Hearing on Corzine-girlfriend emails today

The AP reports:

A judge on Friday will weigh whether Gov. Jon S. Corzine's administration adequately explained what it did to find all e-mails and correspondence between the governor and a state union leader he once dated.

Superior Court Judge Paul Innes will hear arguments on his order requiring Corzine's office to detail what was done to find communications between the governor and his ex-girlfriend, Carla Katz.

Tom Wilson, the state Republican Party chairman, contends Corzine's office disobeyed the judge's order by failing to detail attempts by technology experts to find e-mails or explain what was done by Corzine staffers to search and turn over e-mails. Wilson also contends it hasn't addressed private e-mails used by Corzine.

"We should assume that Corzine is still working overtime to hide something from the public and that his relationship with Carla Katz improperly influenced his actions as governor," Wilson said.

Assistant Attorney General Patrick DeAlmeida contends the search for the correspondence complied with state law and asked Innes to reject Wilson's bid to force testimony on the search.

"The fact that [Wilson] wishes to engage in a fishing expedition with respect to the governor's interactions with Carla Katz does not justify the extraordinary relief that he seeks," DeAlmeida wrote in a recent court filing.

Wilson filed a lawsuit in May asking a judge to make public Corzine's e-mails with Katz, alleging they could have tainted state contract talks. Katz is the president of Communications Workers of America Local 1034, the largest state worker local.

Corzine, 60, and Katz, 48, dated from 2002 to 2004, when Corzine was a U.S. senator. The Democrat became governor in January 2006. Katz received large sums of money from Corzine as he started his gubernatorial bid in 2005.

In August, Innes ordered Corzine and his staff to turn over all communications with Katz so he could review them privately and decide whether to make them public.

The state complied with that request on Sept. 4. It's uncertain when Innes will rule.

Wilson, arguing the e-mails are public information, sued after he and several media outlets, including The Associated Press, were denied copies of e-mails by the administration.

Corzine contends the communications with Katz are private under privileges afforded governors. Katz claims they're private because they're personal and involve confidential contract talks, though CWA officials contend she had no authority to negotiate with Corzine.

The New Jersey Way!