Camille Andrews

Camille Spinello Andrews (born November 26, 1959[1]) is an American Democratic Party politician from New Jersey, who was initially a candidate in the 2008 United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey, running to represent New Jersey's 1st congressional district.[2]

Nomination

Andrews is the wife of Rob Andrews, the district's current Representative, who sought the Democratic nomination for one of the state's U.S. Senate seats in 2008. Since Rob Andrews could not run for the Senate while seeking re-election for his House seat, Camille was accused of being a "placeholder," who would presumably cede candidacy in the general election to another Democrat, possibly her husband, were he to lose the Senate Democratic primary to incumbent Frank Lautenberg.[3] Camille insisted that she was no placeholder, but she conceded that if asked by her party's leaders, she would step down and allow another candidate to run.[2]

Career and criticism

Andrews, besides being an attorney for a private equity firm, has been on leave since September 2007 from her other position, Associate Dean of the Rutgers School of Law in Camden, New Jersey.[4] Holding the latter position has drawn criticism of a conflict of interest of her husband, as he directed over $2 million dollars in federal earmarks between 2001 and the present. Dale Glading, a Republican politician also seeking Rob Andrews' seat, has called the earmarks "borderline unethical." [5] However, both the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct and the law school's internal council have asserted that there was no conflict of interest, on the grounds that Camille's status as an employee was not affected by the granting of the earmarks.[5]

In May 2012, Andrews was the subject of criticism by bloggers and the non-profit Law School Transparency for an email in which she encouraged prospective students to enroll in Rutgers- Camden's JD/MBA program, citing favorable employment statistics.[6] Law School Transparency pointed out these employment statistics were highly misleading and called for Dean Andrews' resignation.[7] Dean Rayman Solomon of Rutgers-Camden Law said LST's criticisms "are unfounded and have no merit."[8]

Mrs. Andrews approved more than $30,000 in political contributions on a family trip to Scotland from her husband's election campaign funds. Mrs. Andrews serves as a volunteer compliance officer for her husband Rep. Rob Andrews' campaign. The Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) is investigating Rep. Rob Andrews for using campaign and political action committee money for a family trip to Scotland in June 2011.

Withdrawal

Camille Andrews won the Democratic primary for her husband's seat in the House, but Rob Andrews was beaten by Lautenberg in the Senate primary. After losing to Lautenberg, Rob Andrews decided to run for re-election to his House seat; Camille withdrew her candidacy on September 3, and Rob Andrews announced that on September 4 that he would take her place as the Democratic candidate. He maintained that his wife had not been merely a placeholder candidate and said that he had only decided to run for re-election a week before he announced it; according to Andrews, his change of heart was a result of personal reflection.[9]

Personal life

Andrews and her husband reside in Haddon Heights, New Jersey, and have two teenage daughters.[10]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.martindale.com/Search_Tools/Law_Schools/schl1292.aspx
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Margolin, Josh; Schwaneberg, Robert (2008-04-08), "Camille Andrews: I'm running for real", Newark Star Ledger, retrieved 2008-05-17
  3. ↑ Pearsall, Richard (2008-04-09), "Andrews' wife hints at 'placeholder' role" (– SCHOLAR SEARCH), Courier-Post, retrieved 2008-05-17
  4. ↑ "Camille Spinello Andrews". Rutgers Law: Faculty, Staff and Administration Directory. Rutgers University. Retrieved 2008-05-17.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Burton, Cynthia (2008-05-14), "Andrews defends earmarks for wife's school" (– SCHOLAR SEARCH), The Philadelphia Inquirer, retrieved 2008-05-17
  6. ↑ http://abovethelaw.com/2012/05/law-school-sales-pitch-doubles-down-on-the-getting-rich-rationale-for-law-school/
  7. ↑ http://www.lawschooltransparency.com/2012/05/lst-calls-for-deans-resignation-and-aba-investigation/
  8. ↑ http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20120523/NEWS01/305230012/Doubts-law-school-pitch
  9. ↑ "Wife bows out, so Rep. Andrews can run", UPI, September 4, 2008.
  10. ↑ She is a professor and associate dean Rutgers University-Camden School of Law. Burton, Cynthia (2008-04-08), "Rob Andrews' wife to run for his U.S. House seat" (– SCHOLAR SEARCH), The Philadelphia Inquirer, retrieved 2008-05-17

External links

Preceded by
Rob Andrews		 Democratic Nominee for U.S. House of Representatives for the 1st Congressional District
June 2008 – September 2008 		Succeeded by
Rob Andrews