Last minute sniping by Corzine's ex-wife

[Jersey Devil]

Corzine's ex-wife claims he's 'compromised his ideals'
She also says his affair with Katz broke up their 33-year marriage
Thursday, November 03, 2005
BY JEFF WHELAN AND JOSH MARGOLIN
Star-Ledger Staff

U.S. Sen. Jon Corzine's ex-wife said yesterday he "compromised his ideals" to get elected by cutting deals with political bosses, and that his pursuit of power "destroyed" their family.

Joanne Corzine said she was reluctantly breaking her silence because her ex-husband is giving an inaccurate portrayal of himself in his campaign for governor.

She said that when she campaigned by his side five years ago, she urged him not to get involved with Democratic political bosses, but he contributed millions of dollars to them to "buy their loyalty."
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"It changed him. I think once you go down that road of making deals, compromising your ideals to get somewhere, it's easier to do it the next time," she told The Star-Ledger in an interview.

For the first time, she also said her ex-husband's affair with Carla Katz, president of New Jersey's largest state workers union, led to the breakup of their marriage.

"I think the relationship between Jon and Carla was the catalyst to our separation," she said.

Joanne Corzine met Jon Corzine in first grade and was married to him for 33 years. The couple raised three children together before divorcing two years ago.

"We grew up together. We came from first grade on. And our family was a unit and I think with the ambition that kind of took over our life -- his ambition -- it really destroyed our family as we knew it," she said.

"When he ran for Senate, family values were an important part of his campaign. We all helped campaign. And then when he got into the political arena, that changed, and I think people should know that because values are the core of what a person is."

Tom Shea, a senior campaign adviser to Corzine, had previously said the senator's romance with Katz began only after his separation from Joanne Corzine in March 2002. Last night, Jon Corzine did not dispute his ex-wife's statement on when the affair began.

[I_Make_Mistakes]

1. Hopefully, same effect as GWB's DUI

It's late in the game and this is the first I have heard of it!

[tilsammans]

2. Now Corzine's ex is doing an attack ad . . .

. . . on behalf of Forrester.

It's amazing how people can air out their dirty laundry in this manner.

[yankeedem]

3. This will backfire on Forrester big

NJ is kind of a MYOB kind of state- Forrester looks awful venal running ads about the NY Times article.