jersey state legislature Adler was commended efforts on the Cherry Hill Township Council from 1988-89.

As is reflective of his advocate's background, today, Adler chairs the N.J. Senate's Judiciary committee. He has served in the N.J state senate from 1992 to the present, and has been active in the Democratic Party, serving as its Conference Chair from 2002-03. He also served as Assistant Minority Leader from 1994-2001.

Adler has been passionate in his desire to reform state government. He was the primary sponsor of a recent bill "S-4," designed to extend certain financial disclosure requirements to lobbying conducted through advertisements and direct mail to general public. He is also passionate about the environment, becoming the primary sponsor of recent bill "S264," designated the "Clean Indoors Air Act." Yet despite his previous service as assistant minority leader when the state was under republican gubernatorial leadership and the senate was under republican majority control, most of the bills Adler has been the primary sponsor of have been largely sponsored by fellow Democrats in recent years, partly reflecting the current composition, ideologically and in partisan nature of the legislative body, but also Adler's leadership as a liberal.