Author

Terrence T. McDonald

Terrence T. McDonald

Editor Terrence T. McDonald is a native New Jerseyan who has worked for newspapers in the Garden State for more than 15 years. He has covered everything from Trenton politics to the smallest of municipal squabbles, exposing public corruption and general malfeasance at every level of government. Terrence won 23 New Jersey Press Association awards and two Tim O’Brien Awards for Investigative Journalism using the Open Public Records Act from the New Jersey chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. One politician forced to resign in disgrace because of Terrence’s reporting called him a "political poison pen journalist.” You can reach him at [email protected].

New Jersey Monitor is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.

Commentary

New Jersey 101.5 is giving Bill Spadea an unfair advantage in 2025 gov race

By: - June 25, 2024

New Jersey 101.5 said Bill Spadea will continue hosting his radio show while he runs for governor. That's a bad decision.

Commentary

Former A.G.’s testimony in Menendez trial reveals more New Jersey grossness

By: - June 7, 2024

Former Attorney General Gurbir Grewal testified Thursday in Sen. Bob Menendez's corruption trial that a now-ex state senator and a former Murphy administration official tried to discuss pending criminal matters with him.

Commentary

The Open Public Records Act, once touted as a ‘major reform,’ dies at 22

By: - June 7, 2024

Lawmakers earlier this year axed a few critical portions of the law and rewrote others, making it virtually unrecognizable.

Commentary

As voters consider their White House choice, is Jan. 6 a factor?

By: - June 1, 2024

Voters were horrified when a pro-Trump mob ransacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Will voters in November 2024 care?

Commentary

Actually, Sen. Menendez, what you did does indeed sound pretty corrupt

By: - May 20, 2024

In Sen. Menendez's bid to get a jury to acquit him of corruption charges, Menendez's own version of events exposes his actions as corrupt.

Commentary

Gov. Murphy’s choice on public records bill: Mimic Michigan Dems, or the Louisiana GOP

By: - May 10, 2024

Gov. Murphy will soon be faced with a big choice: let the Legislature gut out public records law, or to side with the public’s right to access.

Commentary

They took on New Jersey’s party bosses — and they’re winning

By: - April 29, 2024

In toppling the county line, attorneys Yael Bromberg, Flavio Komuves, and Brett Pugach have become heroes among New Jersey’s progressives.

Commentary

Abortion restrictions put women’s rights on shaky ground, even in New Jersey

By: - April 25, 2024

The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday again heard a case that could curtail abortion access in parts of the nation.

Commentary

From Oregon to N.J., policymakers’ genius plan to solve homelessness is to say, ‘Go somewhere else’

By: - April 23, 2024

A comment from U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor has been rattling around my brain since I heard it Monday morning. The nation’s high court was hearing a case centered around an Oregon city’s ordinance restricting when people can sleep outdoors, an attempt to shoo away the city’s unhoused population. Sotomayor asked the city’s attorney […]

Commentary

Voters reject push to gut New Jersey’s public records law, poll says

By: - April 12, 2024

The poll says 81% of respondents do not want the Open Public Records Act revised, versus just 14% who back the proposed changes.

Commentary

Praise to those who helped deliver a near-fatal blow to New Jersey’s county line

By: - March 30, 2024

New Jersey's unique primary ballot system is on life support. Praise be.

Commentary

With Tammy out, clerks beg, ‘Please don’t take our county line away!’

By: - March 26, 2024

Lawyers for county clerks want to use Tammy Murphy's failed Senate bid to salvage the potentially doomed county line.