Joseph Suliga

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Joseph Suliga (1958 - February 18, 2005) was an American Democratic Party politician, who served in the New Jersey State Senate, where he represented the 22nd Legislative District, until 2004. Suliga did not run for re-election in 2003 after a scandal involving his alleged drunken, sexual harassing a woman in Atlantic City, New Jersey.[1] Instead he entered re-hab and was replaced on the ballot (and in the Senate) by fellow Linden Democrat Nicholas Scutari.[2] Suliga was killed in an auto accident in the parking lot of a Linden Go Go Bar.[3].

In the Senate, Suliga sponsored legislation requiring insurance coverage for mammograms to women over 35. He was co-chair of the Senate Environmental Committee and served as the second ranking Democrat on the Appropriations Committee.

Suliga started his career in elected office at the age of 19 as the youngest person ever elected to the Linden Public Schools Board of Education, while he was a student at Kean University, serving in office from 1977-1983. Later, he served on the Linden City Council from 1984 to 1988. Before his election the Senate, Scutari served in the New Jersey General Assembly, the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature, from 1994 to 2001 and was a member of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders from 1988-1990.[4]

Suliga received a B.A. from Kean University with a major in Political Science, and was granted a Master of Public Administration degree in 1993 from Kean University and earned an M.S. degree from Rutgers University in Industrial Relations.[4]

[edit] References

  1. ^ SULIGA FACES CHARGES
  2. ^ via Associated Press. "Democrats allowed to substitute candidate -- Union state senator quit after his arrest", The Record (Bergen County), [[October 4], 2003. Accessed April 11, 2008. "Democratic leaders named Nicholas P. Scutari to replace Sen. Joseph Suliga, D-Union, who dropped out of the 22nd District election race last week to seek treatment for 'an alcohol-related problem.'"
  3. ^ SULIGA KILLED OUTSIDE GOGO BAR
  4. ^ a b Senator Suliga's legislative webpage, New Jersey Legislature, copy backed up via Internet Archive dated December 5, 2003. Accessed January 31, 2008.

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