Dennis L. Riley
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly
from the 4th Legislative District
In office
January 8, 1980 – January 9, 1990
Preceded byFrancis J. Gorman and Kenneth A. Gewertz
Succeeded byAnn A. Mullen
Personal details
Born(1945-09-13)September 13, 1945
Ottawa, Illinois, U.S.
DiedMay 24, 2023(2023-05-24) (aged 77)
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseYvonne Schultes
Children1
Alma materXavier University
University of Cincinnati
Rutgers School of Law–Camden

Dennis L. Riley (September 13, 1945 – May 24, 2023) was an American Democratic Party politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly, where he represented the 4th Legislative District from 1980 to 1990.

Personal life

Born in Ottawa, Illinois on September 13, 1945, Riley moved as a child to Collingswood, New Jersey and attended Eustace Preparatory School.[1] He was educated on the undergraduate level at Xavier University and the University of Cincinnati, receiving a J.D. degree in 1972 from the Rutgers School of Law–Camden. As a practicing lawyer, Riley was a partner at Riley and DiCamillo. In addition to serving as an assistant counsel to Camden County, Riley has represented zoning, planning, and rent control boards or served as a prosecutor in the municipalities of Chesilhurst, Clementon, Lindenwold and Winslow Township across Camden County. He had been appointed to serve on the planning board in Gloucester Township, New Jersey.[2]

Riley was married to Yvonne Schultes, with whom he had a son, born in 1979.[1][2]

Riley died on May 24, 2023, at the age of 77.[1]

Elected office

In 1979, James Florio, then a Congressman, encouraged Daniel Dalton and Riley to run in the June primary under the label of the "Florio Democratic Team" against three-term incumbents Kenneth A. Gewertz and Francis J. Gorman, who had the support of Angelo Errichetti and the Camden County Democratic Organization.[3] Dalton (with 31.3% of the vote) and Riley (with 28.3%) won the two ballot spots in the primary balloting.[4]

A resident of Gloucester Township, Riley and Democratic running mate Daniel J. Dalton were elected in the November 1979 general election to represent the 4th District in the General Assembly, which covered portions of Burlington County, Camden County and Gloucester County.[5] With Burlington County removed from the 4th District and portions of Atlantic County added in redistricting following the 1980 United States census and with Dalton running for the New Jersey Senate seat that had been held by Democrat Joseph A. Maressa, Riley was elected together with running mate Anthony S. Marsella; he was reelected with Marsella in 1983, 1985, and 1987.[6][7][8][9]

As a member of the General Assembly, Riley led the South Jersey Assembly Coalition and served on the Mobile Home Tax Study Commission (as chairman), the Independent Authorities and Commissions Committee (as vice chairman) and as a member of the Legislative Services Commission.[2]

In March 1981, a month after he had sponsored legislation to require casinos to offer patrons table games with a $2 minimum bet, Riley was ejected from two casinos in Atlantic City – Bally's Park Place and the Brighton Hotel and Casino – which had alleged that he was counting cards while playing blackjack.[10] Characterizing himself as "a very good basic skills player" at blackjack who lacks the ability to count cards, Riley described being rudely ejected from the Brighton Casino after running up winnings of $3,500; he complained at the casino to a representative of the New Jersey Casino Control Commission regarding the incident, but said that no action was taken to address his issues with his treatment by the casino.[11]

A bill introduced and doggedly pursued by Riley was signed into law in May 1986 by Governor Thomas Kean, granting volunteer coaches and officials in Little League and other youth sports programs immunity from lawsuits that they might face through their involvement and participation. Riley expressed his frustration that Republicans, after taking control of the legislature, were unfairly taking credit for a legislative initiative that they had previously blocked.[12]

In the 1987 election, Riley and his Democratic Party running mates faced a vigorous challenge from the Republicans, who claimed that Riley had missed the most votes of any Assembly member, missing or abstaining from 18% of the votes in the 1984–1985 session and almost 19% in 1986–1987. Riley noted that the missed votes were due to health issues that had resulted in surgery and operations during that time period, with other abstentions made to register his protest with the way the legislation was worded and as a means to encourage amendments that would pass with his affirmative vote.[13] Camden County Republican Chairman George Geist charged that Riley had abused his position in office as a way to get work for his law firm with several of the municipalities in the district; Riley rejected the claims and expressed his confidence that he would prevail in the general election and would be chosen as Assembly Speaker in the new legislative session.[14]

