Officials will not say how many people have been assigned to a job the law enforcement agency has never done. The decision Monday means the high court declined to hear the commissions appeal in a lawsuit arguing that New Jersey could not unilaterally walk away from the federally approved interstate compact that established the agency. U.S. Supreme Court justices on Wednesday indicated they might rule in favor of New Jersey leaving a bi-state agency with New York created to police ports, stem the influence of organized crime, and vet dockworkers. Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor (WCNYH) News. The state says the commission has become an impediment to economic growth.. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. WebThe Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor (WCNYH) is a regulatory agency in Port of New York and New Jersey in the United States. Media Inquiries-. Isnt that an extraordinary thing? he asked. January 18, 2023. The Waterfront Commission was established in 1953 after being passed by both state legislatures of New York and New Jersey and Congress as well as being signed into law by then-President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Some academics and other states have expressed concern in their submitted amicus curiae briefs over whether a Supreme Court ruling could affect other interstate compacts. All rights reserved. The bridge is now safer, more inviting to cross and, The Bunker Giorno Foundation, by Blake Sandberg, Column: NYC apartments were never really affordable, by George Fiala, Yes Virginia, there is (still) a Community Board, by Katherine Rivard, Public Place battle tamped down by EPA scientist, by George Fiala, Hamilton Avenue footbridge gets an upgrade, by Nathan Weiser, Under capitalism, there are ways to beat inflation, by Brian Abate and George Fiala, When people from all walks of life need help, by George Bellows, Quinn on Books: The Dairy Restaurant by Ben Katchor, Getting the real stuff during the pandemic, by Michael Fiorito. Gov. Chris Christie signed the bill in his final week in office, though once vetoing it as unconstitutional, and the commission fought the states action through the federal courts. It has argued that its agreement with New York no longer makes sense in an age that brought game-changing mechanization to all the ports, ultimately relocating most activity on the waterfront almost entirely to New Jersey. I dont know that we can draw the inference that you want us to draw.. Under statutory mandate, the mission of the commission is to investigate, deter, combat and remedy criminal activity and influence in the port district and also ensures fair hiring and employment practices. New Jersey politicians say the commission has outlived its usefulness, and in 2018 then-Gov. A long-running battle challenging New Jerseys right to walk away from the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor came under sharp questioning by justices But while the high courts action ends the commissions efforts to stop New Jersey, that may not be the end of the battle. News Header: Former Checker Barred From Returning to Waterfront Following We know here that the parties never intended for this to be perpetual, said Justice Sonia Sotomayor. The Waterfront Commission which includes one member from each state appointed by its governor has jurisdiction over all the regions piers and The U.S. Supreme Court ordered an abrupt halt Thursday to New Jerseys planned exit from a bi-state watchdog agency that regulates the ports and piers of New York Harbor, just four days before the state was ready to call it quits. Rather, the justices were most interested in the sovereign powers of states involved in a bi-state commission, and the minutiae of contract and compact law used to create the commission. Just as it was 70 years ago, the Waterfront Commission remains structured with one commissioner from New York and one commissioner from New Jersey. The Court has given the attorneys for New Jersey's Governor until January 7, 2021, to file their response. As New York admits, there is nothing in the plain text of the compact that expressly limits New Jerseys withdrawal, Feigenbaum said. During arguments at the high court both liberal and conservative justices suggested that the Garden State doesn't need New York's consent to withdraw from the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Judith Vale, New York's deputy solicitor general, tried to convince the court that New Jersey's departure from the 70-year-old commission would "upset and destabilize" the region. Additional motions and responses from the two states are expected to be filed to the Supreme Court through November. Lesniak was jubilant about the Supreme Courts move and predicted a quick end to the Waterfront Commission, in part because he doesnt think New York has lifted much of a finger to fight yet. Indicted in Operation Fistful by Division of Criminal Justice & Waterfront Commission. The commission which includes one member from each state appointed by its governor has wide jurisdiction over the regions piers and terminals, including the ports in Newark, Elizabeth, Bayonne, Staten Island and Brooklyn. It agreed with the state and found that the commissions lawsuit impinges on the State of New Jerseys sovereignty., In a final appeal, lawyers for the Waterfront Commission went to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that if the decision were to stand, it will signal to states that they can destroy compact commissions they find irksome simply by appropriating the commissions functions for themselves.. The