Christy Davis Jackson

Just a few end-of-the day observations:

What would Frank Hague have thought of a Mayor of Jersey City (who is also the Hudson County Democratic Chairman) who could not deliver most of the key Hudson party leadership and elected officials to his candidate for President?  And could the gullible Brad Abelow be the only one who believes Bob Menendez is no longer involved in Hudson County politics?

An impressive list of finance committee members, led by Lewis Eisenberg, has raised just $100,000 for Anne Evans Estabrook’s bid for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination; that’s about half what Dennis Shulman, the blind Rabbi/Psychologist, has raised for his fledgling congressional campaign against Scott Garrett.  Luckily for Estabrook, she put $1.6 million of her own money into the race.  Estabrook still won’t say how much she’ll invest to unseat Frank Lautenberg.

Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign returned a $2,300 contribution from Christy Davis Jackson on July 5 -- just seven days after it was received.  Davis Jackson, a veteran New Jersey political operative and the wife of one of one of the state's most politically influential ministers, actively sought the state campaign director post.  Instead, the Clinton campaign picked Karen Kominsky for the post -- reportedly at the urging of Governor Jon Corzine and against the wishes of several key state Clinton fundraisers.

Christy Davis Jackson, the Campaign Manager for Jon Corzine's 2000 U.S. Senate campaign and the wife of a politically powerful Black Minister, is the subject of a federal criminal investigation related to allegations of a political slush fund at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, according to a Star-Ledger report. Jackson resigned her post as UMDNJ Vice President of Government Affairs in December. The Star-Ledger obtained a confidential memo that says UMDNJ "maintained a political fund to funnel thousands of dollars in contributions to top New Jersey elected officials." The memo was written by Carol Caprarola, who was a longtime aide to State Senate President Donald DiFrancesco before going to work for Jackson at UMDNJ. A Grand Jury is reviewing allegations that UMDNJ officials were instructed to contribute to political campaigns and then get reimbursed by the school. Jackson is married to the Rev. Reginald Jackson, the Executive Director, New Jersey Council of Black Ministers.