South Jersey Democratic Party leader George Norcross informed Riley in February 1989 that he would not get official party support in the June 1989 party primary for a sixth term, with Riley's ballot spot – and Assembly seat – to be handed over to Ann A. Mullen, who had worked as a legislative aide to Riley and was serving as mayor of Gloucester Township. At a press conference convened by Norcross a few hours after the private meeting, Riley stated that the actions to withdraw support for him were in poor taste, but that he wasn't bitter and looked forward to devoting more time to his legal practice and spending the full summer at his home on the Jersey Shore in Sea Isle City.[15][16] Riley told The Press of Atlantic City that his decade of service in the Assembly had left him "fatigued" and that he felt relief from the weight that was removed from him by being replaced by Mullen, who he publicly endorsed as his successor.[17] In October 1989, Riley organized a farewell party attended by his parents, along with 300 constituents and fellow members of the legislature, marking his departure from the Assembly.[18]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Dennis L. Riley, Esq. Obituary". Courier-Post. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 Staff. Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey: 1987 edition, p. 243. E. J. Mullin, 1987. Accessed September 13, 2016. "Mr. Riley was born Sept. 13, 1945, in Ottawa, Ill. He studied at Xavier University and the University of Cincinnati, and received his law degree at the Camden Law School of Rutgers University in 1972, the year of his admission to the bar."
  3. ↑ Staff. "County Voters Shun Primary – Heavily", Asbury Park Press, June 6, 1979. Accessed September 15, 2016. "Elsewhere in the state, candidates running on a ticket fielded by Florio won the Democratic nominations in two Camden County Assembly districts over an opposing ticket backed by Errichetti.... Four-term Assemblymen Kenneth Gewertz and Francis Gorman were upset by Florio's team of Daniel Dalton and Dennis Riley in the fourth district, which takes in parts of Gloucester and Burlington counties as well as part of Camden."
  4. ↑ Results of the Primary Election Held on June 5, 1979 Archived July 7, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, Secretary of State of New Jersey. Accessed September 16, 2016.
  5. ↑ Results of the General Election Held on November 6, 1979 Archived April 28, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections. Accessed September 13, 2016.
  6. ↑ Candidates for the Offices of State Senate and General Assembly – 1981 Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections. Accessed September 13, 2016.
  7. ↑ Candidates for the Offices of State Senate and General Assembly – 1983 Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections. Accessed September 13, 2016.
  8. ↑ Candidates for the Office of General Assembly – 1985 Archived 2016-03-05 at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections. Accessed September 13, 2016.
  9. ↑ Candidates for the Offices of State Senate and General Assembly – 1987 Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections. Accessed September 13, 2016.
  10. ↑ via Associated Press. "Jersey Legislator Says Casinos Harassed Him", The New York Times, March 21, 1981. Accessed September 13, 2016. "An Assemblyman who recently sponsored legislation to bring back $2 gaming tables contended today he had been harassed and threatened after being accused of counting cards in blackjack at two Boardwalk casinos. The Assemblyman, Dennis L. Riley, Democrat of Camden, insisted he had not counted cards at the two casinos, Bally's Park Place and the Brighton Hotel and Casino."
  11. ↑ Janson, Donald. "Blackjack 'Counters' and Others Face Risk of Ejection by Casinos", The New York Times, May 11, 1981. Accessed September 13, 2016. "Assemblyman Dennis L. Riley, a Gloucester Township Democrat, said in an interview in his law office in Lindenwold that he was 'a very good basic skills player, but I don't have the patience to be a counter.' He said he that he had dressed in jeans and sunglasses and a cowboy hat and gone to the Brighton Casino March 19 to determine whether patrons were being treated courteously."
  12. ↑ Conway, Chris. "Riley Proposal Enacted – In Republican Form", The Philadelphia Inquirer, May 14, 1986. Accessed September 13, 2016. "What Riley said he resented was the way in which Assembly Republicans were able to share in the credit for legislation signed by Gov. Kean on Monday that grants immunity from certain lawsuits to volunteer athletic coaches, managers and officials. Riley had spent 10 months singlehandedly – and unsuccessfully – trying to push the measure through the legislature."
  13. ↑ Sipress, Alan. "Off And Running For Money And Votes", The Philadelphia Inquirer, September 27, 1987. Accessed September 13, 2016. "Riley, the Republicans allege, has one of the worst attendance records of any assemblymen. During 1984 and 1985, Riley either missed or abstained on 292 votes, or 18 percent of the total, according to Matheussen. Riley missed or abstained on 238, or nearly 19 percent, of the votes during the last two years, Matheussen said."
  14. ↑ Saffron, Inga. "In A United Campaign, Gop Pursues 4th District Seats", The Philadelphia Inquirer, May 14, 1987. Accessed September 13, 2016. "Geist accused Riley of using his political position to enhance the fortunes of his law firm, which has represented six of the seven Camden County towns included in the Fourth District. "He's a breed apart in terms of arrogance and extravagance," said Geist. Riley dismissed the Republican barbs as campaign rhetoric, predicting that he not only would be returned to the Assembly but also would be selected as its speaker."
  15. ↑ McCoy, Craig R. "Jilted By Party, Assembly's Riley Won't Run Again", The Philadelphia Inquirer, March 3, 1989. Accessed September 13, 2016. "In mid-February, Assemblyman Dennis L. Riley met at the Somerdale Diner with George E. Norcross 3d, the new Democratic Party chief in Camden County. And there, according to Riley, he was offered the political equivalent of a 'hand grenade and a cup of coffee.' Riley said Norcross told him that party officials had decided to deny him their support for an 11th term in office."
  16. ↑ Shabe, John D. "A Changing 4th Gives Gop Hope", The Philadelphia Inquirer, November 1, 1989. Accessed September 13, 2016. "Marsella is seeking his fifth term in the Assembly, while Mullen is the three-term mayor of Gloucester Township.... Mullen replaces Dennis Riley, the five-term Democratic incumbent, on the ticket. The party withdrew its support of Riley last spring."
  17. ↑ Donohue, Joseph. "'FATIGUED' RILEY WON'T SEEK RE-ELECTION TO ASSEMBLY", The Press of Atlantic City, March 3, 1989. Accessed September 13, 2016. "Veteran Assemblyman Dennis Riley, D-Atlantic, Gloucester, Camden, announced Thursday that he will not seek re-election and instead endorsed his former legislative aide, Gloucester Township Mayor Ann Mullen, as his successor. While acknowledging that he recently began feeling fatigued after serving 10 years in the Assembly, the 43-year-old lawmaker from Gloucester Township said he now feels relief."
  18. ↑ Shabe, John D. "Saying Goodbye To Riley", The Philadelphia Inquirer, October 4, 1989. Accessed September 13, 2016. "That's because there will be no more campaigning for Riley, who is nearing the end of his fifth term as a state assemblyman from the Fourth District. Riley is not running for re-election in November, and more than 300 of his colleagues and constituents came to the party Friday to bid him farewell."
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