Gov. Christie Nominates Taylor For Second Term as Prosecutor

TRENTON — Cape May County Prosecutor Robert Taylor was nominated for a second, five-year term by Gov. Chris Christie this week.
The nomination was received by the state Senate Judiciary Committee on Mon., Nov. 22. It will schedule hearings. Should the committee approve, the nomination would then go before the full Senate for a vote.
There had been speculation as to whether Taylor, a Democrat, would be replaced by a Republican when the new governor was elected in November 2009.
Taylor has served for six years. That is not uncommon in local history, as several previous prosecutors served long past the end of their five-year terms before being replaced.
Taylor, of Stone Harbor, was dogged during the last nomination process by several opponents. How would he respond to those or others who may oppose his nomination?
“Obviously, the governor and the new attorney general (Paula T. Dow) don’t think they (opponents) have any merit, or I would not have gotten this far,” Taylor said in a telephone interview Tue., Nov. 23.
“I want to thank Gov. Christie for the honor of the nomination for a second term as Cape May County Prosecutor,” said Taylor. “I especially want to thank Sen. Jeff Van Drew (D-1st) who has been very supportive and a great help during this process.”
“I believe Prosecutor Taylor will have the support of Republicans and Democrats,” said Van Drew.
“I asked the governor for an honest, open and fair process on his part to evaluate Prosecutor Taylor. He promised he would, and the governor kept his word,” said Van Drew.
Van Drew believes the process will be “done sooner rather than later, before the year is done.”
Taylor’s hearing will be among a full agenda of reform and “tool kit” bills that will place the state on course for 2011.
Asked if there was any correlation between the Taylor nomination and that of a Camden County Republican to fill a seat on the Delaware River and Bay Authority, one of two formerly held by a Cape May County resident, Van Drew said there was none.
Cape May County Regular Republican Organization Chairman Michael J. Donohue issued the following:
“The nomination last night of Robert Taylor to serve another term as the Cape May County Prosecutor is the culmination of decisions that were made before I became the County Republican Chairman on June 15, 2010. Having said that, let me reiterate my support for Governor Chris Christie and my faith in his executive decisions. I have known Bob Taylor for many years and I am confident that if he is confirmed by the Senate for another term, Prosecutor Taylor will continue to act in the best interests of the citizens of Cape May County.”
Contact Campbell at (609) 886-8600 Ext 28 or at: al.c@cmcherald.com