Politics & Government

Chatham Mayor Deflects Critics, Preps for Hearing

Bruce Harris will appear Thursday for his confirmation hearing for the N.J. Supreme Court.

Chatham Borough Mayor Bruce Harris has deflected criticisms this week that he doesn't have the experience needed to sit on the New Jersey Supreme Court as he prepares for his confirmation hearing Thursday in Trenton.

Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D-Union), the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, there was "very little on Mr. Harris that we have in terms of his legal background."

Harris works as a finance attorney and is admitted to the bar in New Jersey, New York and Washington. Since 2005, he has been an attorney for Greenberg Traurig LLC in Florham Park.

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"He's never been a judge, never been a practicing attorney in court," Scutari said. "He really hasn't done much as a lawyer in terms of what we're going to ask him about, [such as] courtroom experience, ruling on an actual case, the rules of evidence."

Harris, who is openly gay, has also been criticized by Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union), a member of the Judiciary Committee, for announcing he will recuse himself from gay marriage issues if selected to the Supreme Court, according to NJ.com.

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Despite the criticism from Senate democrats, Harris told The Record Tuesday, "sticks and stones my break my bones."

More than two months after Harris first appeared for Phillip Kwon's confirmation hearing, he will be sworn for his own hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday morning.

Harris traveled to Trenton for the confirmation hearing of . The two were in January.

The Senate Judiciary Committee failed to approve Kwon's nomination, and statements from senate Democrats indicate Harris may also not garner enough votes to move past the committee.

After Christie announced his nominees, confidential information submitted to the Judiciary Committee by Harris and Kwon was leaked to The Star-Ledger. The information included career backgrounds and details, property owned and debts.

Sen. Thomas Kean Jr. and Sen. Gerald Cardinale, who represents Closter, and "damaged the integrity of the confirmation process."

Harris also has his supporters. Kean to conduct "a fair hearing and [give Harris] open-minded consideration." 

Of Kwan's hearing, Kean said in the same statement, "unfortunately, the last confirmation conducted for a Supreme Court nominee was anything but fair, impartial or deliberate."

James Lott Jr., the Chatham Borough's attorney, and Edwin F. Chociey Jr., both of Harris' old firm Riker Danzig, wrote statements supporting Harris that were .

"As an attorney, he has the rare ability to counsel clients in complex financial and business transactions, paying attention to every detail of the deal while never losing sight of the larger picture," Lott wrote in his statement.

"Bruce is thorough, inquisitive, and insightful in every task that he undertakes. I believe that these are essential skills of an appellate justice and would serve him extremely well if appointed to our State's highest Court," Lott said. 

Chociey wrote of Harris, "his intelligence, integrity, judgment and work ethic are first rate. These are some of the most important qualities of a Justice."

Chociey drew on his own experience in courtrooms, saying, "I know that Bruce possesses the legal intellect, common sense, dedication and sense of fairness necessary to serve with distinction on the Supreme Court."

While Democrats say Harris' lack of courtroom experience detract from his qualifications to sit on the bench, Chociey said "some of the finest judges whom I have appeared before did not come to the bench with a litigation background."

Christie's office also released a PDF comparing Harris' qualifications to those that President Barack Obama has said a Supreme Court justice should possess. The PDF can be found in the Photos & Documents section of this article.

'A Fine Justice'

Former State Sen. Leanna Brown, who represented Chatham Borough and still lives in the area, disagreed with criticisms voiced by senate Democrats.

"Bruce is an outstanding lawyer, and he'll make a fine justice," she said.

"You can never tell how anybody's going to rule, but certainly his record as a member of the Chatham Council has been one of examining everything very closely," Brown said.

Vicki Fife has known Harris' partner, Marc Boisclair, "for years." When she announced her candidacy for the , she got to know Harris more closely.

Fife describes Harris as "a leader," one whom was "born to be in [the] role" of mayor. More than that, she said, "he's very thoughtful. He makes no decision before he looks at every angle. I know other people have said that about him, and I think that's 100 percent true."

Steven Goldstein, the chairman of Garden State Equality, gave Harris his endorsement because of his "superb credentials ... [and] important government experience."

In the meantime, Harris indicated during the council meeting Tuesday he continues to make plans, including giving out the Mayor's Trophy at Fishawack Festival on Saturday, June 9.

"If I am mayor that day, I will be there," Harris said.

Harris graduated magna cum laude from Amherst College in 1973. He also holds an MBA in finance and economics from Boston University, earned in 1979, and a law degree from Yale Law School, earned in 1992.

While serving on the Environmental Commission, Dick Plambeck asked Harris to serve out his term as council member while he served as mayor. Harris stood for election to the council twice since then, once in 2005 and once in 2008.

If Harris is confirmed by the committee, he will resign his role as mayor of Chatham Borough. If approved, he will become the first openly gay man to sit on the state's highest court.

When he was in November, Vice President Denis Dison of The Victory Fund said he believed Harris was the to be elected mayor in the country.

Harris, the oldest of 12 siblings, was raised in Iowa. In 1981, he moved from Boston to a home on Elmwood Avenue in Chatham Borough, where he still lives in with Boisclair.

The state Senate Judiciary Committee has 13 members. Democrats on the committee include Scutari, Vice Chairman Nia H. Gill, Lesniak, Nellie Pou, Paul A. Sarlo, Bob Smith, Brian P. Stack and Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg.

Republicans Christopher Bateman, Cardinale, Michael J. Doherty, Joseph M Kyrillos and Kevin J. O'Toole also sit on the committee.

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