Waterfront Commission had sued to stop New Jersey from abandoning the agreement that established it decades ago, a move that would have effectively killed it. Murphy nominated Jennifer Davenport to represent New Jersey on the commission earlier this month and is awaiting Senate confirmation. Ted Sherman may be reached at [emailprotected]. The Port of New York and New Jersey is the largest port complex located on the East Coast of North America. New York docksparticularly in Red Hook, Brooklyncurrently handle a sliver of the New York Harbor and port trade compared to New Jerseys estimated 80 to 90 percent. New Jersey officials, continuing to press forward on a unilateral withdrawal from the watchdog agency that oversees the regions major ports, suggested there could be job offers on the table for those currently working for the bi-state commission. Washington, D.C. U.S. Supreme Court justices spent nearly an hour poking holes in the points made by a lawyer representing New York during oral arguments We look forward to an orderly transition from the Commission to the New Jersey State Police.. [15][16], The report's existence was due, in part, to two whistleblowers, Kevin McGown and Brian Smith, who both resigned and have since filed a discrimination complaint against the agency. New Jersey argues that was a long time ago and that the agency has now outlived it useful life. Paulin said the same logic New Jersey is using to try to wipe away the Waterfront Commission could be used to make things happen that New Jersey might not like for instance, New Yorks unliteral exit from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The bi-state commission was formed in 1953 to combat widespread waterfront crime, including mob activity and the sort of corruption detailed in the movie On the Waterfront.. She noted the bistate agreements silence on the matter of whether the states intended for this to continue forever, or that they would jointly agree to leave, but that one couldnt decide Im done and out. . Over the years, the Waterfront Commission has documented how some union leaders in the ports have raked in hundreds of thousands of dollars in pay each year by submitting weekly reports in which they claim to work more hours than there are in a week. Marlon Brando in the 1954 motion picture "On the Waterfront." The questionnaires also seemed on some level to be seeking information of just what the commission does and the day-to-day work of its staff. Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Elena Kagan, who also grew up in New York, was similarly skeptical of the state's argument as was the court's only member from New Jersey, Justice Samuel Alito. The commission was created in 1953 when organized crime had infiltrated the port and was demanding payments from workers and shippers through extortion and violence. The state has been in court for nearly four years seeking to pull out of the commission, after New Jersey legislators voted in 2018 to walk away in the wake of increasing political pressure by the industry and the dockworkers union. The Waterfront Commission filed suit in 2018 shortly after Gov. Protecting the safety of New Yorkers and our vital industries is my top priority, and we cannot afford to lose the Waterfront Commissions unique authority and expertise in combating crime at our port, said New York Governor Kathy Hochul on March 14, 2022, when New York filed legal action in the Supreme Court to block New Jersey from terminating the Waterfront Commission. Solicitor General Elizabeth B. Prelogar said while the compact was silent on the matter of whether either state could unilaterally withdraw, she said the agreement was structured and funded in such a way that the continuing cooperation of each state was necessary for the Waterfront Commission to function effectively. Since then, however, New Jerseys efforts to leave have been the focus of a series of a legal fights initially launched by the commission itself, and then by New York Gov. We are reviewing all options, Hochuls press secretary, Hazel Crampton-Hays, said in a statement. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. All rights reserved (About Us). The bill was approved by Gov. New York then entered the conversation, arguing that workers move back and forth between the two states ports and that it makes sense to keep the current compact intact. Justice Amy Coney Barrett told Vale that it seems very odd that New York wants to hang on to the commission when the majority of the port's business goes through its New Jersey side. WebCertified Police Officer - Detective. Justice Samuel Alito questioned her on that point. The commission was set up in August 1953 (a year before the movie On the Waterfront) to combat labor racketeering. Six Men Sentenced for Roles in Illegal Loansharking, Check Cashing, Gambling & Money Laundering Schemes Linked to Genovese Crime Family. Jackson and other justices seemed skeptical of New Yorks argument in the case. The letter said New Jerseys move cannot go unchecked.. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. The Waterfront Commission was formed to weed out organized crime and prevent it from infiltrating commerce and work at the ports in New York and New Jersey. WebThey claim the Waterfront Commission has run for many years without accountability and transparency about the use of public funds. Gov. