Two NJ Democrats Resign From Assembly Over Corruption Arrests

This is how you report on political corruption cases. You clearly state who is involved and their political affiliation - and it's all done in the first two paragraphs.

Two Democratic state legislators arrested last week on federal corruption charges have resigned, legislative officials said.

Assemblymen Mims Hackett Jr., of Orange, and Alfred Steele, of Paterson, resigned Monday, leaving their Assembly seats four days after they were charged with alleged bribe-taking in the awarding of public contracts. Each sent resignation letters to the Assembly clerk, said Assembly Democrat spokesman Joe Donnelly.

But as Hackett and Steele vacated their seats — even as their lawyers said they expected to plead not guilty — others wondered why party leaders haven't also demanded resignations from two senators indicted earlier this year on federal corruption charges.

The resignations, however, raise questions over why two other indicted Democrats were not forced to resign: Wayne Bryant and Sharpe James. Only a smattering of calls have been made for their ouster - Gov. Corzine was silent on the indictments of Bryant and James, but made it clear that he wanted Hackett and Steele gone by today. Curious.

Actually, it's not so curious. Bryant and James are political powerhouses, and demanding their ouster would upset key constituencies that might affect Corzine and other NJ Democrats down the road.