Jeffrey A. Warsh
Encyclopedia
Jeffrey A. Warsh is an American Republican Party politician who served two terms in the New Jersey General Assembly
, from 1992 to 1996, where he represented the 18th Legislative District
, which covers portions of Middlesex County
. He later served as Executive Director of New Jersey Transit
.
In the 1991 statewide Republican landslide, triggered in the wake of Governor of New Jersey
Jim Florio's $2.8 billion tax increase package, Warsh and running mate Harriet E. Derman
were elected to the General Assembly, knocking off Democratic incumbent George A. Spadoro
and his running mate Michael Baker, while Jack Sinagra
took the Senate seat vacated by Democrat Thomas H. Paterniti
. Derman and Warsh won re-election in 1993, defeating former Assemblymember Thomas H. Paterniti
and his running mate Matthew Vaughn.
Warsh grew up in New Milford, New Jersey
. An attorney with the Eatontown
firm of Ansell Zaro Bennett & Grimm, Warsh earned his undergraduate degree from Franklin & Marshall College
and was awarded a law degree from Emory University School of Law
. While in office, in June 1995, Warsh married Amy Frances Loeb, a producer of television and radio commercials.
Warsh and Stephen A. Mikulak
sponsored a bill in 1992 that would ban the use of radar-equipped traffic enforcement cameras by law enforcement agencies in New Jersey, arguing that the system was "nothing less than a full, frontal assault on the system of American jurisprudence" that would replace "the tradition that we are innocent until proven guilty." Warsh served in the Assembly as chair of the Regulatory and Oversight Committee.
Warsh's running mate Harriet Derman left office in February 1994 after being appointed to head the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
. Democrat Barbara Buono
knocked off Republican appointee Joanna Gregory-Scocchi in a November 1994 special election. Both parties had targeted the 18th District in the 1995 elections, with Republicans outspending Democrats in the district by a 2-1 margin. In a race characterized by strong negative campaigning and low turnout, described by Buono as the lowest turnout in 75 years, Warsh lost with running mate Jane Tousman to Buono and her running mate Peter J. Barnes II, recovering both seats for the Democrats.
In July 1999, Governor Christine Todd Whitman
nominated Warsh to serve as the executive director of New Jersey Transit
. A self-described train buff, Warsh oversaw the third-largest transit agency nationwide, and earned an annual salary of $165,000 in 2002 for the post. In March 2002, Governor of New Jersey Jim McGreevey
forced Warsh to resign from his position at New Jersey Transit.
, Warsh was employed by MBI GluckShaw, a state and local government relations firm, and was a resident of Westfield, New Jersey
.
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
, from 1992 to 1996, where he represented the 18th Legislative District
18th Legislative District (New Jersey)
New Jersey's 18th Legislative District is one of 40 in the state, covering the Middlesex County municipalities of East Brunswick Township, Edison Township, Helmetta Borough, Metuchen Borough, South Plainfield Borough, South River Borough and Spotswood Borough As of the 2000 United States Census,...
, which covers portions of Middlesex County
Middlesex County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 750,162 people, 265,815 households, and 190,855 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,422 people per square mile . There were 273,637 housing units at an average density of 884 per square mile...
. He later served as Executive Director of New Jersey Transit
New Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
.
In the 1991 statewide Republican landslide, triggered in the wake of Governor of New Jersey
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
Jim Florio's $2.8 billion tax increase package, Warsh and running mate Harriet E. Derman
Harriet E. Derman
Harriet E. Derman is an American Republican Party politician who was elected to two terms in the New Jersey General Assembly, where she represented the 18th Legislative District from 1992 to 1996...
were elected to the General Assembly, knocking off Democratic incumbent George A. Spadoro
George A. Spadoro
George A. Spadoro is an American Democratic Party politician who served three terms as Mayor of Edison, New Jersey, and two terms in the New Jersey General Assembly, where he represented the 18th Legislative District.-Biography:...
and his running mate Michael Baker, while Jack Sinagra
Jack Sinagra
Jack G. Sinagra is an American Republican Party politician who was the Mayor of East Brunswick, New Jersey and served in the New Jersey Senate from 1992 to 2002, where he represented the 18th Legislative District.-Biography:...
took the Senate seat vacated by Democrat Thomas H. Paterniti
Thomas H. Paterniti
Thomas H. Paterniti is an American dentist and Democratic Party politician who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature, where he represented the 18th Legislative District...