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. The bi-state agency was founded in Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. New York, though, has yet take New Jersey to court over the states decision to end their partnership. The justices will decide the case in the coming months. Chris Christie in his final week in office, even though he had once vetoed it as unconstitutional. The two states also are joined together through the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, a far larger agency that serves as a massive economic engine, operates the airports, bridges, tunnels and seaports spanning the metropolitan area. The agencys two commissioners and executive staff members were swept out and new leadership has since been installed. Gov. All rights reserved (About Us). For unlimited access to her work covering the regions transportation systems and how they affect your commute,please subscribe or activate your digital account today. We want to know if you are interested in transitioning your employment from the current commission to the state of New Jersey, wrote State Police Superintendent Col. Patrick Callahan in a letter sent last week to Waterfront Commission employees. Gov. Upon assuming the position, current Governor Phil Murphywho previously promised members of the International Longshoremens Association that he would, as he declared in his campaign speech before the 2017 election, figure out the damn Waterfront Commission once and for allwas faced with a lawsuit on his first day of office. That territory includes the ports in Newark, Elizabeth, Bayonne, Staten Island and Brooklyn). The closely watched case could carry broad implications, not just in the control of the sprawling waterfront that stretches from Brooklyn to Elizabeth, but in the possible impact on other agencies established through similar compacts between states, say some legal experts. Vale responded that commerce from the joint ports of New York Harbor remained a huge driver of the states economy and that New York itself still has sovereign interests in the marine terminals operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey located in New Jersey. [6][7], WCPD uses marked police patrol cars (such as Ford Explorer[8]), command centre vehicles[9] and boats for water work. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Several justices leaned back in their chairs as they listened to Vale's final arguments, but none followed up with questions. Gov. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Other justices on the court focused on whether the 70-year-old agreement that created the bi-state agency to fight corruption and mob influence on the regions docks had ever been intended to be permanent. Judith Vale, representing New York, argued that the agreements silence on unilateral withdrawal made the opposite point. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. [12], On August 11, 2009, the New York State Inspector General Joseph Fisch issued a report of his two-year investigation of the Waterfront Commission. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. [10], Officers wear a darkblue NYC-style police uniform, with:[11], It also includes a duty belt with equipment. Follow the AP's coverage of the U.S. Supreme Court at https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court. New Jerseys arguments have been bolstered by the U.S. Office of the Solicitor General, which argues the governments position for the federal Justice Department in cases before the Supreme Court and was specifically asked by the court to weigh in on this one. New York has yet to take a position in the matter. But its enforcement efforts in recent years led to mounting political pressure in Trenton, with the New York Shipping Association and International Longshoremens Association arguing that the commission had long overstepped its authority. New York sued New Jersey in March over its withdrawal efforts, arguing that the two states would have to agree to the commission's disbanding, and said the work of the commission is not over, with organized crime still seeking to "exert influence" over port operations. How NJ lost $850M to NY:A look inside the negotiations to split federal transit funds. The two FBI special agents in charge of the New York and Newark field offices wrote that the agencys own work with the commission shows the continued influence of the Genovese and Gambino organized crime families over the International Longshoremens Association and waterfront businesses.. But the high courts move doesnt end the commission if anything, it may intensify a simmering dispute between New Jersey and New York about the agencys future, adding to other state clashes between the two states over taxes and tolls. The next day, when Gov. All rights reserved. Phil Murphy reiterated Wednesday that New Jersey would unilaterally leave the bi-state Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor, calling it a completely This underworld of crime was portrayed in the 1954 film "On the Waterfront," starring Marlon Brando. New Jersey, however, has sought for more than five years to kill the Waterfront Commission, calling the agency a vestige of a past. Some of Vale's arguments hinged on the idea that the creation of the Waterfront Commission was much like the inception of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. By submitting your email to receive this newsletter, you agree to our. Justice Amy Coney Barrett said it seems very odd that New York wants to keep the commission even though most of the ports business is now conducted on the New Jersey side of the harbor. The Waterfront Commission declined comment on Monday. The commission, which approves and denies those seeking port jobs like longshoreman, includes representation from both states. 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