View source for Jon Corzine

{{Short description|American politician (born 1947)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name         = Jon Corzine
|image        = SenatorJonCorzine.jpg
|order        = 54th [[Governor of New Jersey]]
|term_start   = January 17, 2006
|term_end     = January 19, 2010
|predecessor  = [[Richard Codey]]
|successor    = [[Chris Christie]]
|office1      = Chair of the [[Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee]] 
|leader1      = [[Tom Daschle]]
|term_start1  = January 3, 2003
|term_end1    = January 3, 2005
|predecessor1 = [[Patty Murray]]
|successor1   = [[Chuck Schumer]]
|jr/sr2       = United States Senator
|state2       = [[New Jersey]]
|term_start2  = January 3, 2001
|term_end2    = January 17, 2006
|predecessor2 = [[Frank Lautenberg]]
|successor3   = [[Bob Menendez]]
|birth_name   = Jon Stevens Corzine
|birth_date   = {{birth date and age|1947|1|1}}
|birth_place  = [[Taylorville, Illinois]], U.S.
|death_date   = 
|death_place  = 
|party        = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|spouse       = {{ubl |{{marriage|Joanne Dougherty|1969|2003|end=div}} |{{marriage|Sharon Elghanayan|2010}}}}
|children     = 3
|relatives    = [[Roy A. Corzine]] (grandfather)
|education    = [[University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br>[[University of Chicago]] ([[Master of Business Administration|MBA]])
|signature    = Jon Corzine Signature.svg
|allegiance   = {{flag|United States}}
|branch       = {{flag|United States Marine Corps}}
|serviceyears = 1969–1975
|rank         = [[Sergeant (United States)|Sergeant]]
|unit         = [[United States Marine Corps Reserve]]
}}
'''Jon Stevens Corzine''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|ɔːr|z|aɪ|n}} {{Respell|KOR|zyne}}; born January 1, 1947) is an American financial executive and retired politician who served as a [[United States Senate|United States Senator]] from [[New Jersey]] from 2001 to 2006, and the 54th [[governor of New Jersey]] from 2006 to 2010. Corzine ran for a second term as governor [[2009 New Jersey gubernatorial election|in 2009]] but was defeated for re-election by Republican [[Chris Christie]]. A member of the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]], he previously worked at [[Goldman Sachs]]; after leaving politics, he was CEO of [[MF Global]] from 2010 until its collapse in 2011.<ref name="Foley">{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/what-price-the-new-democracy-goldman-sachs-conquers-europe-6264091.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220614/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/what-price-the-new-democracy-goldman-sachs-conquers-europe-6264091.html |archive-date=June 14, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=What price the new democracy? Goldman Sachs conquers Europe|last=Foley|first=Stephen|date=November 18, 2011|work=The Independent |location=London|access-date=November 18, 2011}}</ref>

==Education and early business career==
Corzine was born in [[Taylorville, Illinois]], the son of Nancy June (née Hedrick) and Roy Allen Corzine, Jr.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.chicagobooth.edu/magazine/summer01/features/corzine.html |title=''Chicago GSB,'' From Wall Street to Washington-Sen. Jon Corzine |access-date=March 29, 2020 |archive-date=September 3, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190903172105/https://www.chicagobooth.edu/magazine/summer01/features/corzine.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> His grandfather [[Roy A. Corzine]], Sr. served in the [[Illinois General Assembly]].<ref name=nyjune>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/04/09/nyregion/around-jon-corzine-s-roots-a-casual-indifference-to-ethnicity.html|title=Around Jon Corzine's Roots, a Casual Indifference to Ethnicity|author=Peterson, Iver|date=April 9, 2000 |work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=July 20, 2008}}</ref> He grew up on a small family farm in [[Willey Station, Illinois]] near [[Taylorville, Illinois|Taylorville]]. After completing high school at Taylorville High School,<ref name=Record2005>{{cite news|author=Gohlke, Josh <!-- dead url=http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk2MDcmZmdiZWw3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTY3NzM1NzMmeXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXky--> |title=Corzine's success had humble beginning|work=[[The Record (Bergen County)]]|date=September 18, 2005|quote=Taylorville is the sort of town where one faces an early choice between staying or leaving, and Corzine is a dramatic example of the latter. His links to the place have only dwindled further in recent years with the deaths of a close friend and his last local relative, as well as his 2003 divorce from his wife, Joanne, whom he dated at Taylorville High School.}}</ref> where he had been the [[American football|football]] [[quarterback]] and basketball [[Captain (sports)|captain]],<ref name=IR/> he attended the [[University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign]], where he was a member of the [[Phi Delta Theta]] [[fraternity]], and graduated in 1969, earning [[Phi Beta Kappa]] honors.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://museum.phideltatheta.org/famous/jon-corzine/|title=Jon Corzine|publisher=Phi Delta Theta |access-date=October 6, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nga.org/cms/home/governors/past-governors-bios/page_new_jersey/col2-content/main-content-list/title_corzine_jon.default.html|title=Governor Jon Corzine |publisher=[[National Governors Association]] |access-date=October 6, 2017}}</ref> While in college, he enlisted in the [[United States Marine Corps Reserve]] and served from 1969 until 1975, attaining the rank of [[Sergeant#United States|sergeant]]. In 1970, he enrolled in the [[University of Chicago Booth School of Business]], from which he received a [[Master of Business Administration]] degree in 1973.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=c001042|title=Corzine, Jon Stevens, (1947– ) |work=[[Biographical Directory of the United States Congress]] |access-date=July 30, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/c001042/ |title=Members of Congress / Jon Corzine |publisher=[[The Washington Post Company]] |work=The United States Congress Votes Database |access-date=July 30, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821213339/http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/c001042/ |archive-date=August 21, 2008 }}</ref>

His first business experience was in the bond department of [[Continental Illinois National Bank]], where he worked days while attending the Booth School of Business MBA program at night.<ref name=IR>{{cite news |url=http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2007/04/gov_jon_corzine.html |title=Gov. Jon Corzine in Critical Condition |publisher=Illinois Review |date=April 13, 2007 |author=Rhoads, Mark |work=Illinois Review (online) |access-date=November 3, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.state.nj.us/governor/about/|title=About the Governor|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071213160857/http://www.state.nj.us/governor/about/|archive-date=December 13, 2007 |publisher=State of New Jersey |year=2007 |access-date=November 3, 2007}}</ref> He then moved to BancOhio National Bank, a regional bank in [[Columbus, Ohio]], that was acquired in 1984 by [[National City Corp.|National City Bank]]. Corzine worked at BancOhio until 1975, when he moved his family to New Jersey and was hired as a [[Bond (finance)|bond]] trader for Goldman Sachs.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/business/2012/02/jon-corzine-201202|title=The Inside Story: Jon Corzine's Reckless Gamble|last=Burrough|first=Bryan|magazine=Vanity Fair|language=en|access-date=2020-02-16}}</ref>

==Goldman Sachs==
In 1976, Corzine joined Goldman Sachs as a bond trader and then became co-manager of the Fixed Income, Currencies and Commodities Division. He became a partner in 1980, and a member of the management committee in 1984. He served as Goldman Sachs' CFO (1991–1994), and a senior partner (1994–1999). During his leadership, Corzine oversaw the firm's expansion into [[Asia]] and was instrumental in leading the transition of the firm from a private partnership to a public company.<ref name="Church, George J">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,989859-2,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071122160455/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,989859-2,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 22, 2007|title=Diamonds Buried in The Rubble |date=December 21, 1998 |magazine=Time |author=Church, George J. |access-date=July 17, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB916079816365240000|title=Jon Corzine Resigns as Co-CEO At Goldman Sachs to Focus on IPO|date=January 12, 1999|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|author=Anita Raghavan |author2=Patrick McGeehan}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/18/business/dealbook/jon-corzine-wall-street-comeback.html?_r=0|title=In Tumult of Trump, Jon Corzine Seeks a Wall Street Comeback|date=May 18, 2017|work=[[The New York Times]]|author=Ben Protess}}</ref>

Corzine also chaired a presidential commission on [[capital budgeting]] for [[Bill Clinton]]<ref>The President's Commission to Study Capital Budgeting, appointed in 1997, terminated September 30, 1999.[https://clintonwhitehouse3.archives.gov/pcscb/index.html]</ref> and served as Chairman of the [[United States Department of the Treasury]]'s borrowing committee.<ref>{{cite book |author=Endlich, Lisa J. |author-link=Lisa Endlich |year=1999|title=Goldman Sachs: The Culture of Success|page=[https://archive.org/details/goldmansachscult00endl/page/221 221]|publisher=Knopf|isbn=978-0-679-45080-1|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/goldmansachscult00endl/page/221}}</ref> As the Goldman Sachs senior partner, he helped develop a private sector plan to rescue the hedge fund [[Long-Term Capital Management]] when the leveraged fund's collapse in the fall of 1998 threatened contagion across the U.S. financial system.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,989219,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050111215621/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,989219,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 11, 2005|title=The Brightest and the Brokest |date=October 5, 1998 |magazine=Time |author=Greenwald, John |access-date=July 17, 2008}}</ref> According to ''[[U.S. News & World Report]]'', Corzine did not get along with co-CEO [[Henry Paulson]],<ref name=JCaHPJGRWHHWJWHJ>{{cite news|url=https://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/whispers/articles/990125/archive_002458.htm |title=Jon Corzine and Henry Paulson Jr.; Gabrielle Reece; William H. ("Holly") Whyte; John W. Hinckley Jr. |date=January 17, 1999 |work=[[U.S. News & World Report]] |access-date=July 28, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015071525/http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/whispers/articles/990125/archive_002458.htm |archive-date=October 15, 2008 }}</ref> who came from the other major area of the bank, [[investment banking]].<ref name="NYT01">Schwartz, Nelson D. (May 12, 2010). [https://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/13/business/13corzine.html?hpw "Corzine Starting Small in Bid for Redemption"]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved May 13, 2010.</ref> When Corzine participated in structuring the bailout, Paulson seized control of the firm.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/53974|title=Power Play: Goldman's Hank Paulson Won the Battle to Oust Dick Grasso Over His Lavish Pay. But Will He Win the War? |date=June 7, 2004 |work=Newsweek |access-date=July 21, 2008}}</ref> When Goldman Sachs went public after Corzine's departure,<ref name=JCaHPJGRWHHWJWHJ /> Corzine made $400&nbsp;million.<ref name=WWtVfaM />

Corzine has participated in meetings of the [[Bilderberg Group]], a network of leaders in the fields of politics, business and banking (1995–1997, 1999, 2003, and 2004).<ref name=TNA2004>{{cite magazine|magazine=The New American|date=June 28, 2004|title=Bilderbergers celebrate half a century of intrigue, secrecy|volume=20|issue=13|issn=0885-6540|quote=Attendees from the U.S. this year reportedly included: Senators Jon Corzine (D-N.J.) and John Edwards (D-N.C.); ... [[Peter Weinberg]], CEO of Goldman Sachs International; and [[James Wolfensohn]], president of the World Bank.}}</ref> He is a former member of the group's steering committee.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bilderbergmeetings.org/former-steering-committee-members.html |title=Former Steering Committee Members |work=bilderbergmeetings.org |publisher=[[Bilderberg Group]] |access-date=February 8, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202095633/http://www.bilderbergmeetings.org/former-steering-committee-members.html |archive-date=February 2, 2014  }}</ref>

Corzine is a member of [[Kappa Beta Phi]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Roose |first=Kevin |date=2014 |title=Young Money: Inside the Hidden World of Wall Street's Post-Crash Recruits |location=London, UK |publisher=John Murray (Publishers), An Hachette UK Company |page=206 |isbn=978-1-4736-1161-0}}</ref>

==U.S. Senate==

===2000 election===
{{main|2000 United States Senate election in New Jersey}}
After being forced out from Goldman Sachs in January 1999, Corzine campaigned for a New Jersey [[United States Senate|Senate]] seat after [[Frank Lautenberg]] announced his retirement. Despite initially trailing behind his opponent in the Democratic primary by 30 percentage points,<ref name=TNJP>{{cite news |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/85070|title=The New Jersey Purchase: Jon Corzine's $36&nbsp;Million Campaign For The Senate |date=June 12, 2000 |work=Newsweek |author=Hosenball, Mark |access-date=July 19, 2008}}</ref> Corzine won the nomination by 16 points. He later attributed his successful primary run to pollster [[Bob Shrum]] who convinced him to run not as "a seasoned investment banker and job creator" but as a "liberal progressive".<ref>Jon S. Corzine and [[Peter J. Woolley]] (Jan. 2018) "In Defense of Polls, Though Not Necessarily Pollsters, Pundits or Strategists". . 51.1: 159.</ref> In the general election, Corzine won by just a three-point margin over his [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] opponent, four-term [[United States Congressman]] [[Bob Franks]], in the [[U.S. Senate election, 2000|November 2000 election]]. He was sworn into the Senate in January 2001.

