Scutari pulls bill to scale back office's role
Comptroller's power to investigate was on line
By: Katie Sobko
NorthJersey.com
USA Today Network - New Jersey
..... A bill that would have eliminated the investigatory powers of the State comptroller;s Office is not advancing, the state Senate president said on December 9. [2025]
.....
The legislation, which caused an outcry from advocates and state offals alike, would have moved investigative "powers, functions and duties" from the comptroller's office to the State Commission of Investigation.
..... Senate President Nick Scutari, who sponsored the bill, told the New Jersey Globe that he had "heard the concerns" and was "going to listen to them."
..... "I never corned the market on good ideas," he said.
..... "But I'm not going to move forward with the bill right now."
..... Scutari's office did not respond to USA Today Network New Jersey requests to confirm the decision to pull the bill or th comment on the decision.
..... After word of Scutari's decision spread, U.S. Senator Andy Kim said in a statement that this is a "win for the people of New Jersey
and a signal of the power of a growing anti-corruption movement through out our state and this country."
..... "As I've said before, the opposite of democracy is apathy," Kim said.
..... "Do not feel helpless about fixing our broken politics. It isn't just possible, it's necessary. Now let's get ready for the next fights."
..... Kim spent more than five hours at a committee hearing in Trenton last week [12/01/2025] to testify about his opposition to the bill.
..... The bill cleared the
state Senate's State Government, Wagering, Tourism and Historicist Preservation Committee meeting but was the source of considerable upheaval.
..... Testimony on the bill started at about 12:45 PM. on Monday December 1, [2025] after a seven-minute speech from Scutari about the importance of the bill and then a 40-minute presentation from the SCI's executive director, Bruce Keller.
..... Most notably, Kim, New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin and acting State Comptroller Kevin Walsh were all on hand and had filed the necessary form to testify during the meeting. Even as advocates and lobbyists attempted to yield their time for Kim to have his turn, state Senator James Beach would not allow Kim to jump the line.
.....
"No one is special," Beach said.
.....
It is up to the discretion of the chair to determine the order of testimony.
..... That sentiment lingered throughout the two hours of testimony, which was resoundingly opposed to the bill.
..... When Kim finally took his seat to testify, he was met with a standing ovation from the advocates on hand but was not necessarily welcomed by Beach, who tried to limited Kim's testimony to three minutes.
..... "If this was a bill that came before and it was solely about increasing resources ... if this was about expansion and the growing of SCI alone, none of us would be hear," Kim said.
..... "The problem here is that it's coming at the expense of the comptroller."
..... Platkin's concern was the separation of powers, saying he would have shed light on that for the Legislature if someone had asked before the bill was introduced. Beach, though, said Platkin, whose office would not be directly affected by the bill, is the "problem."
..... "I would say that your failed polices and so many black eyes under your leadership of this Attorney General's Office led Senator Scutair to look at what we need to do better," Beach said.
..... "I just think all of these things piled on made Senator Scutari look for options because you are the problem here, you and your leadership."
Scutari targeting transparency
..... This isn't the first time Scutari has expressed interest in cutting back on the state's watchdog agencies. In January [2025] he spoke about having fewer watchdog agencies in New Jersey.
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"I think what we have is a lot of watchdogs, a lot of them. We have ELEC, SCI, we have comptroller, the Attorney General's Office, we have county prosecutors," he said at the time. "One of these days we're going to have to look at consolidation of those efforts." The head of one such watchdog - Walsh - has been serving in that capacity for four years, but Scutari said he was "not certain" Walsh would have enough support to be confirmed by the state Senate and would have to step down if his nomination was put to a vote. "I think the concern is the amount of money that office has spent without one single indictment in all these years,' Scutari said. "That office has spent an extraordinary amount of money in investigation and producing reports that have not resulted in one criminal charge."
..... Walsh's office has targeted numerous politicians and their allies in recent years and had been under fire from lawmakers as a result.
..... Katie Sobko covers the New Jersey Statehouse. Email: sobko@northjersey.com