Governor Appoints Ridgewood's Todd Caliguire to Investigations Commission

As one-time political rival Kathe Donovan gets comfortable in her new seat as Bergen County Executive, will also be getting comfortable in new digs after the governor officially appointed the West Side-residing stationary store business owner as a commissioner of the State Commission of Investigation.

As a direct appointee to the commission by his gubernatorial friend, the Democrat-controlled legislature cannot block Caliguire's new role in Trenton. Christie announced his appointment in a statement on Thursday afternoon.

The commission is a bi-partisan advisory body that has the power to investigate corruption, waste and abuse within any state agency or department, but does not have the power to prosecute.

Caliguire is set to receive a $35,000 salary without benefits and will serve the unexpired term of former commissioner Oakland's W. Cary Edwards, who passed away in October of 2010, a spokesman for the commission said. "[Caliguire] will be sworn in today," the spokesman told Patch. The term ends December 31, 2011.

Caliguire, who has had fractured relationships with Bergen County Republicans after threatening to run a second time for County Executive in 2010, drew back and instead led the transition team for the newly-elected Republican freeholders, a seat he himself had held in the 1990s. The governor reportedly wanted Caliguire out of the County Executive race, Bergen County Republican Chairman Bob Yudin told The Record in February of 2010.

He'd previously lost to Dennis McNerney for the top county seat in 2006 after narrowly winning the nomination over Donovan, and also mounted a battle against State Sen. Kevin O'Toole (R-40) in 2007. Additionally, Caliguire unsuccessfully ran for governor in 2005.

Politickernj.com reported that Caliguire has long been a friend of the governor and his wife Laurie–a Broadway actress–sang at Christie's inaugural ball in 2009.

Members–two directly appointed by the governor and two appointed by the heads of both the senate and assembly–make recommendations to both the governor and legislature for improvements in law and government operations, in addition to making investigative reports available to the Attorney General's Office for possible prosecution.

The four-person commission cannot be comprised of more than two members of the same party and cannot hold public office a year subsequent or prior to the appointment.

Caliguire could not be reached for comment on Friday afternoon.