He spent more than $62&nbsp;million of his own money on his campaign, the most expensive Senate campaign in U.S. history{{spaced ndash}}over $33&nbsp;million of this was spent on the primary election alone, where he defeated former Governor [[James Florio]] 58–42%.<ref name=WWtVfaM>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,46866,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101122075317/http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,46866,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 22, 2010|title=Who Wants to Vote for a Multimillionaire? |date=June 7, 2000 |magazine=Time |author=Derer, Mike |access-date=July 17, 2008}}</ref><ref>Richman, Josh. [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4176/is_20060605/ai_n16483083 "Self-funded candidates say it's worth every cent"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014204815/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4176/is_20060605/ai_n16483083 |date=October 14, 2008}}, ''[[Oakland Tribune]]'', June 5, 2006. Retrieved September 2, 2007. "His [Michael Huffington's] $30&nbsp;million campaign—including more than three times the previous record for television ad buys—was the costliest in U.S. Senate history until New Jersey Democrat Jon Corzine spent $62.7&nbsp;million of his own money in 2000."</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Cook|first=Charlie|url=http://cookpolitical.com/column/2000/062000.php|title=In New Jersey, Past Is Not Necessarily Prologue|publisher=[[Cook Political Report]]|date=June 20, 2000|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080611192537/http://www.cookpolitical.com/column/2000/062000.php|archive-date=June 11, 2008|access-date=September 23, 2009|quote=By the time the June 6 Senate primary in New Jersey rolled around, former Goldman Sachs Co-Chairman Jon Corzine had spent a record shattering $34&nbsp;million in his successful quest for the Democratic nomination. He defeated former Gov. Jim Florio 58–42 percent}}</ref> Franks had been a last-minute choice because New Jersey Governor [[Christine Todd Whitman]] had been expected to run for the Senate.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/whispers/articles/990920/archive_002577.htm |title=Allen Funt; Jim "Catfish" Hunter; Christine Todd Whitman; Henry Cisneros |date=September 12, 1999 |work=[[U.S. News & World Report]] |access-date=July 28, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015071530/http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/whispers/articles/990920/archive_002577.htm |archive-date=October 15, 2008 }}</ref> The record $62&nbsp;million amount surpassed [[Michael Huffington]], who spent nearly $28&nbsp;million in an unsuccessful 1994 Senate race.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,998571,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101122102249/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,998571,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 22, 2010|title=Numbers |date=November 20, 2000 |magazine=Time |author=August, Melissa |display-authors=etal |access-date=July 22, 2008}}</ref>

During the campaign, Corzine refused to release his [[Tax return (United States)|income tax return]] records. He claimed an interest in doing so, but he cited a [[confidentiality agreement]] with Goldman Sachs. Skeptics argued that Corzine should have followed the example of his predecessor [[Robert Rubin]], who converted his [[stock|equity]] stake into debt upon leaving Goldman.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/85856|title=The High Price Of Chutzpah: Cheney And Corzine May Be Pushing The Ethical Envelope On Conflict-Of-Interest Rules. That's More Than Daring—It's - Just Plain Galling |date=August 28, 2000 |work=Newsweek |access-date=July 19, 2008}}</ref>

Corzine campaigned for state government programs including [[universal health care]], universal [[Gun law in the United States|gun registration]], mandatory public preschool, and more taxpayer funding for college education.<ref name=WWtVfaM/><ref name=NFITS>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,998535,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101122102740/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,998535,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 22, 2010|title=New Faces In The Senate |date=November 20, 2000 |magazine=Time |author1=Morse, Jodie |author2=Nadya Labi |author3=Michel Orecklin |access-date=July 18, 2008}}</ref> He pushed [[affirmative action]] and [[same-sex marriage]].<ref name=TNJP/> [[David Brooks (commentator)|David Brooks]] opined that Corzine was so liberal that his election, although the fact that his predecessor was also a Democrat, helped push the Senate to the left.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/104969|title=Surviving The Coming Clash: With The Left Feeling Frisky, Conservatives Need To Watch Their Step If They Want To Have Their Way. It's Time To Be Patient. |date=December 25, 2000 |work=Newsweek |author=David Brooks |author-link=David Brooks (commentator) |access-date=July 20, 2008}}</ref>

During Corzine's campaign for the [[United States Senate]], he made some controversial [[off-color]] statements. When introduced to a man with an Italian name who said he was in the construction business, Corzine quipped: "Oh, you make [[cement shoes]]!" according to Emanuel Alfano, chairman of the Italian-American One Voice Committee. Alfano reported that when introduced to a lawyer named David Stein, Corzine said: "He's not Italian, is he? Oh, I guess he's your Jewish lawyer who is here to get the rest of you out of jail."<ref>{{cite news|author=Halbfinger, David M.|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CEFDC153CF933A05750C0A9669C8B63|title=Corzine Assailed for Joke About Italian-Americans|work=The New York Times |date=March 30, 2000 |access-date=July 29, 2008}}</ref> Corzine denied mentioning religion, but did not deny the quip about Italians, stating that some of his own ancestors were probably Italian,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.stand-deliver.com/star_ledger/goodfaith.asp |title=Good Faith Politics |author=Adubato, Steve |work=[[The Star-Ledger]] |access-date=July 20, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081016123234/http://www.stand-deliver.com/star_ledger/goodfaith.asp |archive-date=October 16, 2008 }}</ref> or maybe French.<ref name=nyjune/>

Also in 2000, Corzine denied having made payments to African-American ministers, although the foundation controlled by Jon and Joanne Corzine had paid one influential black church $25,000.<ref>Ingle, pp. 62–63.</ref> [[Reginald Jackson (bishop)|Reginald T. Jackson]], director of the Black Ministers Council of New Jersey, had campaigned against a form of [[racial profiling]] whereby police officers stop minority drivers, and had gotten New Jersey state police superintendent [[Carl A. Williams]] fired. Corzine had donated to Jackson prior to getting what appears to be a reciprocal endorsement.<ref>{{cite news |author=Jacobs, Andrew |author-link=Andrew Jacobs (journalist) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/09/20/nyregion/black-minister-criticized-for-taking-corzine-s-money.html |title=Black Minister Criticized for Taking Corzine's Money|work=[[The New York Times]] |page=B4 |date=September 20, 2000 |access-date=August 27, 2008}}</ref>

===Tenure===
[[File:Jon Corzine.jpg|thumb|Corzine in [[New Brunswick, New Jersey]], in 2008]]
Corzine entered Congress in a class of 10 new senators, eight of whom were Democrats. According to ''U.S. News & World Report'', Corzine, [[Hillary Clinton]] and [[Jean Carnahan]] were the more notable new senators in 2000.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/001120/archive_009669.htm |title=Mrs. Carnahan Goes to Washington: Head of the Class |date=November 12, 2000 |work=[[U.S. News & World Report]] |author=Glasser, Jeff |access-date=July 28, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015071443/http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/001120/archive_009669.htm |archive-date=October 15, 2008 }}</ref> During his five-year senatorial career, he was present at 1,503 of 1,673 votes, cosponsored 1,014 bills, sponsored 145 bills (only 11 of which made it out of committee), and had one sponsored bill enacted.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.govtrack.us/congress/person.xpd?id=300028|title=Members of Congress: Jon Corzine |publisher=GovTrack.us |access-date=July 30, 2008}}</ref>

He co-authored the [[Sarbanes–Oxley Act]]. In the aftermath of [[Enron]], he cosponsored (with [[Barbara Boxer]]) legislation, which was later propounded by [[Ted Kennedy]],<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1002125,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080408080246/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1002125,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 8, 2008|title=When One Stock Is Enough |date=April 1, 2002 |magazine=Time |author=Saporito, Bill |access-date=July 19, 2008}}</ref> that reforms the [[401(k)|401(k) plan]] to minimize the risk of investment portfolios.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1001579-4,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105172001/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1001579-4,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 5, 2012|title=Stumped By The Slump (page 4) |date=December 31, 2001 |magazine=Time |author=Kadlec, Daniel |access-date=July 19, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,193520,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020116200215/http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,193520,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 16, 2002|title=Enron: Who's Accountable? |date=January 13, 2002 |magazine=Time |author=Kadlec, Daniel |access-date=July 19, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/63623|title=401(K)S And The Enron Mess: Your Retirement Plan Might Be Every Bit As Risky As Enron's. What Companies Should Do About It. |date=January 21, 2002 |work=Newsweek |author=Quinn, Jane Bryant |author-link=Jane Bryant Quinn |access-date=July 20, 2008}}</ref> The plan was opposed by President [[George W. Bush]] and faced strong opposition in Congress.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/63808|title=The Ripple Effect: The Enron Scandal Is Making Us Rethink The Basic Rules Of Corporate Life And Question The Greedy, Go-For-Broke Ethos Of The Long Boom |date=February 18, 2002 |work=Newsweek |author=McGinn, Daniel }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/60819|title=The Mutual Fund Scandal: Unfair Fight: Mutual Funds Were Supposed To Be The Smart, Safe Choice For Small Investors. But The Latest Scandal Shows How Wall Street Big Shots Make Profits, While The Little Guys Take A Beating |date=December 8, 2003 |work=Newsweek |access-date=July 21, 2008}}</ref> Restrictions on retirement account allocations were in direct opposition to the contemporaneous movement towards [[Self-Directed IRA|self-directed individual retirement accounts]] for Social Security.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usnews.com/usnews/biztech/articles/011224/archive_019910.htm |title=The 401(k) Stumbles: Investment losses and employer cutbacks leave workers reeling |date=December 16, 2001 |work=[[U.S. News & World Report]] |author1=Lim, Paul J. |author2=Matthew Benjamin |access-date=July 28, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015071422/http://www.usnews.com/usnews/biztech/articles/011224/archive_019910.htm |archive-date=October 15, 2008 }}</ref>

Corzine was a sponsor of the Start Healthy, Stay Healthy Act. He supported providing a two-year tax break to victims of the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]] and help grant citizenship to victims who were legal [[alien (law)|resident aliens]]. He supported [[gun control]] laws, outlawing [[racial profiling]], and subsidies for [[Amtrak]]. He was the chief sponsor, along with U.S. Senator [[Sam Brownback]], of the [[Darfur Accountability Act]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usnews.com/usnews/opinion/articles/050523/23edit.htm |title=Dueling for Values |date=May 15, 2005 |work=[[U.S. News & World Report]] |author=Gergen, David |author-link=David Gergen |access-date=July 28, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724201202/http://www.usnews.com/usnews/opinion/articles/050523/23edit.htm |archive-date=July 24, 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.darfurscores.org/darfur-legislation#s495|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061117130027/http://www.darfurscores.org/darfur-legislation#s495|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 17, 2006|title=Darfur Legislation |date=January 1, 2008 |publisher=darfurscores.org |access-date=July 28, 2008}}</ref> He was one of 23 Senators to vote against the [[Iraq Resolution|Iraq War Resolution]]. Corzine was the prime sponsor, along with fellow New Jersey U.S. Senator [[Frank Lautenberg]], of a federal version of John's Law, in memory of Navy Ensign John R. Elliott (a native of New Jersey), a U.S. Naval Academy graduate who was killed by a drunk driver. The legislation provides federal highway safety grant incentives to encourage states to impound the cars of [[DUI]] suspects. He was an early contributing blogger at ''[[The Huffington Post]]''.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/52111|title=Huffington's Post: Not Yet Toast: One Writer Called it 'The Box-office Equivalent of Gigli, Ishtar and Heaven's Gate Rolled into One. |date=May 23, 2005 |work=Newsweek |author=Levy, Steven |access-date=July 21, 2008}}</ref>

In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks, Corzine and [[Peter Fitzgerald (politician)|Peter Fitzgerald]] attempted to mold a more disciplined bailout of the airline industry, but even the redesigned plan was not entirely satisfactory to Corzine.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/75619|title=Pork Barrel Or A Kick-Start?: To Bolster The Faltering Economy, Our Leaders Are Throwing Open The Federal Coffers. A Little Caution Is In Order. |date=October 15, 2001 |work=Newsweek |access-date=July 21, 2008}}</ref> Corzine opposed the reduction in low-income student eligibility for [[Pell Grant]] funding caused by changes in the "expected family contribution".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/48154|title=Perspectives|date=January 10, 2005 |work=Newsweek |access-date=July 21, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/articles/030908/8aid.b.htm |title=Every Little Tweak Hurts |date=August 31, 2003 |work=[[U.S. News & World Report]] |author=Marek, Angie C. |access-date=July 28, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015071437/http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/articles/030908/8aid.b.htm |archive-date=October 15, 2008 }}</ref>

