January 04, 2018 07:49 PM
UPDATED 1 MINUTE AGO
The Latest on the death of former New Jersey Gov. Brendan Byrne (all times local):
7:45 p.m.
New Jersey Democratic state Senate President Steve Sweeney says the state has lost one of its "most politically courageous public leaders" following the death of former two-term Gov. Brendan Byrne.
Byrne authorized the law permitting gambling in Atlantic City and was considered by mobsters to be too ethical to bribe. The Democrat died Thursday in Livingston at age 93 following an infection that went into his lungs.
Democratic Assembly Majority Leader Lou Greenwald says Byrne was honorable and intelligent. Democratic Gov.-elect Phil Murphy says Byrne restored the faith that "good people do go into politics to do the right things for the right reasons."
Republican Gov. Chris Christie says Byrne had "an extraordinary career of public service" and did his job "with integrity, honesty, intelligence, wit and flair."
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7:10 p.m.
A New Jersey governor who mobsters said was too ethical to be bribed and who authorized the law permitting gambling in Atlantic City has died. Brendan Byrne was 93.
His son Tom Byrne says he died Thursday at a home in Livingston. The son says he suffered an infection that went into his lungs and "was too weak to fight."
Byrne built his reputation as a crusading prosecutor and held numerous governmental positions during more than 30 years of public service.
The Democrat won his first term as governor in 1973. His campaign was helped by an FBI surveillance tape that showed mobsters discussing how he was so ethical they couldn't bribe him.
In 1976, he authorized a referendum that led to the approval of legalized gambling in Atlantic City.
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