. Derman and Warsh won re-election in 1993, defeating former Assemblymember Thomas H. Paterniti
Thomas H. Paterniti
Thomas H. Paterniti is an American dentist and Democratic Party politician who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature, where he represented the 18th Legislative District...
and his running mate Matthew Vaughn.
Warsh grew up in New Milford, New Jersey
New Milford, New Jersey
New Milford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 16,341.New Milford was incorporated as a borough on March 11, 1922, from what remained of Palisades Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 18,...
. An attorney with the Eatontown
Eatontown, New Jersey
Eatontown is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 12,709.What is now Eatontown was originally incorporated as Eatontown Township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 4, 1873, from portions of Ocean Township and...
firm of Ansell Zaro Bennett & Grimm, Warsh earned his undergraduate degree from Franklin & Marshall College
Franklin & Marshall College
Franklin & Marshall College is a four-year private co-educational residential national liberal arts college in the Northwest Corridor neighborhood of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States....
and was awarded a law degree from Emory University School of Law
Emory University School of Law
Emory University School of Law is a first-tier US law school that is part of Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. It is ranked #30 among ABA-approved law schools by the 2012 U.S. News & World Report...
. While in office, in June 1995, Warsh married Amy Frances Loeb, a producer of television and radio commercials.
Warsh and Stephen A. Mikulak
Stephen A. Mikulak
Stephen A. Mikulak is an American Republican Party politician who served two terms in the New Jersey General Assembly, from 1992 to 1996, where he represented the 19th Legislative District, which covers portions of Middlesex County....
sponsored a bill in 1992 that would ban the use of radar-equipped traffic enforcement cameras by law enforcement agencies in New Jersey, arguing that the system was "nothing less than a full, frontal assault on the system of American jurisprudence" that would replace "the tradition that we are innocent until proven guilty." Warsh served in the Assembly as chair of the Regulatory and Oversight Committee.
Warsh's running mate Harriet Derman left office in February 1994 after being appointed to head the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs is a governmental agency of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The department is headed by Commissioner Lori Grifa...
. Democrat Barbara Buono
Barbara Buono
Barbara Buono is an American Democratic Party politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 2002, where she represents the 18th Legislative District....
knocked off Republican appointee Joanna Gregory-Scocchi in a November 1994 special election. Both parties had targeted the 18th District in the 1995 elections, with Republicans outspending Democrats in the district by a 2-1 margin. In a race characterized by strong negative campaigning and low turnout, described by Buono as the lowest turnout in 75 years, Warsh lost with running mate Jane Tousman to Buono and her running mate Peter J. Barnes II, recovering both seats for the Democrats.
In July 1999, Governor Christine Todd Whitman
Christine Todd Whitman
Christine Todd "Christie" Whitman is an American Republican politician and author who served as the 50th Governor of New Jersey from 1994 to 2001, and was the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency in the administration of President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2003. She was New...
nominated Warsh to serve as the executive director of New Jersey Transit
New Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
. A self-described train buff, Warsh oversaw the third-largest transit agency nationwide, and earned an annual salary of $165,000 in 2002 for the post. In March 2002, Governor of New Jersey Jim McGreevey
Jim McGreevey
James Edward "Jim" McGreevey is an American Democratic politician. He served as the 52nd Governor of New Jersey from January 15, 2002, until he resigned from office at 11:59 pm on November 15, 2004. His term was set to expire on January 17, 2006...
forced Warsh to resign from his position at New Jersey Transit.
, Warsh was employed by MBI GluckShaw, a state and local government relations firm, and was a resident of Westfield, New Jersey
Westfield, New Jersey
Westfield is a town in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 30,316. The old village area, now the downtown district, was settled in 1720 as part of the Elizabethtown Tract....
.