Corzine tried and failed to introduce legislation for chemical plant regulation six weeks after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Subsequent efforts by then-[[Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency]] and former New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman in 2002 were also squelched.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/060123/23chemical.htm |title=The toxic Politics of Chemicals: Securing chemical plants: legislation and obfuscation |date=January 15, 2006 |work=[[U.S. News & World Report]] |author=Marek, Angie C. |access-date=July 28, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015071453/http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/060123/23chemical.htm |archive-date=October 15, 2008 }}</ref> Along with Hillary Clinton, he was one of the few senators who attempted to pressure the [[George W. Bush administration|Bush administration]] to clamp down on regulation of the chemical and [[nuclear-power]] industries.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/63195|title=A Watchful Eye: Politics Is Clouding The Homeland-Security Picture. The Reality And The Rhetoric. |date=February 24, 2003 |work=Newsweek |author=Brill, Steven |author-link=Steven Brill (journalist) |access-date=July 21, 2008}}</ref> His efforts helped make New Jersey one of the stricter states in the nation in terms of chemical plant regulation.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/070321/21chemicals.htm |title=As DHS Plans Chemical Guidelines; N.J. Is Ready to Fight |date=March 21, 2007 |work=[[U.S. News & World Report]] |author=Marek, Angie C. |access-date=July 25, 2008|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015071510/http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/070321/21chemicals.htm |archive-date=October 15, 2008 }}</ref>

In 2001, Corzine coauthored (with [[Bob Graham]]) a tax-cut proposal aimed at lowering the marginal tax bracket from 15% to 10% on the first $19,000 of [[taxable income]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/80253|title=Thanks Ever So Much, President Poor-Mouth: Bush Pays The Price For An Unusual Decision To Speak Ill Of The Economy |date=March 26, 2001 |work=Newsweek |author=Alter, Jonathan |author-link=Jonathan Alter |access-date=July 20, 2008}}</ref> In 2002, he proposed a tax cut that exempted the first $10,000 of income from the $765 of [[Social Security tax]]es for both employers and employees.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/66423|title=Dems In The Dumps: They Were Outmaneuvered, Outhustled And Overmatched. Can The Democrats Matter Again? A New Prescription For A Troubled Party. |date=November 18, 2002 |work=Newsweek |author=Alter, Jonathan |author-link=Jonathan Alter |access-date=July 20, 2008}}</ref> Corzine also proposed making [[dividend]] payments [[tax deductible]] to companies as a form of economic stimulus.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/66900|title=Adding Up The Stimulus Plan |date=December 23, 2002 |work=Newsweek |author=Sloan, Allen |access-date=July 21, 2008}}</ref>

While in the Senate, he chaired the [[Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee]] from 2003 to 2005.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1005693,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050201012406/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1005693,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 1, 2005|title=The Reluctant Warriors of the G.O.P. |date=September 15, 2003 |magazine=Time |author=Waller, Douglas |access-date=July 19, 2008}}</ref> In this role he was influential in convincing certain potential candidates to not run in order to avoid costly primaries in three key states during the [[United States Senate elections, 2004|2004 United States Senate elections]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,994557,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080307103504/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,994557,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 7, 2008|title=Dreaming About The Senate |date=July 5, 2004 |magazine=Time |author=Waller, Douglas |access-date=July 19, 2008}}</ref> He also played a role in the selection of Senator [[John Edwards]] as a [[running mate]] for Senator [[John Kerry]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,994662-6,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105172029/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,994662-6,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 5, 2012|title=The Gleam Team (page 6) |date=July 19, 2004 |magazine=Time |author-link=Karen Tumulty |author=Tumulty, Karen |access-date=July 19, 2008}}</ref> In 2002, Corzine called for the resignation of [[United States Securities and Exchange Commission]] Chairman [[Harvey Pitt]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usnews.com/usnews/biztech/articles/021111/archive_023229.htm |title=Harvey, what were you thinking?: The Webster Chronicles |date=November 3, 2002 |work=[[U.S. News & World Report]] |author1=Barnett, Megan |author2=Kenneth T. Walsh |access-date=July 28, 2008|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015071427/http://www.usnews.com/usnews/biztech/articles/021111/archive_023229.htm |archive-date=October 15, 2008 }}</ref>

===Committee assignments===
In the Senate, Corzine was a member of the Committees on [[United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs|Banking]], [[United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence|Intelligence]], the [[United States Senate Committee on Budget|Budget]], [[United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations|Foreign Relations]], [[United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works|Environment]], and [[United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources|Energy and Natural Resources]].{{Citation needed|date=December 2019}}

==Campaigns for New Jersey Governor==
===2005===
{{Main|2005 New Jersey gubernatorial election}}

Corzine and his opponent, Republican [[Doug Forrester]], spent $73&nbsp;million on their gubernatorial campaigns by the week before [[election Day (politics)|election day]]. This included $38&nbsp;million by Corzine and $19&nbsp;million by Forrester for the general election. The primaries accounted for the difference.<ref>{{cite news|author=Chen, David W.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/09/nyregion/metrocampaigns/09jersey.html|title=Corzine Prevails in a Nasty Governor's Campaign in New Jersey |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=November 9, 2005 |access-date=August 27, 2008}}</ref> Since Corzine had spent over $62&nbsp;million on his [[United States Senate elections, 2000|2000 United States Senate elections]],<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_39/b3901098.htm |title=What Makes Jon Corzine Run: His rise in the Senate has been meteoric – so why is he aiming to be governor of Jersey? |date=September 27, 2004 |work=BusinessWeek |author=Magnusson, Paul |access-date=August 27, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080512000116/http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_39/b3901098.htm |archive-date=May 12, 2008 }}</ref> the combined expenditures for Corzine's run for the Senate and governorship exceeded $100&nbsp;million. The main campaign issues were [[property tax]]es and the Bush administration. New Jersey had averaged $5,500 in 2004 property taxes, and Corzine tried to link his opponent to Bush.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/050803/3congress.htm |title=Congress Watch: Recess? Not in New Jersey |date=August 3, 2005 |work=[[U.S. News & World Report]] |author=Samuel, Terence |access-date=July 28, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015071448/http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/050803/3congress.htm |archive-date=October 15, 2008 }}</ref>

The campaign for the post of [[Governor of New Jersey]] was successful with 54% of the vote. Forrester, a businessman and a former Mayor of [[West Windsor Township, New Jersey|West Windsor Township]], in [[Mercer County, New Jersey|Mercer County]], won 43%. Corzine received 1,224,493 votes to Forrester's 985,235. A total of 80,277 votes, or 3%, were scattered among other candidates. Corzine won 13 of New Jersey's 21 counties: [[Atlantic County, New Jersey|Atlantic]], [[Bergen County, New Jersey|Bergen]], [[Burlington County, New Jersey|Burlington]], [[Camden County, New Jersey|Camden]], [[Cumberland County, New Jersey|Cumberland]], [[Essex County, New Jersey|Essex]], [[Gloucester County, New Jersey|Gloucester]], [[Hudson County, New Jersey|Hudson]], [[Mercer County, New Jersey|Mercer]], [[Middlesex County, New Jersey|Middlesex]], [[Passaic County, New Jersey|Passaic]], [[Salem County, New Jersey|Salem]], and [[Union County, New Jersey|Union]]. Corzine won the three most populous counties (Bergen, Essex, and Middlesex), five of the top six, and seven of the top nine.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2005results/05_generalelection/2005_Official_General_Election-Governor_tallies.pdf |title=November 2005 General Election |date=December 16, 2005 |publisher=State of New Jersey |work=Official General Election Results |access-date=August 27, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828013014/http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2005results/05_generalelection/2005_Official_General_Election-Governor_tallies.pdf |archive-date=August 28, 2008 }}</ref>

===2009===
{{Main|2009 New Jersey gubernatorial election}}

Corzine ran for re-election in the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2009|2009 New Jersey gubernatorial election]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/15/lou-dobbs-for-governor-cn_n_107174.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080618155237/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/15/lou-dobbs-for-governor-cn_n_107174.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 18, 2008 |title=Lou Dobbs For Governor? CNN Host Says He's Not Running |date=June 13, 2008 |author=Hester, Tom Jr. |work=The Huffington Post |access-date=July 21, 2008}}</ref> In January 2009, [[Rasmussen Reports]] indicated that recently announced Republican challenger [[Chris Christie]] led Corzine 42% to 40%.<ref>"Election 2009: New Jersey Governor: Christie 42%, Corzine 40%". January 15, 2009 {{cite web |title=Election 2009: New Jersey Governor |date=January 15, 2009 |website=Rasmussen Reports |url=http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_2009/new_jersey/election_2009_new_jersey_governor |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090117024822/http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_2009/new_jersey/election_2009_new_jersey_governor |archive-date=January 17, 2009}}</ref> Other polls that month showed Corzine with approvals of 46% to 40%, but these were trailing his "favorables", which were just 42–44%.<ref>Fairleigh Dickinson University PublicMind Poll, "For the Moment, Advantage Corzine". January 9, 2009.</ref> By June and July, a number of polls showed Corzine trailing the Republican nominee, Christie, by double digits, though the tide changed again and by October polls showed Corzine was close, and in some cases, ahead.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pollster.com/polls/nj/09-nj-gov-ge-cvc.php?xml=http://www.pollster.com/flashcharts/content/xml/09NJGovGECvC.xml&choices=Christie,Corzine&phone=&ivr=&internet=&mail=&smoothing=&from_date=&to_date=&min_pct=&max_pct=&grid=&points=1&lines=1&colors=Christie-BF0014,Corzine-2247AF,Other-A69A37,Not%20Voting-1B8F3E |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091011032256/http://www.pollster.com/polls/nj/09-nj-gov-ge-cvc.php?xml=http://www.pollster.com/flashcharts/content/xml/09NJGovGECvC.xml&choices=Christie,Corzine&phone=&ivr=&internet=&mail=&smoothing=&from_date=&to_date=&min_pct=&max_pct=&grid=&points=1&lines=1&colors=Christie-BF0014,Corzine-2247AF,Other-A69A37,Not%20Voting-1B8F3E |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 11, 2009 |title=Political Surveys and Election Polls, Trends, Charts and Analysis |publisher=Pollster.com |access-date=March 22, 2012 }}</ref> In the end, Corzine lost the race to Christie by a margin of 48.5% to 44.9%, with 5.8% of the vote going to independent candidate [[Chris Daggett]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Official General Election Results |publisher=New Jersey Division of Elections |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2009results/09general/09-official-general-election-gov-lt-gov-tallies-120109.pdf |access-date=December 2, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091229055520/http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2009results/09general/09-official-general-election-gov-lt-gov-tallies-120109.pdf |archive-date=December 29, 2009 }}</ref>

