His "loan" to a former lover who, as part of her job, negotiates with the Governor's office, could prove destructive to Democrat John Corzine's campaign for New Jersey Governor this year. 

New Jersey voters  proved with former Democratic Senator Bob Toricelli, that a very dishonest politician will quickly lose favor. Torricelli was forced to quit his race for re—election to the  Senate in 2000, trailing badly in the polls in the usually reliably Democratic state.

Corzine, who spent $70 million to buy his Senate seat in 2002 and still won by only 3%, was running 8 to 10 points ahead of Republican Doug Forrester until this story broke. This is the kind of story the New York media (widely seen in most of New Jersey) and especially the tabloids, love to run.

Can New Jersey Democrats find another replacment like Frank Lautenberg if this gets too hot for Corzine?

Richard Baehr   8 5 05

Ed Laksy adds:

Ex—Governor James McGreevey had an affair while married, just as apparently Corzine did. Not so unusual these days,  but giving her half a million dollars to buy a 10 acre estate while claiming she was in perilous economic trouble... gimme a break. This has the appearance not only of being a rich man buying an attractive mistress but getting union endorsement as a kicker.

Ethel Fenig adds:

Ah, sex and money.  Two topics, especially when linked, everyone understands. 
 
Which is why Chicago's late mayor Richard Daley, father of the present embattled Chicago mayor Richard Daley, reportedly warned the city's patronage army 

 "You may take money under the table but never bounce your secretary under the sheets."  (As told by Chicago's own great columnist Mike Royko.)

Words to live by——in Chicago at least the trains run mostly on time, the garbage is usually picked up and the snow is cleared——promptly.