Another legislator quizzed in N.J. budget inquiry

Another legislator has been subpoenaed by the U.S. Attorney's Office, which has been investigating how the New Jersey budget has been developed since 2004.

Assemblyman Robert M. Gordon (D., Bergen) said he received a subpoena from U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie's office yesterday seeking documents related to the Hackensack University Medical Center.

Gordon's district mate, State Sen. Joseph Coniglio, had a $5,000-per-month consulting contract with the medical center, which since 2005 has received $1.6 million in legislative grants for building improvements.

Gordon vowed to comply with the subpoena, which he said seeks documents back to Jan. 1, 2004.

Coniglio has denied any wrongdoing and vowed to cooperate. He received a subpoena in March.

The investigation stems from a separate inquiry into State Sen. Wayne Bryant, the former Senate budget chairman. Christie recently charged Bryant with bringing millions in state money to a state medical school in exchange for a no-show job and using that and other posts to triple his taxpayer-funded pension. Bryant has pleaded not guilty to the charges. - AP