==Governor of New Jersey==
{{infobox cabinet members| float = right
| above = The Corzine Cabinet
| office1 = [[Governor of New Jersey|Governor]]
| name1a  = Jon Corzine
| term1a  = 2006–2010 
| border_color1 = #000
| office2 = [[New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs|Adjutant General]]
| name2a  = [[Glenn K. Rieth|Maj. Gen. Glenn K. Rieth]]
| term2a  = 2006–2010 
| office3 = [[New Jersey Department of Agriculture|Secretary of Agriculture]]
| name3a  = [[Charles M. Kuperus]]
| term3a  = 2006–2009 
| name3b  = [[Douglas H. Fisher]]
| term3b  = 2009–2010 
| office4 = [[Attorney General of New Jersey|Attorney General]]
| name4a  = [[Zulima Farber|Zulima V. Farber]]
| term4a  = 2006–2006 
| name4b  = [[Stuart Rabner]]
| term4b  = 2006–2007 
| name4c  = [[Anne Milgram]]
| term4c  = 2007–2010 
| office5 = [[New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance|Commissioner of Banking and Insurance]]
| name5a  = [[Steven M. Goldman]]
| term5a  = 2006–2009 
| name5b  = [[Neil Jasey|Neil Jasey*]]
| term5b  = 2009–2010 
| office6 = [[New Jersey Department of Children and Families|Commissioner of Children and Families]]
| name6a  = [[Kevin Ryan (commissioner)|Kevin Ryan]]
| term6a  = 2006–2008 
| name6b  = [[Kimberly Ricketts]]
| term6b  = 2008–2010 
| office7 = [[New Jersey Department of Community Affairs|Commissioner of Community Affairs]]
| name7a  = [[Susan Bass Levin]]
| term7a  = 2006–2007 
| name7b  = [[Joseph Doria|Joseph V. Doria, Jr.]]
| term7b  = 2007–2009 
| name7c  = [[Charles Richman (commissioner)|Charles A. Richman*]]
| term7c  = 2009–2010 
| office8 = [[New Jersey Department of Corrections|Commissioner of Corrections]]
| name8a  = [[George W. Hayman]]
| term8a  = 2006–2010 
| office9 = [[New Jersey Department of Education|Commissioner of Education]]
| name9a  = [[Lucille Davy]]
| term9a  = 2006–2010 
| office10 = [[New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection|Commissioner of Environmental Protection]]
| name10a  = [[Lisa P. Jackson]]
| term10a  = 2006–2008 
| name10b  = [[Mark N. Mauriello]]
| term10b  = 2008–2010 
| office11 = [[New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services|Commissioner of Health and Senior Services]]
| name11a  = [[Fred M. Jacobs]]
| term11a  = 2006–2008 
| name11b  = [[Heather H. Howard|Heather Howard]]
| term11b  = 2008–2010
| office12 = [[New Jersey Department of Human Services|Commissioner of Human Services]]
| name12a  = [[Clarke Bruno]]
| term12a  = 2006–2007 
| name12b  = [[Jennifer Velez]]
| term12b  = 2007–2010 
| office13 = [[New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development|Commissioner of Labor and Workforce <br />Development]]
| name13a  = [[David J. Socolow]]
| term13a  = 2006–2010 
| office14 = [[New Jersey Department of the Public Advocate|Public Advocate]]
| name14a  = [[Ronald Chen]]
| term14a  = 2006–2010 
| office15 = [[Secretary of State of New Jersey|Secretary of State]]
| name15a  = [[Nina Mitchell Wells]]
| term15a  = 2006–2010 
| office16 = [[New Jersey Department of Transportation|Commissioner of Transportation]]
| name16a  = [[Kris Kolluri]]
| term16a  = 2006–2008 
| name16b  = [[Stephen Dilts]]
| term16b  = 2008–2010 
| office17 = [[New Jersey Department of the Treasury|State Treasurer]]
| name17a  = [[Bradley Abelow]]
| term17a  = 2006–2007 
| name17b  = [[Michellene Davis|Michellene Davis*]]
| term17b  = 2007–2008 
| name17c  = [[R. David Rousseau]]
| term17c  = 2008–2010 
| office18 = [[New Jersey Civil Service Commission|Chair/Chief Executive Officer of the <br />Civil Service Commission]]
| name18a  = [[Hope L. Cooper|Hope L. Cooper*]]
| term18a  = 2008–2010 
| office19 = [[New Jersey Office of Economic Growth|Chief of the Office of Economic Growth]]
| name19a  = [[Gary D. Rose]]
| term19a  = 2006–2008 
| name19b  = [[Jerold L. Zaro]]
| term19b  = 2008–2010 
| office20 = [[New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness|Director of the Office of Homeland <br />Security and Preparedness]]
| name20a  = [[Richard L. Cañas]]
| term20a  = 2006–2010 
| office21 = [[New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission|Chair/Chief Administrator of the <br />Motor Vehicle Commission]]
| name21a  = [[Sharon Anne Harrington]]
| term21a  = 2006–2009 
| name21b  = [[Shawn B. Sheekey|Shawn B. Sheekey*]]
| term21b  = 2009–2010 
| office22 = [[New Jersey Board of Public Utilities|President of the Board of Public Utilities]]
| name22a  = [[Jeanne Fox]]
| term22a  = 2006–2010 
| office23 = [[New Jersey State Police|Superintendent of the State Police]]
| name23a  = [[Joseph R. Fuentes|Col. Joseph R. Fuentes]]
| term23a  = 2006–2010 
| below = ''* Acting officeholder only.''
}}
Corzine officially declined his $175,000 salary in 2006.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/04/nyregion/04goldman.html?|title=The Goldman Sachs Crew That's Helping Run Trenton Government|date=October 4, 2006 |work=The New York Times|author=Chen, David W.|access-date=July 21, 2008}}</ref>

After taking office in January 2006, Corzine's approval numbers were very low. Many polls seemed to indicate that much of this negative polling was a result of the protracted budget battle ahead of the [[2006 New Jersey State Government shutdown]] in July. An April 26, 2006, poll from [[Quinnipiac University Polling Institute]] showed Corzine at a 35% approval with a 42% disapproval.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x11376.xml?ReleaseID=907 |title=NJ Budget Problems End Corzine's Honeymoon, Quinnipiac University New Jersey Poll Finds; Raise State Taxes, Not Local Taxes, Voters Say 3–1 |access-date=June 29, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060629095745/http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x11376.xml?ReleaseID=907 |archive-date=June 29, 2006  }} (Press release). Quinnipiac University. April 26, 2006.</ref> A February 28, 2007, poll from Quinnipiac University showed Corzine at 50% approval with 34% disapproval.<ref>[http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x1299.xml?ReleaseID=1022 February 28, 2007{{spaced ndash}}New Jersey Governor's Approval Inches Up To New High, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Concern For Property Tax Also At New High] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110919184528/http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x1299.xml?ReleaseID=1022 |date=September 19, 2011 }}, Quinnipiac University, released February 28, 2007, Retrieved April 14, 2007.</ref> When Corzine released a controversial plan to monetize the [[New Jersey Turnpike]] and the [[Garden State Parkway]], his approval rating fell to 30% in January 2008. {{citation needed|date=November 2014}}

In conjunction with this fall in approval rating, an initiative to recall the Governor was started for the first and only time ever in New Jersey history. The recall effort failed after gathering less than the required 1.2&nbsp;million signatures.<ref>{{cite news|title=Corzine recall effort falls flat|agency=Associated Press  |date=July 21, 2008 |url=http://www.nj.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/news-33/1216647856248940.xml&storylist=jersey|author=Hester, Tom Jr.|work=NJ.com |access-date=July 29, 2008}}</ref>

Corzine had long insisted that state employees must bear part of the cost of their [[Health benefits (insurance)|health benefits]] after retirement. As of July 1, 2007, in agreements with the [[Communications Workers of America]], the [[American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees|American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees]], and the [[International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers]], active State employees in those unions (as well as certain other non-union employees) are now required to contribute 1.5% of their salary to offset health care costs. State and local employees' contributions to the two largest pension systems increased by 10%, from 5% to 5.5% of their annual salaries and increased the retirement benefit age for new public employees, from 55 to 60 years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/omb/publications/09bib/BIB.pdf|title=Citizens Guide to the Budget}}</ref> In 2008, Corzine approved a law that increased the retirement age from 60 to 62, required that government workers and teachers earn $7,500 per year to qualify for a pension, eliminated [[Lincoln's Birthday]] as a state worker holiday, allowed the state to offer incentives not to take health insurance and required municipal employees work 20 hours per week to get health benefits. {{citation needed|date=November 2014}}

As part of his attempt to balance the budget, Corzine decreased funding to most programs and localities including state universities and colleges. The first of these decreases came with the 2007 budget. [[Rutgers University]] and other New Jersey state universities raised tuition, cut hundreds of sections of classes, and several sports teams.<ref>[http://chronicle.com/news/article/713/rutgers-u-adopts-grim-budget-to-deal-with-state-cuts "Rutgers U. Adopts Grim Budget to Deal With State Cuts"] ''Chronicle of Higher Education'', July 16, 2006; retrieved July 14, 2008.</ref> With the latest decrease in funding for 2009, most state institutions have less funding than they had a decade ago. Despite the $15 million in cuts, Rutgers went ahead with previous agreed upon raises of $15 million to their executive faculty. This resulted in Rutgers making $30 million in cuts.<ref>[http://www.president.rutgers.edu/letter_063008.shtml "Message on FY2009 State Budget"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828065202/http://www.president.rutgers.edu/letter_063008.shtml |date=August 28, 2008 }} Rutgers: Office of the President, June 30, 2008; retrieved July 14, 2008.</ref>

Corzine has been the only New Jersey governor in recent memory to make any headway in addressing the crisis of municipal funding. While not directly touching the third rail of New Jersey governance – property taxes – Corzine's reform of the school funding formula (passed and signed in January 2008) resulted in significant relief to many New Jersey towns with outsize school costs but limited tax base.<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/governor/news/news/2009/approved/20090428a.html "Governor Corzine Comments on School Funding Reform"], April 28, 2009. Retrieved November 5, 2009. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090701070255/http://www.state.nj.us/governor/news/news/2009/approved/20090428a.html |date=July 1, 2009 }}</ref> The plan survived a legal challenge and was declared constitutional by the New Jersey Supreme Court on May 28, 2009.<ref>[http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/05/nj_supreme_court_rules_abbott.html "N.J. Supreme Court backs Gov. Jon Corzine's revised school-funding plan"] Newark Star Ledger, May 28, 2009; retrieved November 5, 2009.</ref>

Corzine championed expanding government health and education programs. He planned to require every resident to enroll in a health plan and have taxpayers help pick up the tab for all the welfare low- and middle-income residents. In June 2008, state legislators voted for the first phase of that program mandating health care coverage and Corzine signed it into law in July. {{citation needed|date=November 2014}}

Corzine spent some $200,000 of public funds on advertisements to promote a referendum on the 2007 New Jersey ballot to borrow $450&nbsp;million to fund [[stem cell research]]. The referendum faced strong opposition and was rejected despite the fact that $270&nbsp;million had previously been approved to build stem cell research centers.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/bulletin/bulletin_071107.htm |title=New Jersey Voters Reject Stem Cell Research Referendum  |date=November 7, 2007 |work=[[U.S. News & World Report]] |access-date=July 23, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080925225016/http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/bulletin/bulletin_071107.htm |archive-date=September 25, 2008 }}</ref>

Corzine, a [[capital punishment in the U.S.|death penalty]] opponent,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://issues2000.org/Domestic/Jon_Corzine_Crime.htm|title=Jon Corzine on Crime |publisher=OnTheIssues.org |access-date=July 27, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/060508/8death.htm?s_cid=related-links:TOP |title=Pulling Back From The Brink: Why are death sentences and executions dropping? |date=April 30, 2006 |work=[[U.S. News & World Report]] |author=Halloran, Liz |access-date=July 27, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015071505/http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/060508/8death.htm?s_cid=related-links%3ATOP |archive-date=October 15, 2008 }}</ref> as governor supported and presided over abolition of capital punishment in New Jersey and replacing it with [[life imprisonment]]. After the legislature passed and he signed it into law, New Jersey became the first state to legislatively eliminate capital punishment since 1965.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?&did=2580 |archive-url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20091016051251/http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?&did=2580 |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 16, 2009 |title=Executions News and Developments: 2007 |publisher=Death Penalty Information Center |year=2008 |access-date=July 29, 2008 }}</ref> Although the bill was not passed until late in 2007, New Jersey had not executed any criminals since 1963. Because the penalty was never used and often reversed upon appeal, it was viewed as a form of extended suffering for victims' families by some supporters of its abolition.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1695334,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071218152148/http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1695334,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 18, 2007|title=New Jersey: A Death Penalty Trend? |date=December 17, 2007 |magazine=Time |author=Von Drehle, David |author-link=David Von Drehle |access-date=July 19, 2008}}</ref> Before the enactment of the new law, he commuted the death sentences of all [[death row]] inmates to life in prison.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?did=126&scid=13 |title=Clemency |work=Death Penalty Information Center |year=2008 |access-date=July 27, 2008 |archive-date=August 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190814082602/https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/index.php?did=126&scid=13 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Corzine also has supported early New Jersey efforts at [[gun control]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://health.usnews.com/usnews/health/articles/060604/12mavericks.htm |title=Violence Interrupted: To Gary Slutkin, giving up guns is a lot like swearing off smoking |date=June 4, 2006 |work=[[U.S. News & World Report]] |author=Shute, Nancy |access-date=July 27, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015071136/http://health.usnews.com/usnews/health/articles/060604/12mavericks.htm |archive-date=October 15, 2008 }}</ref>

