[pbear8]

Torricelli is going to resign

I thought he would loose a lot of money if he resigned, like not collect his pension until 65. If he serves out he gets his pension right away.

If that is so, he's too greedy to do anything else.

[Maximum Leader]

You hit the nail on the head. Its the pension issue that will trip up the Democrats.

Torricelli is 51 years old and entered Congress (for the first 14 years, the House side) in January of 1983. If he serves until January 2003 (i.e. the expiration of his current Senate term) he will have 20 years federal service and can begin collecting a government pension immediately. If he resigns even a day short of 20 years (which he would have to if the governor were to call a special election), then his pension doesn't vest until his 60th birthday.

We know he hates Lautenberg. In fact, I've read that he had an understanding with the governor that the replacement candidate be anybody BUT Lautenberg-- no honor among thieves I guess.

So how likely is Torricelli to grease the skids for his archenemy and in the process lose 9 years of free government checks?