No Surprise: Poll Finds Corruption Still a Problem in NJ
Residents are divided over punishment
Updated 2:45 PM EST, Sun, Nov 8, 2009
Nearly two-thirds of New Jerseyans believe there is "a lot" of political corruption in the state, according to a new poll.
The Rutgers-Eagleton survey also found 54 percent of respondents believe the Garden State is more corrupt than other states, while 40 percent believe it's about the same as elsewhere.
Respondents, though, were divided over what punishment should be meted out to those only accused of corruption.
Fifty-eight percent say those officials shouldn't have their pay and benefits cut off unless they are convicted, while 36 percent disagree. But half say those officials should be forced to leave office once they're charged, while 42 percent say they should be allowed to stay until found guilty.
The telephone poll of 903 New Jersey adults was conducted between Oct. 15-20 and has a sampling margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points.
A massive federal corruption sting over the summer again put New Jersey in the headlines for its legacy of dirty dealings.
The July busts centered on an FBI informant who posed as a corrupt developer offering bribes to public officials for help with zoning approvals.
The arrests caused the biggest disruption in Hoboken, where 32-year-old Peter Cammarano was arrested three weeks after being elected as the city's youngest mayor, accused of taking $25,000 from the informant.
Copyright Associated Press / NBC New York
First Published: Nov 8, 2009 2:27 PM EST
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