Corzine was one of several United States Governors – including [[Martin O'Malley]] of [[Maryland]], [[Mike Beebe]] of [[Arkansas]], and [[Eliot Spitzer]] of New York – who were early supporters of [[Hillary Clinton]]'s [[Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, 2008|2008 presidential campaign]].<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://time-blog.com/real_clear_politics/2007/09/08_notes_left_coast_edition.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012125710/http://time-blog.com/real_clear_politics/2007/09/08_notes_left_coast_edition.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 12, 2007|title='08 Notes: Left Coast Edition |date=September 5, 2007 |magazine=Time |author=Wilson, Reid |access-date=July 19, 2008}}</ref> He raised $1&nbsp;million for her campaign.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/07/us/politics/07clinton.html?ref=politics|title=Goals Are Both Met and Missed in Clinton Fund-Raising |date=June 7, 2007 |author=Healy, Patrick |work=The New York Times |access-date=July 30, 2008}}</ref> He, [[Bill Clinton]], [[Eliot Spitzer]], [[Chuck Schumer]], and [[Charlie Rangel]] co-hosted Clinton's October 25, 2007 60th-birthday party.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.blog.newsweek.com/blogs/stumper/archive/2007/10/09/clinton-gets-hip-sort-of.aspx |title=Clinton Gets Hip. Sort of.  |date=October 9, 2007 |work=Newsweek |author=Romano, Andrew |access-date=July 21, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014202610/http://www.blog.newsweek.com/blogs/stumper/archive/2007/10/09/clinton-gets-hip-sort-of.aspx |archive-date=October 14, 2008 }}</ref> He remained a committed Clinton [[superdelegate]] late into the [[Democratic Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008|2008 Democratic Party presidential primary season]].<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://time-blog.com/real_clear_politics/2008/04/the_morning_roundup.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080425065550/http://time-blog.com/real_clear_politics/2008/04/the_morning_roundup.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 25, 2008|title=The Morning Roundup |date=April 18, 2008 |magazine=Time |author=Dvorak, Blake |access-date=July 19, 2008}}</ref> If the [[Democratic National Committee]] had decided to recontest the [[Michigan Democratic primary, 2008|Michigan]] and [[Florida Democratic primary, 2008|Florida primaries]], Corzine and [[Ed Rendell]] were prepared to spearhead Clinton's fundraising in for those races.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1722280,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080322010954/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1722280,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 22, 2008|title=The Page|date=May 13, 2008 |magazine=Time |access-date=July 19, 2008}}</ref> Towards the end of the primary season in April 2008, Corzine made it clear that although he was a Clinton supporter, his superdelegate vote would be determined by the popular vote.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.blog.newsweek.com/blogs/stumper/archive/2008/04/04/the-popular-vote-fallacy.aspx |title=The Popular Vote Fallacy |date=April 4, 2008 |work=Newsweek |author=Romano, Andrew |access-date=July 21, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828172638/http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/stumper/archive/2008/04/04/the-popular-vote-fallacy.aspx |archive-date=August 28, 2008 }}</ref> After her win in the April 22, 2008 [[Pennsylvania Democratic primary, 2008|Pennsylvania Democratic primary]] and a calculation of popular votes that excluded caucuses and included the controversial Michigan and Florida Democratic primaries, Corzine reaffirmed his support for her.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/133454|title=What's the Magic Metric?: Here's a new kind of recount: The Clinton camp's complicated formula to make her look like the leader. |date=April 23, 2008 |work=Newsweek |author=Smalley, Suzanne |access-date=July 21, 2008}}</ref> Once [[Barack Obama]] became the [[presumptive nominee]], Corzine became a prominent spokesperson for Obama's agenda.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1817106,00.html |title=Obama Takes on 'Enron Loophole' |date=June 22, 2008 |magazine=Time |author=Dunbar, John |access-date=July 19, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080709144406/http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1817106,00.html |archive-date=July 9, 2008 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>

Corzine was among a group of big (in terms of population) state governors, such as Republican [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]], who moved his state [[New Jersey Republican primary, 2008|Republican]] and [[New Jersey Democratic primary, 2008|Democratic]] primaries to February 5, 2008, the date of [[Super Tuesday, 2008]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/42821|title=New Hampshire Before New Year's?: The Front-Loading Of Primaries—Meant To Help Pick A Nominee Quickly—May Backfire. |publisher=Newsweek Web Exclusive |author=Alter, Jonathan |author-link=Jonathan Alter |access-date=July 20, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/bulletin/bulletin_070316.htm |title=Washington News |date=March 16, 2007 |work=[[U.S. News & World Report]] |access-date=July 23, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081015071521/http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/bulletin/bulletin_070316.htm |archive-date=October 15, 2008 }}</ref> He was also among a group of prominent Democratic politicians (that included Ted Kennedy and Barack Obama) who received political contributions from [[Norman Hsu]] that he ended up donating to charity.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/41002|title=With A Little Help From My Friends: The Hsu scandal sheds light on how—and why— pols bail each other out when the going gets tough. |date=September 24, 2007 |work=Newsweek |author1=Isikoff, Michael |author-link=Michael Isikoff |author2=Mark Hosenball |author3=Evan Thomas |access-date=July 21, 2008}}</ref>

In November 2008, in response to the ongoing economic downturn, Corzine proposed an economic recovery package consisting of additional massive spending, accelerated capital improvement spending and reforms and cuts to the corporate income tax.<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/governor/news/news/2008/approved/20081016a.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081018072949/http://www.state.nj.us/governor/news/news/2008/approved/20081016a.html|date=October 18, 2008}}</ref><ref>[http://nj.gov/governor/home/plan.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090120224743/http://nj.gov/governor/home/plan.html|date=January 20, 2009}}</ref> As of December 2008 many elements of the plan had been approved by the Democrats in the NJ Legislature.<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/governor/news/news/2008/approved/20081215e.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081217184830/http://www.state.nj.us/governor/news/news/2008/approved/20081215e.html|date=December 17, 2008}}</ref> On January 2, 2009, Corzine joined the governors of four other states in urging the federal government to provide $1&nbsp;trillion in aid to the country's 50 state governments to help pay for education, welfare and infrastructure as states struggle with steep budget deficits amid a deepening recession.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newsfetish.com |title=Hungry for real news? |publisher=NewsFetish.com |access-date=March 22, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110221192120/http://www.newsfetish.com/ |archive-date=February 21, 2011 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>

===Government shutdown===
{{main|2006 New Jersey State Government shutdown}}
Corzine, in attempting to pass the 2007 fiscal year budget, clashed with a few fellow state Democrats in the [[New Jersey General Assembly]], particularly over the proposed increase of the state's sales tax from 6% to 7%. Corzine said that he would not accept a budget that did not include the sales tax increase. After the legislature failed to pass Corzine's budget by the midnight deadline of July 1, 2006, he signed an executive order<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.state.nj.us/governor/news/news/approved/20060701a.html|title=Governor Corzine Signs Executive Order for Orderly Shutdown of Government Operations|date=July 1, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930190854/http://www.state.nj.us/governor/news/news/approved/20060701a.html|archive-date=September 30, 2007 |publisher=State of New Jersey |access-date=September 23, 2009}}</ref> that immediately closed down all non-essential state government services, such as road construction projects. Legislators failed to resolve the situation by July 4 and casinos, among other governmentally-regulated industries, closed their doors at 8:00&nbsp;am on July 5.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Story.aspx?guid=%7B32520519-AF74-4B68-A8EE-C9EA730D903D%7D&siteid=|title=Atlantic City casinos forced to close: Budget standoff in N.J. halts gambling; parks and beaches affected|work=[[MarketWatch]]|date=July 5, 2006 |author1=Baron, Michael |author2=William Spain |access-date=July 30, 2008}}</ref> Corzine called the shutdown "deplorable", though he refused to negotiate with legislators and accept alternate plans that did not increase the sales tax.  Some surmised the casino closure was an effort to encourage reluctant South Jersey legislators to break the impasse.{{Citation needed|date=December 2019}}

After six days of state government shutdown, Corzine and Assembly Democrats agreed to raise the state sales tax to 7% with half of the 1% increase going to the state budget and the other half going to property tax relief. On July 8, 2006, the $30&nbsp;billion state budget, with the sales tax agreement, passed both houses and Governor Corzine signed the budget into law ending the budget impasse.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=azwQDM6vW64I&refer=home|title=Corzine, Lawmakers Agree to End Budget Impasse, Raise Sales Tax|publisher=[[Bloomberg L.P.]]|date=July 6, 2006 |author1=Servetah, Stacie |author2=Chris Dolmetsch |access-date=July 30, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930041839/http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=azwQDM6vW64I&refer=home|archive-date=September 30, 2007}}</ref>

===Toll hike plan===
Initially, Corzine opposed [[privatization]] of the [[New Jersey Turnpike]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1673288,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071021021408/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1673288,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 21, 2007|title=Who Really Owns the Roads? |date=October 18, 2007 |magazine=Time |author=Kiviat, Barbara |access-date=July 19, 2008}}</ref> On January 8, 2008, to address ongoing structural budget issues, Governor Corzine proposed a four-part proposal including an overall reduction in spending, a constitutional amendment to require more voter approval for state borrowing, an executive order prohibiting the use of one-time revenues to balance the budget and a controversial plan to raise some $38&nbsp;billion by leasing the [[Garden State Parkway]], the New Jersey Turnpike, and other toll roads for at least 75 years to a new [[public-benefit nonprofit corporation|public benefit corporation]] that could sell bonds secured by future tolls, which it would be allowed to raise by 50% plus inflation every four years beginning in 2010.<ref>{{cite news |author=Schwaneberg, Robert|url=http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/01/corzine_challenges_critics_to.html|title=Corzine seeks higher tolls, state spending freeze to reduce debt|work=[[Star Ledger]]|date=January 9, 2008|access-date=July 29, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author1=Chen, David W. |author2=Ken Belson|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/09/nyregion/09corzine.html?|title=Corzine Proposes Steep Rise in Tolls|work=The New York Times|date=January 9, 2008|access-date=July 29, 2008}}</ref> Corzine vowed to get that plan through the state legislature by March, but held off for nearly a month before releasing the details.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tollroadsnews.com/node/3382 |title=Gov Corzine releases draft bill to monetize New Jersey {{sic|tollr|oads|nolink=y}} |publisher=Toll Roads News |date=February 5, 2008 |author=Samuel, Peter |access-date=July 29, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080926101458/http://www.tollroadsnews.com/node/3382 |archive-date=September 26, 2008 }}</ref> Upon learning how the plan would work, New Jersey native residents railed against it, comparing it to using one credit card to pay off another, pointing out that it would create hardship for commuters and noting that it would actually increase the state's $32&nbsp;billion debt.<ref>{{cite news |author=Hester, Tom Jr.|url=http://www.nj.com/southjersey/index.ssf/2008/02/leading_democrat_all_gop_legis.html|title=Leading Democrat, all GOP legislators reject Corzine toll plan|publisher=South Jersey News Online|date=February 7, 2008|access-date=July 29, 2008|archive-url = https://archive.today/20080412091817/http://www.nj.com/southjersey/index.ssf/2008/02/leading_democrat_all_gop_legis.html |archive-date = April 12, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Lonegan, Steve|url=http://politickernj.com/afp-analysis-corzine-tolltax-hike-plan-16931|title=AFP analysis of the Corzine Toll Hike Plan|date=March 3, 2008 |publisher=Politickernj.com |access-date=July 29, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/03/poll_public_doesnt_like_corzin.html|title=Poll finds majority don't like Corzine budget plan|agency=Associated Press |date=March 10, 2008 |work=NJ.com |access-date=July 29, 2008}}</ref> Corzine later wrote that only after the proposal was released did he discover "the harsh reality: the public intensely disliked the idea" and that, in retrospect, he "should have pressed harder to identify the most salient arguments against the plan and developed a strategy to get in front of and respond to those challenges".<ref>Jon S. Corzine and [[Peter J. Woolley]] (Jan. 2018) "In Defense of Polls, Though Not Necessarily Pollsters, Pundits or Strategists". PS: Political Science & Politics. 51.1: 159–164.</ref>

===Carla Katz===
Corzine, who was running for the [[United States Senate]] in the spring of 1999, met [[Carla Katz]], the then-married president of Local 1034 of the [[Communications Workers of America]] (CWA), in the same apartment building where he resided in [[Hoboken, New Jersey|Hoboken]]; the CWA represents the largest number of state workers in New Jersey. As Katz later recalled, Corzine offered her a job on his Senate campaign, but she declined the offer.<ref>{{cite news|author=Adams, Cindy |author-link=Cindy Adams |url=http://www.nypost.com/p/news/item_ISKCBQ17QJbA9OCyMbp7lK|title=Jon's Ex Tells All|work=New York Post|date=June 6, 2007|access-date=July 29, 2008}}</ref> Corzine and the still-married Katz were soon dating, and they began appearing in public as a couple in early 2002, shortly after Corzine's unofficial separation from his wife, Joanne. (The Corzines divorced the following year.) For more than two years Corzine was romantically involved and living with Katz. She lived with him at his apartment building in Hoboken from April 2002 until August 2004.<ref name=Times/>

