Trenton – Senate President Nick Scutari issued the following statement on Senator – and former Senate President and former Governor – Richard J. Codey’s decision not to seek reelection:

“Dick Codey is one of the most accomplished state leaders in New Jersey history. His career of public service is unmatched, with a half-century of dedicated service in the Senate and Assembly, as Senate President and as Governor, where he provided a steady hand of leadership during times of transition.

“When I first entered the Senate almost 20 years ago, Dick Codey was a larger than life figure who already had a three decade long career with significant accomplishments. He knew how to get things done and he did it with humility, good humor and a spirit of selfless determination.

“He was a pioneer in the recognition and treatment of mental health conditions at a time when the issue was not openly discussed, and he demonstrated the courage of his beliefs by going undercover in a state psychiatric hospital to expose mistreatment. He also fought for significant gun safety laws, to track sex offenders and crack down on Internet predators, to protect young athletes from the ill effects of steroids, to pursue medical research with stem cells and to make health care available to the uninsured, among countless additional accomplishments.

“Dick Codey always put the people of New Jersey first and he measured success by the progress achieved for those in need. For Dick, a ‘bleeding heart’ is not a derisive phrase, but a way of life.”