Trainspotter Posted January 31, 2008 Share #1 Posted January 31, 2008 NJ-DC train will be filled with state politicians, lobbyists The Star-Ledger Thursday January 31, 2008 [float=right] ED MURRAY/THE STAR-LEDGER Gov. John Corzine greeted New Jersey Sen. Thomas Kean on the 2007 annual chamber of commerce legislative train trip to Wash- ington.[/float]Gov. Jon Corzine and most of New Jersey's other movers and shakers will spend hours of quality time together today on the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce's annual train trek to Washington. Each year, the chamber charters an Amtrak train and fills it with a who's who list of leaders in business, education and, of course, politics. Once in Washington, a dinner is held to honor the congressional delegation, and businesses sponsor parties. The group calls the Chamber Train -- which first rumbled out of New Jersey 71 years ago -- "the premiere networking event in the state." Corzine will ride the rails just a few days after the Chamber of Commerce endorsed his plan to revamp state finances with higher tolls. Critics have contended the trip gives monied lobbyists unfair access to those who run government. Today, New Jersey Citizen Action said it will call on train riders to support a permanent public financing law for legislative campaigns to help remove special interests from politics. The state experimented with a "clean elections" plan in last fall's legislative races. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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