After Corzine's breakup with Katz, their lawyers negotiated a financial payout in November 2004. According to press accounts, the settlement for Katz exceeded $6&nbsp;million, including cash (in part used to buy her $1.1&nbsp;million condominium in Hoboken), a college trust fund to educate her children, a 2005 Volvo sport utility vehicle,<ref name=Times>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/23/nyregion/23carla.html?|title=Romance Over, Union Chief Has Corzine's Number |work=The New York Times |date=May 23, 2007 |author1=[[David Kocieniewski|Kocieniewski, David]] |author2=[[Serge F. Kovaleski]] |access-date=July 23, 2008}}</ref> and Corzine forgave a $470,000 loan he had made to Katz in 2002 to buy out her ex-husband's share of their home in [[Alexandria Township, New Jersey|Alexandria Township]].<ref name=Times/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/04/nyregion/04corzine.html|title=Corzine Gave $470,000 Loan to Head of Union|work=The New York Times|date=August 4, 2005 |author=Kocieniewski, David |access-date=July 23, 2008}}</ref> Katz enrolled in [[Seton Hall University School of Law]] on a full scholarship in 2004. Corzine later acknowledged he had given $15,000 to Katz's brother-in-law, Rocco Riccio, a former state employee who was forced to resign after being accused of examining income tax returns for political purposes. At the time, Katz was president of the [[Communications Workers of America|CWA Local 1034]],<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.cwa1034.org |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010202085000/http://cwa1034.org/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 2, 2001 |title=CWA Local 1034 |date=July 16, 2008 |publisher=Communications Workers of America Local 1034 |access-date=July 29, 2008 }}</ref> which bargains on behalf of many state employees.<ref>Trymaine Lee, [https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9903E3DF1E3CF930A3575AC0A9619C8B63 "Corzine Gave Money To Relative Of Friend"], September 3, 2007; accessed February 22, 2014.</ref>

In the summer of 2005, when Corzine was running in the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2005|New Jersey gubernatorial election]], news first emerged of his relationship with Katz and the money she had received. Corzine was elected governor despite the scandal. In the fall of 2006, during an impasse in contract negotiations between the Corzine administration and the state's seven major state employee unions (including the CWA), Katz contacted the governor by phone and e-mail to lobby for a renewal of the negotiations. Their relationship and the financial settlement Katz received after their breakup led to allegations of many potential conflicts of interest in labor negotiations while Corzine was governor. A state ethics panel, acting on a complaint from [[Bogota, New Jersey|Bogota]] mayor [[Steve Lonegan]], ruled in May 2007 that Katz's contact with Corzine during negotiations did not violate the governor's code of conduct.<ref name=Times/>

Separately, [[New Jersey Republican State Committee]] Chairman [[Tom Wilson (New Jersey lobbyist)|Tom Wilson]] filed a lawsuit to release all e-mail correspondence between Corzine and Katz during the contract negotiations. On May 30, 2008, [[New Jersey Superior Court]] Judge Paul Innes ruled that at least 745 pages of e-mail records should be made public, but Corzine's lawyers immediately appealed the decision and the appellate court overturned the trial court ruling. Wilson then filed an appeal to the [[New Jersey Supreme Court]], asking the Supreme Court to reinstate the trial court ruling.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/31/nyregion/31corzine.html|title=Judge Rules That E-Mail by Corzine Is Public|work=The New York Times|date=September 3, 2007 |author=Lee, Trymaine |access-date=May 31, 2008}}</ref>

Corzine won his case on appeal. On March 18, 2009, the [[New Jersey Supreme Court]] ruled it would not hear arguments in the case, effectively ending the legal battle to make his e-mails with Katz public.<ref>{{cite news|title=Corzine-Katz e-mails will remain private after N.J. Supreme Court ruling|url=http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/03/nj_supreme_court_denies_appeal.html|work=[[The Star-Ledger]]|date=March 18, 2009|access-date=August 3, 2010}}</ref> Corzine spent approximately $127,000 of taxpayer funds to keep the e-mails secret. Nonetheless, on August 1, 2010, ''[[The Star-Ledger]]'' published 123 of the Corzine-Katz e-mails, revealing the extent of their personal contact during negotiations over a new state government workers contract in early 2007.<ref>{{cite news|title=Former N.J. Gov. Jon Corzine, Carla Katz's forbidden e-mails are revealed|url=http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/08/former_nj_gov_jon_corzine_carl.html|work=[[The Star-Ledger]]|date=August 1, 2010|access-date=August 3, 2010}}</ref>

===Appointments===
Corzine continued to serve in the U.S. Senate while running for governor, which ensured that he could resign from the Senate and appoint a Democrat as his successor if he won and allowed him to retain his Senate seat if he lost. Speculation was that he would appoint a Democrat from one of the congressional districts in New Jersey, perhaps Congressmen [[Rob Andrews]], [[Rush D. Holt, Jr.|Rush Holt]], or [[Frank Pallone]]. Corzine, once he was Governor-Elect, said on November 11, 2005, that he was strongly considering appointing State Senator [[Nia Gill]] to fill his vacant seat in the United States Senate. Corzine said about Gill that she was "an extraordinarily capable woman". Gill for her part told the [[Associated Press]] "I have the qualifications. If I am chosen by Jon, I am more than qualified to rise to the occasion."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/2005/12/01/corzine-leaning-toward-black-woman-to-take-nj-seat-in-senate.html|title=Corzine Leaning Toward Black Woman to Take N.J. Seat in Senate|date=December 1, 2005}}</ref> He strongly hinted he might appoint Governor [[Richard Codey]] although on November 23, 2005, Codey announced that he was not interested in pursuing the seat. On December 9, 2005, Corzine named his friend, who lived and lives in the same apartment building, U.S. Rep. [[Robert Menendez]], a Democrat, to succeed him.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/12/07/senate.menendez/index.html|title=Sources: Menendez tapped for U.S. Senate seat |publisher= CNN.com |date= December 7, 2005 |author= Preston, Mark |access-date= July 30, 2008}}</ref>

One of Corzine's first nominations was that of [[Zulima Farber]] as [[New Jersey Attorney General]]. She served for approximately seven months until an ethics investigation concluded that she had acted improperly by going to the location where local police in [[Fairview, Bergen County, New Jersey|Fairview, New Jersey]] had stopped her boyfriend, Hamlet Gore, for driving with a suspended license and an expired vehicle registration.<ref name=NJAGAtR/> Corzine said he did not ask for Farber's resignation.<ref name=NJAGAtR>{{cite news |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/15/nyregion/15cnd-farber.html? |title= N.J. Attorney General Agrees to Resign |date= August 15, 2006 |author1= Mansnerus, Laura |author2=David W. Chen |work= The New York Times |access-date= July 30, 2008}}</ref>

On February 9, 2006, after many scandals regarding financial mishandling at the [[University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey]], Corzine nominated [[Robert Del Tufo]], the former [[Attorney General of New Jersey]] and [[U.S. Attorney]], as chairman of the board of trustees. Corzine also nominated Oliver Quinn, Prudential Financial's vice president and chief ethics officer, as vice chairman of the board.<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/governor/news/news/approved/20060516.html "May-16-06 Governor Names New UMDNJ Board Members"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061214043634/http://www.state.nj.us/governor/news/news/approved/20060516.html |date=December 14, 2006 }} (Press release) Office of the Governor. May 16, 2006. Retrieved April 29, 2007. "These are Governor Corzine's fourth and fifth nominations to the UMDNJ Board of Trustees; he previously nominated Robert Del Tufo, Oliver Quinn and Harold Shapiro to the Board, and designated Del Tufo to serve as Chairman."</ref>

Corzine's commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection and Chief of Staff, [[Lisa P. Jackson]] was nominated as the administrator of the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency]]. She was confirmed by the Senate on January 22, 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/B?r111:@FIELD(FLD003+d)+@FIELD(DDATE+20090122) |title=Congressional Record – 111th Congress (2009–2010) – THOMAS (Library of Congress) |publisher=Thomas.loc.gov |access-date=March 22, 2012 |archive-date=December 5, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205101058/http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/B?r111:@FIELD(FLD003+d)+@FIELD(DDATE+20090122) |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Motorcade accident===
On April 12, 2007, Corzine and 25-year-old aide Samantha Gordon were injured in an automobile accident on the [[Garden State Parkway]] near [[Galloway Township, New Jersey|Galloway Township]] while traveling from the New Jersey [[Conference of Mayors]] in [[Atlantic City, New Jersey|Atlantic City]] to [[Drumthwacket]], his residence in [[Princeton, New Jersey|Princeton]], to meet with radio personality [[Don Imus]] and the [[Rutgers University]] women's basketball team.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/archives/2007/04/16/news/18094.shtml |title=Corzine in stable condition after crash |date=April 16, 2007 |work=[[Daily Princetonian]] |author=Zebrowski, Jonathan |access-date=July 30, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014194750/http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/archives/2007/04/16/news/18094.shtml |archive-date=October 14, 2008 }}</ref>

The [[New Jersey State Police]] determined that Corzine's SUV, driven by a state trooper, was traveling in excess of {{convert|90|mph}} with its emergency lights flashing when the collision occurred.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/police-corzines-suv-was-going-roughly-91-mph-before-crash|title=Police: Corzine's SUV Was Going Roughly 91 MPH Before Crash|publisher=Fox News|date=April 17, 2007|access-date=July 30, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080622142700/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,266603,00.html|archive-date=June 22, 2008|url-status=live}}</ref> A pickup truck drifted onto the shoulder and swerved back onto the lane, and another pickup truck swerved to avoid the truck and hit the Governor's SUV, causing the SUV to hit the guardrail. The State Police reviewed roadside camera recordings and [[E-ZPass]] records to track down the driver of the truck; he was not charged with any violation.<ref>Gohlke, Josh; Nussbaum, Alex; and Young, Elise. [http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkzJmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3MTEyOTIyJnlyaXJ5N2Y3MTdmN3ZxZWVFRXl5Mg== "Driver not charged in Corzine crash"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070504184549/http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkzJmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3MTEyOTIyJnlyaXJ5N2Y3MTdmN3ZxZWVFRXl5Mg%3D%3D |date=May 4, 2007 }}, ''[[The Record (Bergen County)]]'', April 14, 2007. Retrieved April 16, 2007. "The driver of the red Ford pickup{{spaced ndash}}located Friday night after an intensive 24-hour search{{spaced ndash}}was not issued any summonses.... State police investigators located Potts at 8&nbsp;pm Friday, using information from the Little Egg Harbor Township police, E-ZPass data and footage from tollbooth traffic cameras."</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/13/nyregion/20070413_CORZINE_GRAPHIC.html|title=Events Leading to the Accident|work=The New York Times|date=April 13, 2007|access-date=July 30, 2008}}</ref>

Corzine and the trooper were flown by helicopter to [[Cooper University Hospital]] in [[Camden, New Jersey|Camden]], a Level I trauma center. The aide was taken by ambulance to [[AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center City Division|Atlantic City Medical Center]]. Neither the NJ State Trooper nor the aide was seriously injured, but Corzine suffered broken bones, including an open fracture of the left femur, 11 broken ribs, a broken sternum, a broken collarbone, a fractured lower vertebra, and a facial cut that required plastic surgery.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www-origin.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/070422/30cross.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120719190342/http://www-origin.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/070422/30cross.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 19, 2012 |title=Cross Country |date=April 22, 2007 |work=[[U.S. News & World Report]] |access-date=July 23, 2008 }}</ref> The Governor was not wearing a seat belt. Friends had long said that they had rarely seen him wear one.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/14/nyregion/14corzine.html|title=Corzine Facing Severe Hurdles in Intensive Care|work=The New York Times|date=April 14, 2007 |author1=Chen, David W. |author2=[[David Kocieniewski]] |access-date=July 30, 2008}}</ref> When asked why the state trooper who was driving would not have asked Corzine to put on his seat belt, a staffer said the governor was "not always amenable to suggestion".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news%2Flocal&id=5205684|title=Aides: Corzine Not Wearing Seat Belt|publisher=[[WPVI]]|date=April 13, 2007|access-date=July 30, 2008|archive-date=June 29, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629034220/http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news%2Flocal&id=5205684|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Superintendent of State Police has also noted that the trooper could be charged if the crash were preventable.{{Citation needed|date=December 2019}}

