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State Sens. Robert Gordon and Loretta Weinberg (both D-Bergen) discuss their upcoming effort to override Gov. Chris Christie's veto of their legislation to overhaul the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

(Matt Friedman/NJ Advance Media)

TRENTON — State Senate Democrats today set March 5 as the day they will attempt to override Gov. Chris Christie's veto of legislation intended to bring greater oversight and accountability to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.



The bill's (S2181) Senate sponsors, Robert Gordon and Loretta Weinberg (both D-Bergen), in a press conference today acknowledged that the override will not be easy to accomplish even though the legislation passed with Republican support, since Democrats have tried and failed dozens of times to override other Christie vetoes after GOP members balked at voting against him.

"There is no governmental, logical, rational reason not to put these into law. It just doesn't exist," Weinberg said.



Gordon and Weinberg noted they just need three Republican votes in the Senate, the first stop for the override effort, and that state Sen. Michael Doherty (R-Warren) has already indicated that he will vote to override. If the effort succeeds in the Senate, six Republicans would be needed for it to succeed in the Assembly.



"We know this is an effort we all believe in, Democrats and Republicans, and we urge our Republican colleagues to do the right thing," Weinberg said. "They owe it to their constituents and to the residents of our state to ensure that this is accomplished."



The press conference came on the one-year anniversary of the publication of the email which Gov. Chris Christie's aide, Bridget Kelly, ordered the closure of Fort Lee access lanes to the George Washington Bridge with the infamous words "Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee." The email and resulting scandal laid bare political abuses that had plagued the Port Authority, which Gordon said has a bigger budget than 26 states.



The bill passed without opposition from lawmakers in New York and New Jersey by a combined vote of 612-0 . It would have mandated annual reports to both states' legislatures, put in place new lobbying restrictions, create an office of inspector general within the authority, put in place standards for public hearings on toll increases and give whistleblower protection to agency employees, among other things.



But on the Saturday evening after Christmas, Christie and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that they would veto the bill, and threw their support behind a special panel's recommendations on changes to the agency's governance.



"If the Port Authority is just allowed to make these changes to their bylaws, they have the durability and legal force of the bylaws of a local rotary club," Gordon said. "They can be changed at any time."



The state Senate and Assembly would need two-thirds majority to successfully override the veto. In New York State, where a new legislative session began this year, the bill has been reintroduced and will need to be passed again.



Gordon said that while he's a "realist" about the chances of convincing Republicans to overcome Christie, he said the goal is "reachable" and that they set the date in March so they would have time to convince Republicans (Gordon had originally sought to override the veto this month).

Gordon also said that the fact that so many of the Republicans' constituents are affected by the Port Authority could help as well.



"It is my hope that I will be able to meet personally with every Republican senator," Gordon said. "I would suggest to (Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr.) that if your members are fearful of retribution from the governor's office, why don't you all vote together as a bloc to give them some cover."



Added Weinberg: "They will be standing up not to the governor of the State of New Jersey. They will be standing up for the constituents they represent."

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Matt Friedman may be reached at mfriedman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattFriedmanSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.