Sweeney Lawsuit Threats Halt Rutgers Board Move

Written by Anthony Bellano

A New Brunswick attorney set to join Rutgers University Board of Governors on Thursday learned on his way to the ceremony that he wouldn't be sworn in.

"I received a call from the attorney and he said I wouldn't be sworn in because they received a threat of legal action," said Martin Perez, who also serves as president of the Latino Leadership Alliance of New Jersey. "They said the Senate president would take legal action to invalidate all actions taken at the meeting if I was sworn in."

According to New Brunswick Today, state Senate President Steve Sweeney, a West Deptford resident, threatened Rutgers University with a lawsuit should Perez join the board.

Perez heard earlier Sweeney might take the step; he received a second call a half-hour before the swearing in ceremony confirming Sweeney would make good on his threat.

Sweeney initially objected to Perez's appointment by Gov. Chris Christie in December. Sweeney felt the governor was sidestepping the Senate at that time, as it was holding up the appointment Christie made 18 months earlier, according to the Politicker.

“Legal issues were raised yesterday, and there wasn’t sufficient time to sort through them in time for the board meeting,” Rutgers spokesman Greg Trevor said Friday. “We look forward to Martin Perez joining the Board in the near future.”

Attempts to reach Sweeney and Christie for comment on Friday were unsuccessful.

"I was already appointed by the governor," Perez said. "I don't understand how they can not swear me in."

Perez requested a letter from the university clarifying the situation. It was unclear to him what the next step would be.

“I deserve an explanation,” he said.

Christie selected Perez as one of his two new appointments to the Board of Governors by the Higher Education Restructuring Act, which also merged seven of the University of Medicine and Dentistry New Jersey's schools with Rutgers.

Board of Governors members are selected in part by the governor and in part by the Board of Trustees, a Rutgers University governing body Sweeney has proposed eliminating.