By April 23, 2007, Corzine's doctors had upgraded him from critical to stable condition.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/24/nyregion/24corzine.html|title=Gov. Corzine Is Moved From Intensive Care |date=April 24, 2007 |author1=[[David Kocieniewski|Kocieniewski, David]] |author2=Lawrence K. Altman |work=The New York Times |access-date=July 30, 2008}}</ref> He was sedated and unable to speak because of a [[Tracheal tube|breathing tube]] in his throat, and as such, was unable to perform his duties as governor. In accordance with the [[New Jersey State Constitution]], [[New Jersey Senate]] President [[Richard Codey]] assumed the position of [[acting governor]] for the short period from April 12 until May 7, 2007.<!--BEFORE MODIFYING THE PREVIOUS SENTENCE TO STATE THAT CODEY HAS SERVED AS ONLY ACTING GOVERNOR ON THREE OCCASIONS, NOTE THE FOLLOWING: Richard Codey, as Senate President, has served as only Acting Governor every time a Governor was out of state while Codey was Senate President. While he has served twice as only Acting Governor due to gubernatorial vacancies, this is NOT the third time he has served as Acting Governor, as this scenario has occurred on other occasions. --> In 2005, voters had approved an amendment to the state constitution to provide for a [[Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey|lieutenant governor]] who would succeed the governor in the event of a vacancy or assume gubernatorial duties in the event of incapacitation, but that position would not be filled until 2010.<ref>Cooper, Michael. [https://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/15/nyregion/15corzine.html?ex=1334289600&en=03a63af8288e3f59&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss "Crash Adds Uncertainty to New Jersey Politics"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', April 15, 2007, Retrieved April 19, 2007. "New Jersey voters agreed in 2005 to create the position of a lieutenant governor who would serve if a governor stepped down or could not serve, but the position will not be created until 2009."</ref>

Corzine left the hospital on April 30, 2007.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1617165,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071031050306/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1617165,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 31, 2007|title=Verbatim |date=May 3, 2007 |magazine=Time |access-date=July 19, 2008}}</ref> He returned to Drumthwacket, where he recuperated and used a videoconferencing center (installed at his expense) to communicate with legislators.<ref>{{cite news|author=Chen, David W.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/30/nyregion/30corzine.html|title=Corzine to Make Early Exit From Hospital Monday|work=The New York Times|date=April 30, 2007|access-date=July 30, 2008}}</ref> He issued an apology, paid a $46 ticket for not wearing a seat belt,<ref>Moroz, Jennifer [http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/nj/20070502_Corzine_asks_for_seat-belt_fine__gets_it.html "Corzine asks for seat-belt fine, gets it"], ''[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]'', May 2, 2007. Retrieved May 3, 2007 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070504063247/http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/nj/20070502_Corzine_asks_for_seat-belt_fine__gets_it.html |date=May 4, 2007 }}</ref> and he appeared in a public service announcement advocating seat belts, which opened with the words "I'm New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine, and I should be dead."<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://time-blog.com/real_clear_politics/2007/05/im_jon_corzine_and_i_should_b.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071019054327/http://time-blog.com/real_clear_politics/2007/05/im_jon_corzine_and_i_should_b.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 19, 2007|title=I'm Jon Corzine, and I Should Be Dead |date=May 25, 2007 |magazine=Time |author=Bevan, Tom |access-date=July 19, 2008}}</ref>

It was reported that Corzine, not taxpayers, would pay his medical bills.<ref>{{cite news |title=Corzine will pay all medical bills, aide says |work=[[The Star-Ledger]] |date=April 27, 2007 |url=http://blog.nj.com/ledgerupdates/2007/04/corzine_will_pay_all_medical_b.html |access-date=January 24, 2009}}</ref>

===Public opinion===
[[File:Corzine final.pdf|500 px|right|Corzine Approvals]]
During the first months of his administration, Corzine experienced favorable approval ratings. According to a March 2006 [[Fairleigh Dickinson University#PublicMind|Fairleigh Dickinson PublicMind Poll]], 47% of New Jersey voters approved of the job Corzine was doing, while 16% disapproved.<ref name="FDU1">[http://publicmind.fdu.edu/oneuponedown/index.html "President Tanks; Governor has Good Will Heading into Budget System"] (Press release). [[Fairleigh Dickinson University]] PublicMind Poll. March 8, 2006.</ref> [[Peter J. Woolley|Peter Woolley]], director of the PublicMind, noted, "the numbers are pretty good for a New Jersey governor heading full tilt into an unprecedented budget crisis."<ref name="FDU1"/> Much of the good will that was indicated by the March poll was quickly diminished, and in April 2006, a PublicMind poll showed that Corzine's approval rating had eroded to 39% while his disapproval rating increased to 36%.<ref>[http://publicmind.fdu.edu/budgetattitude/index.html "2006 Survey of Budget Proposals"] (Press release). [[Fairleigh Dickinson University]] PublicMind Poll. April 4, 2006.</ref> By July 2006, the Governor's ratings recovered to some extent from the April decline and in September of the same year it was clear that Corzine's approvals had not suffered from the summer conflict over the budget and the sales tax hike; 51% of New Jersey voters approved of the governor's handling of his job while 31% disapproved.<ref>[http://publicmind.fdu.edu/shakeoff/index.html "Corzine Shakes Off Sales Tax"] (Press release). [[Fairleigh Dickinson University]] PublicMind Poll. August 31, 2006.</ref> His PublicMind poll ratings remained relatively stable and healthy through the rest of 2006 and 2007 with his average approvals at 54% and his average disapprovals at 29%.<ref name="FDU">[http://publicmind.fdu.edu/keyquestions/2010.pdf "Key Questions: Corzine Summary"]. [[Fairleigh Dickinson University]] PublicMind Poll.</ref>

In January 2008, prior to the State of the State address Corzine was at 48% approving 32% disapproving, according to the PublicMind poll.<ref>[http://publicmind.fdu.edu/toll/ "Public Hasn't Taken a Toll on Corzine – yet"]. (Press release). [[Fairleigh Dickinson University]] PublicMind Poll. January 7, 2008.</ref> But another FDU PublicMind poll taken in late January, after the State of the State address, showed that governor's ratings were slipping; 41% of voters approved of the job Corzine was doing while 39% reported that they disapproved.<ref>[http://publicmind.fdu.edu/adrag/tab.html "Governor's Toll Proposal a Drag"] (Press release). [[Fairleigh Dickinson University]] PublicMind Poll. January 30, 2008.</ref> The decline was largely in response to the governor's plan to raise tolls on the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway.<ref>[http://publicmind.fdu.edu/tollplan/index.html "Toll Plan Puts Public Opinion on Wrong Track"] (Press release). [[Fairleigh Dickinson University]] PublicMind Poll. January 7, 2008.</ref> February 2008 was not any kinder, as a PublicMind poll indicated that his numbers continued to slip with disapprovals catching up to approvals with 42% of voters approving and 43% of voters disapproving.<ref name="Fdu3">[http://publicmind.fdu.edu/cutspending/index.html "Voters Say Cut Spending"] (Press release). [[Fairleigh Dickinson University]] PublicMind Poll. February 25, 2008.</ref> [[Peter J. Woolley|Woolley]] remarked on the decline saying, "Considering the beating he has taken on his toll plan, it's remarkable that his numbers are not a good deal worse."<ref name="Fdu3"/> The governor's approval ratings showed no recovery through September 2008 with his approvals and disapprovals averaging 42% and 43% respectively.<ref name="FDU"/> Coincident with the presidential campaign, Corzine's approval ratings saw some improvement.<ref name="FDU"/>

In January 2009 he stood at 46% approving and 40% disapproving. [[Peter J. Woolley|Woolley]] asserted that the governor was faring relatively well in public opinion considering "the enormous and growing pressure on the state budget and on the governor to protect various constituencies".<ref>[http://publicmind.fdu.edu/governor0109/ "For the Moment Advantage Corzine"] (Press release). [[Fairleigh Dickinson University]] PublicMind Poll. January 9, 2009.</ref> Come March 2009, the PublicMind Poll found, "Gov. Jon Corzine's standing with the New Jersey public is suffering along with the economy," and as a result his approvals began to slip with 40% of voters approving and 43% disapproving.<ref>[http://publicmind.fdu.edu/marchgov/ "Corzine, Like Economy, Lags in New Jersey"] (Press release). [[Fairleigh Dickinson University]] PublicMind Poll. March 4, 2009.</ref> His approvals continued to decline in April as he contended with the budget and the financial crisis with 40% approving and 49% disapproving.<ref>[http://publicmind.fdu.edu/cvsc/ "Budget Battles Corzine, Still Behind Christie"] (Press release). [[Fairleigh Dickinson University]] PublicMind Poll. April 7, 2009.</ref> At the end of his term, in January 2010, Corzine's approvals landed at their lowest point during the administration with 33% approving and 58% disapproving.<ref>[http://publicmind.fdu.edu/governor1001/final.pdf "Corzine Leaves and Era of Bad Feeling"] (Press release). [[Fairleigh Dickinson University]] PublicMind Poll. January 12, 2010.</ref>

==Philanthropy and academia==
Corzine has been active with a number of philanthropic and civic organizations. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of [[Covenant House]] and is on the board of the New Jersey Reentry Corporation.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.covenanthouse.org/jon-s-corzine|title=Jon S. Corzine|publisher=[[Covenant House]]|access-date=October 12, 2017|archive-date=June 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190622231145/https://www.covenanthouse.org/jon-s-corzine|url-status=dead}}</ref> His civic work has involved serving on the boards of several organizations in the New York-New Jersey area, including the [[New Jersey Performing Arts Center]], the [[New York Philharmonic]], the New York Child Study Center and the NYC Partnership.<ref name=salt>{{Cite news |url=http://www.saltconference.com/speakers/corzine_jon.html |title=Conference Speakers Jon Corzine |publisher=SALT |access-date=October 12, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171013065740/http://www.saltconference.com/speakers/corzine_jon.html |archive-date=October 13, 2017 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> In addition, Corzine has served as co-chair of the National Commission on Capital Budgeting under President Clinton, chairman of the Treasury's Government Borrowing Committee and Chairman of the [[Public Securities Association]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.finra.org/newsroom/1997/jon-s-corzine-elected-nasd-board-governors|title=Jon S. Corzine Elected to NASD Board of Governors|date=June 26, 1997|publisher=[[Financial Industry Regulatory Authority]]|access-date=October 12, 2017|archive-date=October 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171013120511/http://www.finra.org/newsroom/1997/jon-s-corzine-elected-nasd-board-governors|url-status=dead}}</ref>

He served on the board of trustees of the [[University of Chicago]] and served as an ex-officio member of the board of trustees of [[Princeton University]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://trustees.uchicago.edu/page/honorary|title=Honorary and Emeritus Trustees |publisher=[[University of Chicago]] |access-date=October 16, 2017}}</ref><ref name=princeton>{{Cite news|url=https://www.princeton.edu/news/2010/03/23/former-gov-jon-corzine-appointed-princeton-visiting-professor|title=Former Gov. Jon Corzine appointed Princeton visiting professor |date=March 23, 2010 |publisher=[[Princeton University]]}}</ref> Corzine was the J.L. Weinberg Visiting Professor of Public Policy at Princeton in 2010 and 2011.<ref name=princeton/> He currently is serving at [[Fairleigh Dickinson University]] as chairman of an advisory board that is working to establish a graduate school of public and global affairs.<ref name=salt/> Corzine is also serving as a visiting lecturer on politics and public policy at Farleigh's [[Wroxton]] campus in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://observer.com/2017/07/corzine-in-comeback-mode-teaching-college-students-in-uk/|title=Corzine, in Comeback Mode, Teaching College Students in UK|date=July 12, 2017|newspaper=[[The New York Observer]]}}</ref>

==MF Global==
{{see also|MF Global#Corzine's possible role in the firm's collapse}}

Corzine was appointed CEO and Chairman of MF Global, a multinational futures broker and bond dealer, in March 2010.<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.mfglobalinvestorrelations.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=194911&p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=1405142|title=MF Global Appoints Jon S. Corzine Chairman and Chief Executive Officer|publisher=MF Global|date=March 23, 2010|access-date=March 23, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100329170639/http://www.mfglobalinvestorrelations.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=194911&p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=1405142|archive-date=March 29, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref>

