Ex-Governor James McGreevey To Speak At Rider

LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ — Former New Jersey Governor James McGreevey is coming to Rider University later this month.

"An Evening with James E. McGreevey" will take place in the Mercer Room at 7 p.m. on Feb. 10, the university announced. McGreevey’s remarks will be followed by a Q&A session.

McGreevey was elected the 51st governor of New Jersey in 2001. He resigned in 2004 after acknowledging that he had had a relationship with a staff member. He also became the first openly gay governor in American history at that time. His 2006 autobiography, “The Confession,” recounted the tension between his public and private personas that led to that moment.

Micah Rasmussen is the director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University, which is sponsoring the event. He was McGreevey’s press secretary while in office.

"I'm eager to hear Gov. McGreevey's reflections on his time in office, his advice for students and his thoughts on the current political climate," Rasmussen said.

While in office, McGreevey closed a $14 billion budget gap and balanced the state budget without raising sales or income taxes and undertaking ambitious job-creation programs and the largest school construction project in the country.

He signed landmark state environmental protections into law and also enacted the state's first ban on pay-to-play contributions from government contractors.

Prior to his time as governor, McGreevey was the mayor of Woodbridge, and he served in the state senate. He earned a bachelor's degree from Columbia University, a master’s degree from Harvard University and a law degree from Georgetown University.

After leaving office, McGreevey earned a Master of Divinity from General Theological Seminary and began working with Integrity House, an addiction treatment facility in Newark. He also began working with the Hudson County Correctional Center, in addition to serving as director of the Jersey City Employment and Training Program.

“In the 15 years since he left office, Gov. McGreevey has led an incredibly effective effort to help women re-enter society after completing prison terms,” Rasmussen says.

The event is free and open to the public, but advanced registration is requested by visiting rider.edu/governor-mcgreevey.