As Corzine begins rehab, New Jersey's in familiar hands, records show

TRENTON - Frequent trips out-of-state often left Gov. Jon S. Corzine turning over his powers to Senate President Richard Codey, who's running the state now as the governor recovers from crash injuries, according to a published report.

During the time between his January 2006 inauguration and his accident on April 12, Corzine transferred his powers to Codey, or another official next in line, nearly one out of four days, according to a review of official state records published yesterday in the New York Times.

Examining transfer-of-power letters from Corzine's chief of staff, Tom Shea, the Times found the governor leaving someone else in charge 111 out of 450 days.

A review of news reports shows official trips to Washington, an Asia trade mission, and meetings with troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The multimillionaire Corzine also spent long weekends in Europe and the Hamptons on Long Island, and took longer vacations in Telluride, Colo., Italy, and St. Bart's.

Corzine was expected to leave Cooper University Hospital in Camden this afternoon to begin rehab at his home in Princeton. *