MF Global's stock price declined two-thirds in the final week of October 2011 and its [[credit rating]] was reduced making its debt [[high-yield debt]] following huge quarterly losses.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mfglobal-idUSTRE79R4YY20111031|title=MF Global seeks sale, hires restructuring advisers|date=October 30, 2011|work=Reuters|last1=Spicer|first1=Jonathan|first2=Paritosh|last2=Bansal|access-date=July 1, 2017|archive-date=September 5, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905163455/http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/31/us-mfglobal-idUSTRE79R4YY20111031|url-status=live}}</ref>{{failed verification|date=July 2021}} On October 31, 2011, trading was halted on shares of MF Global prior to the market opening, and soon thereafter MF Global announced that it had declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Shortly afterwards, federal regulators began an investigation into hundreds of millions of dollars in missing customer funds.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/10/31/regulators-investigating-mf-global/|title=Regulators Investigating MF Global for Missing Money|first1=Ben|last1=Protess|first2=Michael J.|last2=De La Merced|first3=Susanne|last3=Craig|date=October 31, 2011|work=The New York Times}}</ref> Corzine resigned as CEO on November 4, 2011, after having retained the services of defense attorney [[Andrew J. Levander]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/11/04/corzine-hires-criminal-attorney/|title=Corzine Is Said to Hire Criminal Lawyer|first=Peter|last=Lattman |date=November 4, 2011 |work=The New York Times |access-date=November 8, 2011}}</ref> It was reported that Corzine declined a severance package worth $12.1 million.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.app.com/article/20111104/NJNEWS18/311040043/CEO-Corzine-steps-down-MF-Global-rejects-12-million-severance|title=CEO Corzine steps down at MF Global, rejects $12 million severance |date=November 3, 2011 |work=[[Asbury Park Press]] |author=Wagner, Daniel |access-date=November 3, 2011}} {{Dead link|date=April 2012|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> MF Global's collapse was one of the ten biggest bankruptcies in U.S. history.<ref name="Foley"/>

Corzine was subpoenaed to appear before a House committee on December 8, 2011, to answer questions regarding 1.2 billion dollars of missing money from MF Global client accounts. He testified before the committee, "I simply do not know where the money is, or why the accounts have not been reconciled to date," and that given the number of money transfers in the final days of trading at MF Global, he didn't know specifics of the movement of the funds. He also denied authorizing any misuse of customer funds.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/brokerage/story/2011-12-08/mf-global-corzine/51732752/1|title=Corzine: 'I simply do not know' where MF Global money is |date=December 8, 2011 |work=USA Today |author=Gordon, Marcy |access-date=December 8, 2011}}</ref> In March 2012, Bloomberg reported on a memo produced by congressional investigators that quoted an internal company e-mail relating to a $175 million transfer that was a subject of their investigation. Initial media reports suggested impropriety on Corzine's part, but this was later disproved. According to the New York Times, the employee responsible for the transfer emailed Corzine stating the transfer was a "House Wire", meaning it came from the firm's own account. The instructions Corzine had given were to deal with several overdrafts at JPMorgan Chase, but never related to any specific accounts or specific transfers made. A spokesperson for Corzine responded that Corzine "never directed Ms. O'Brien or anyone else regarding which account should be used to cure the overdrafts, and he never directed that customer funds should be used for that purpose. Nor was he informed that customer funds had been used for that purpose". In fact, as the New York Times reported, Corzine had been given specific assurances that the transfer in question was proper, and that no customer funds had been used. Subsequent court filings also attest to this fact. On November 5, 2013, The New York Times reported that MF Global customers would likely recover 100 percent of their funds. A spokesman for Corzine said "Mr. Corzine is very pleased that all customers will receive a full recovery. This is a great outcome, which has been anticipated for many months." Customers have since received distributions making them whole.<ref>{{cite news |author=Ben Protess |author2=Azam Ahmed |date=March 25, 2012 |url=https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2012/03/25/e-mail-to-corzine-said-transfer-was-not-customer-money/|title=E-Mail to Corzine Said Transfer Was Not Customer Money |publisher=The New York Times Dealbook }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-23/mf-global-s-corzine-ordered-funds-moved-to-jpmorgan-memo-says.html|title=MF's Corzine Ordered Funds Moved to JP Morgan, Memo Says |date=December 8, 2011 |publisher=Bloomberg |author1=Mattingly, Phil |author2=Brush, Silla |access-date=April 3, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/11/05/mf-global-customers-will-recover-all-they-lost/ |title=MF Global Customers Will Recover All They Lost |first=Ben |last=Protess |date=November 5, 2013 |publisher=The New York Times Dealbook }}</ref>

In June 2013, the [[Commodity Futures Trading Commission]] (CFTC) filed civil charges against Corzine for using funds from MF's customer accounts for corporate purposes. "Corzine is charged with one count of failure to segregate and misuse of customer funds and one count of failure to supervise diligently," a news report said. The commission drew on extensive taped Corzine phone conversations in filing the complaint. Corzine's attorney Levander issued a statement contesting the charges when they were filed.<ref>Patel, Sital S., and Ronald D. Orol, [http://blogs.marketwatch.com/thetell/2013/06/27/corzine-knowingly-directed-customer-fund-use-in-mf-globals-final-days-complaint-says/ "Corzine knowingly directed customer fund use in MF Global’s final days, complaint says"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130701044924/http://blogs.marketwatch.com/thetell/2013/06/27/corzine-knowingly-directed-customer-fund-use-in-mf-globals-final-days-complaint-says/ |date=July 1, 2013 }}, ''[[MarketWatch]]'', June 27, 2013. [http://www.cftc.gov/ucm/groups/public/@lrenforcementactions/documents/legalpleading/enfmfglobalcomplaint062713.pdf Link to the CFTC complaint.] Retrieved June 28, 2013.</ref>

In 2013, Corzine, and managers including Bradley Abelow and Henri Steenkamp, appealed a court ruling relating to repayments to customers of the bankrupt brokerage. A spokesman for Corzine made clear that the appeal was not an attempt to delay payments to customers, but due to a disagreement regarding how those claims would be handled by the trustee after they were paid. Corzine fully supported customers receiving 100 percent of their money and had no desire for this to be delayed. There was nothing preventing the trustee from making full distributions immediately and litigating the appeal after the fact. Ultimately all customers were paid in full.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/04/03/mf-global-customers-to-be-paid-back-in-full/|title=MF Global Customers to Be Paid Back in Full|first=Ben|last=Protess |date=April 3, 2014 |publisher=The New York Times Dealbook}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-20/mf-global-managers-corzine-to-appeal-100-payout-ruling.html|title=Corzine Appeals Ruling Allowing Full MF Global Repayment|date=November 20, 2013 |publisher=[[Bloomberg News]] |author=Kary, Tiffany |access-date=December 9, 2013}}</ref>

On January 5, 2017, Corzine and the CFTC agreed to a settlement order requiring Corzine to pay a $5 million penalty for his role in MF Global's collapse. Corzine also agreed to be permanently barred from working for a futures commission merchant or registering with the CFTC in any capacity.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/pr7508-17|title=Federal Court in New York Orders Jon S. Corzine to Pay $5 Million Penalty for his Role in MF Global's Unlawful Use of Nearly $1 Billion of Customer Funds and Prohibits Corzine from Registering with the CFTC in any Capacity or Associating with an FCM |publisher=U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mfglobal-corzine-idUSKBN14P251|title=Corzine settles with CFTC over MF Global collapse, to pay $5 million |date=January 5, 2017 |work=[[Reuters]] |author=Stempel, Jonathan |access-date=January 5, 2017}}</ref>

==Electoral history==
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=December 2019}}{{Election box begin |title=New Jersey U.S. Senate Election 2000}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link
| |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jon Corzine
  |votes      = 1,479,988
  |percentage = 50.1
  |change     =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
| |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = [[Bob Franks]]
  |votes      = 1,383,474
  |percentage = 47.1
  |change     =
}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin |title=[[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2005|New Jersey Gubernatorial Election 2005]]}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link
| |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jon Corzine
  |votes      = 1,224,551
  |percentage = 53.5
  |change     =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
| |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = [[Doug Forrester]]
  |votes      = 985,271
  |percentage = 43.0
  |change     =
}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin |title=[[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2009|New Jersey Gubernatorial Election 2009]]}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link
| |party      = Republican Party (United States)
  |candidate  = [[Chris Christie]]
  |votes      = 1,174,445
  |percentage = 48.5
  |change     =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
| |party      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |candidate  = Jon Corzine (incumbent)
  |votes      = 1,087,731
  |percentage = 44.9
  |change     =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
| |party      = Independent (politician)
  |candidate  = [[Chris Daggett]]
  |votes      = 139,579
  |percentage = 5.8
  |change     =
}}
{{Election box gain with party link|
  |winner     = Republican Party (United States)
  |loser      = Democratic Party (United States)
  |swing      = 
}}
{{Election box end}}

==Personal life==
Corzine married his high school sweetheart,<ref name=NCVCP>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,997202,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101122121025/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,997202,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 22, 2010|title=Now Comes Venture-Capital Politics |date=June 19, 2000 |magazine=Time |author=Carlson, Margaret |access-date=July 17, 2008}}</ref> Joanne Dougherty, in 1969 at the age of 22,<ref name=Record2005/> and their 33-year marriage produced three children&nbsp;– Jennifer, Josh, and Jeffrey. The couple separated in 2002 and were divorced in November 2003. Corzine's younger son Jeffrey died by suicide on March 13, 2014 at the age of 31.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Connor |first=Tracy |last2=Dienst |first2=Jonathan |date=March 13, 2014 |title=Former N.J. Governor Jon Corzine's Son Dies at 31 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/former-n-j-governor-jon-corzines-son-dies-31-n52256 |access-date=November 17, 2025 |work=[[NBC News]]}}</ref>

Corzine had lived with his wife in [[Summit, New Jersey]].<ref>Westfeldt, Amy. [https://web.archive.org/web/20110517062930/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-30278002.html "NJ Sen. Candidates Go to Same Church"], [[Associated Press]], July 27, 2000, Retrieved April 23, 2007. "Corzine, who lives in Summit, has been at Christ Church, an interdenominational mix of Baptist and United Church of Christ, for more than 20 years&nbsp;..."</ref> After their separation, Corzine moved to a condominium apartment in [[Hoboken, New Jersey|Hoboken]].<ref>{{cite news|author1=[[David Kocieniewski|Kocieniewski, David]] |author2=McGeehan, Patrick|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/02/nyregion/metrocampaigns/02corzine.html|title=Corzine's Mix: Bold Ambitions, Rough Edges|work=The New York Times|date=November 2, 2005|access-date=July 29, 2008}}</ref> 

Corzine was romantically involved with [[Jon Corzine#Carla Katz|Carla Katz]] from April 2002 until August 2004.

In April 2010, ''[[The Huffington Post]]'' announced the engagement of Corzine and psychotherapist Sharon Elghanayan (''[[née]]'' Levine), whom he had been dating since 2004.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/16/jon-corzine-engaged-to-sh_n_541187.html|title=Jon Corzine Engaged To Sharon Elghanayan |date=April 16, 2010 |work=[[The Huffington Post]] |first=David |last=Weiner |access-date=April 30, 2011}}</ref> On November 23, 2010, Corzine married Elghanayan in a ceremony presided over by Chief Justice of the [[New Jersey Supreme Court]] [[Stuart Rabner]], according to an announcement in ''[[The New York Times]]''. Elghanayan is a graduate of [[Rutgers University]] and [[New York University]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/28/fashion/weddings/28CORZINE.html|title=Sharon Elghanayan, Jon Corzine |date=November 26, 2010 |work=The New York Times |access-date=April 30, 2011}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Biography}}
*[[List of richest American politicians]]

== References ==
=== Citations ===
{{Reflist|32em}}

=== Sources ===
* Ingle, Bob (2008). ''[[The Soprano State]]''. New York: [[St. Martin's Press]]. {{ISBN|0-312-36894-1}}.
* "Democrats score big". (November 10, 2005). ''[[New Straits Times]]'', p.&nbsp;29.
* Newmarker, Chris (November 5, 2005). [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2005/11/04/politics/p173611S54.DTL "N.J. Governor's Race Hits New Lows"]. ''[[Associated Press]]''.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930030814/http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/episodes/2006/05/10 "Corzine for a Bruising"] May 10, 2006 ''The Brian Lehrer Show''

== Further reading ==
* Koppenheffer, Matt; Reeves, John; McCluskey, Molly; Beyers, Tim; Dumortier, Tim (2012). ''The Astonishing Collapse of MF Global''. Better World Books (Mishawaka, IN). {{ISBN|978-1-892547-03-3}}.

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{wikiquote}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20091027160253/http://www.joncorzine09.com/ Corzine for Governor] ''official campaign website''
* {{CongLinks | congbio=c001042 | votesmart= | fec=S8NJ00327 | congress= }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070929171142/http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Jon_S._Corzine Profile] at [[SourceWatch]]
* [https://nymag.com/nymetro/news/politics/12194/ The Deal He Made], Craig Horowitz, ''[[New York Magazine]]'', July 10, 2005
* {{C-SPAN|58861}}

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{{Governors of New Jersey}}
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