John O. Bennett

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John O. Bennett

John O. Bennett III (born 1948) is a former New Jersey Republican politician who served as State Senator, President of the State Senate, and acting Governor of New Jersey during the course of his career.

In June of 2002, Bennett was involved in a shoving match with South Jersey Democratic Party boss and Commerce National Insurance CEO George Norcross after Norcross threatened to publicize a pardon Bennett gave during his three day executive tenure if Bennett could not convince his fellow Republican senators to vote for a tax increase and stadium construction bill in committee.

As President of the Senate he served as acting Governor for three and a half days in January 2002 following the resignation of Governor Christine Todd Whitman. Bennett's predecessor as Senate President, Donald DiFrancesco had previously served as acting Governor, and Bennett in turn succeeded to the office of acting governor when DiFrancesco's term ended and he was elected as the new Senate President.

During his service as acting governor, Bennett appeared on national television as part of the "five governors in a week" news cycle. He signed legislation into law, appointed judges, granted a pardon, created a nursing advisory council, and hosted several parties at Drumthwacket. The nursing advisory council was a tribute to his wife, Peg, a nurse. Peg Bennett was active during her tenure as First Lady of New Jersey.

Bennett fell out of favor as a result of allegations that he overbilled the municipality of Marlboro Township for legal services. In a statement to the press, Bennett blamed party bosses and a biased press for attempting to destroy him. Bennett was a leading opponent of using state funds to construct a convention center/stadium in Pennsauken Township, New Jersey that would have been used by a minor league ice hockey team that Norcross had bought an interest in.

John Bennett failed in his 2003 bid for re-election to the State Senate. In the 2005 primary election he was elected Republican State Committeeman for Monmouth County. His candidacy for this minor party position was considered controversial based on his past, even though he was unopposed for the post.

Bennett graduated from West Virginia University with a B.A. in 1970, and was awarded a J.D. by the Seton Hall University School of Law in 1974.