UNITED STATES NEWS

Tahesha Way sworn in as New Jersey’s lieutenant governor after death of Sheila Oliver

Sep 8, 2023, 8:08 AM | Updated: 10:18 am

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy named Secretary of State Tahesha Way to be the state’s next lieutenant governor, a month after Sheila Oliver died after a short hospitalization.

Way’s appointment takes effect immediately because the state constitution doesn’t require Senate approval for the nomination. Chief Justice Stuart Rabner swore her in Friday outside the governor’s office.

Her top duty will be filling in for the governor when he’s out of state or incapacitated, or if he can no longer serve. But she will stay on as secretary of state, overseeing elections as well as the state museum and archives. Under the constitution the lieutenant governor also holds a Cabinet position.

Way, accompanied by three of her four daughters and husband Charles Way, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve and promised to keep the cost of living down and to protect fundamental freedoms.

“I will dedicate every day of my life to fighting for the forgotten families of our state,” she said.

As secretary of state she oversaw the implementation of early in-person voting as well as the 2020 election, which occurred almost entirely with mail-in ballots because of COVID-19 restrictions.

She succeeds Oliver, who died last month of unrevealed causes after a short hospitalization while Murphy had been out of the country.

Way, Democrat like Murphy, has served as secretary of state since the start of Murphy’s administration in early 2018. She was previously special counsel to the Passaic County Board of Social Services.

She’s a graduate of Brown University and the University of Virginia School of Law and previously served as a county officeholder in Passaic and an administrative law judge.

Way is just the third person to hold the post of lieutenant governor, a newer state government position that began under previous Gov. Chris Christie.

United States News

Associated Press

Former US Sen. Dick Clark, an Iowa Democrat known for helping Vietnam War refugees, has died at 95

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Former U.S. Sen. Dick Clark, a Democrat who unexpectedly won a single term representing Iowa in the 1970s after campaigning by walking around the state, and who later played a key role in aiding refugees after the Vietnam War, has died. He was 95. Clark died Wednesday at his home […]

5 minutes ago

FILE - A road cuts through a flooded area south of Perry, Fla., following the passage of Hurricane ...

Associated Press

Florida agriculture losses between $78M and $371M from Hurricane Idalia, preliminary estimate says

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Florida agriculture losses from Hurricane Idalia are estimated at between $78 million and $371 million, with producers also suffering widespread damage to such infrastructure as irrigation rigs and fences, according to a preliminary report Thursday from the University of Florida. The Category 3 hurricane came ashore Aug. 30 along Florida’s […]

1 hour ago

Associated Press

Senate confirms new army chief as one senator’s objection holds up other military nominations

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is confirming three of the Pentagon’s top leaders, filling the posts after monthslong delays and as a Republican senator is still holding up hundreds of other nominations and promotions for military officers. Gen. Randy George was confirmed as Army Chief of Staff on Thursday, and Gen. Eric Smith is expected […]

1 hour ago

Associated Press

Biden says Norfolk Southern must be held accountable for Ohio derailment but won’t declare disaster

President Joe Biden ordered federal agencies to continue holding Norfolk Southern accountable for its February derailment in eastern Ohio and appoint a FEMA official to oversee East Palestine’s recovery, but he still stopped short of declaring a disaster. Biden issued the executive order Wednesday evening. Part of the order essentially directed the environmental, health and […]

1 hour ago

Associated Press

Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office can’t account for nearly 200 guns, city comptroller finds

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office can’t account for 185 missing guns, according to a report released this week by the city controller’s office. Some of the missing guns were part of the sheriff’s office’s arsenal and others were confiscated from people subject to protection-from-abuse orders. Acting City Controller Charles Edacheril said his office […]

2 hours ago

FILE - Rupert Murdoch attends the WSJ. Magazine 2017 Innovator Awards at The Museum of Modern Art i...

Associated Press

Rupert Murdoch, creator of Fox News, stepping down as head of News Corp. and Fox Corp.

Rupert Murdoch, the 92-year-old media magnate who created Fox News, is stepping down as leader of both Fox's parent company and his News Corp. media holdings.

5 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

DAY & NIGHT AIR CONDITIONING, HEATING AND PLUMBING

Importance of AC maintenance after Arizona’s excruciating heat wave

An air conditioning unit in Phoenix is vital to living a comfortable life inside, away from triple-digit heat.

...

DAY & NIGHT AIR CONDITIONING, HEATING AND PLUMBING

Here are the biggest tips to keep your AC bill low this summer

PHOENIX — In Arizona during the summer, having a working air conditioning unit is not just a pleasure, but a necessity. No one wants to walk from their sweltering car just to continue to be hot in their home. As the triple digits hit around the Valley and are here to stay, your AC bill […]

...

OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center

5 mental health myths you didn’t know were made up

Helping individuals understand mental health diagnoses like obsessive compulsive spectrum disorder or generalized anxiety disorder isn’t always an easy undertaking. After all, our society tends to spread misconceptions about mental health like wildfire. This is why being mindful about how we talk about mental health is so important. We can either perpetuate misinformation about already […]

Tahesha Way sworn in as New Jersey’s lieutenant governor after death of Sheila Oliver