Garry Furnari

Garry J. Furnari (born September 1, 1954) is a judge[2] and former American Democratic Party politician, who served in the New Jersey State Senate from 1998 to 2003, where he represented the 36th Legislative District.

Garry J. Furnari
Member of the New Jersey Senate from the 36th district
In office 1998–2003
Preceded by	John P. Scott
Succeeded by	Paul Sarlo
Mayor of Nutley, New Jersey
In office 1996–2003
Nutley Township Municipal Prosecutor
In office 1986–1988
In office 1992–1995
Personal details
Born	Garry Joseph Furnari[1] September 1, 1954
Political party	Democratic
Education	Rutgers University Pace University School of Law

Biography

Furnari was elected to the State Senate in November 1997, when he defeated Republican incumbent John P. Scott.[3] Furnari won with 55% of the vote, taking the seat of one of the Senate's most conservative members.[4]

In 2001, Furnari was challenged by Republican Party Assemblyman John V. Kelly. The seat was considered one of the few statewide that could have been a pickup for the Republicans.[5] Furnari went on to win by a 52–48% margin.[6]

Furnari left the Senate in May 2003 after being nominated to serve on New Jersey Superior Court, and was succeeded by Paul Sarlo. Sarlo had been the choice of Bergen County Democratic Organization Chairman Joe Ferriero to succeed Furnari.[7]

In the Senate, Furnari served on the State Government Committee (as Co-Chair), the Commerce Committee, the Judiciary Committee and the Law and Public Safety and Veterans' Affairs Committee.[8]

Furnari served as a Commissioner and Mayor of Nutley, New Jersey from 1996 to 2003, was Nutley Township Attorney from 1995 to 1996, and was Nutley Township Municipal Prosecutor from 1986 to 1988, and again from 1992 to 1995.[8]

Furnari attended Nutley High School, graduating in 1972.[9] He received a B.A. from Rutgers University with a major in Political Science in 1976 and was awarded a J.D. from Pace University School of Law in 1980.[8][10]

District 36

Each of the forty districts in the New Jersey Legislature has one representative in the New Jersey Senate and two members in the New Jersey General Assembly. The other representatives from the 36th Legislative District for the 2002-2003 Legislative Session were:

• Assemblyman Paul DiGaetano, and
• Assemblyman Paul Sarlo

References

1. "Garry Joseph Furnari". opengovny.com. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
2. http://judges.njlj.law.com/profile/Superior_Court,_Civil_Division,_Essex_County/Garry_Furnari/Garry_Furnari-291.xml
3. Llorente, Elizabeth. John P. Scott, two-term state senator, dies at 76 Archived 2010-05-28 at the Wayback Machine, The Record (Bergen County), May 23, 2010. Accessed May 24, 2010.
4. Peterson, Melody. "THE 1997 ELECTIONS: THE LEGISLATURE; After Intense Fight, Republicans Fend Off Challenges to Their Majority in State Senate", The New York Times, November 5, 1997. Accessed May 24, 2010.
5. Halbfinger, David M. "Control of the State Senate Hinges on a Handful of Races", The New York Times, November 4, 2001. Accessed November 2, 2009.
6. Staff. "THE 2001 ELECTIONS; RESULTS -- The Races for New Jersey", The New York Times, November 8, 2001. Accessed November 2, 2009.
7. Gohlke, Josh. "Wood-Ridge mayor sworn in as senator; Democrats speed up Sarlo's promotion.", The Record (Bergen County), May 20, 2003. "Democratic Wood-Ridge Mayor Paul Sarlo took a promotion to the upper house of the Legislature on Monday, when he was sworn in as a state senator, replacing Garry J. Furnari of Nutley.... Furnari's nomination for a Superior Court judgeship - and its rapid confirmation in an emergency Senate session this month - allowed Sarlo, the choice of Bergen County Democratic Chairman Joseph Ferriero, to take his seat."
8. "Senator Furnari's legislative web page". Archived from the original on October 13, 2003. Retrieved 2003-10-13.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link), New Jersey Legislature. Accessed April 3, 2008.
9. Exit 1972. XXXI. Nutley Senior High School. p. 76.
10. "Biographies of the N.J. Superior Court Judges". New Jersey Law Journal. January 31, 2005. Retrieved February 1, 2021.

External links

• Senator Furnari's legislative web page at the Wayback Machine (archived October 13, 2003), New Jersey Legislature.