Cryan was the Majority Leader of the New Jersey General Assembly, serving from January 12, 2010, until January 10, 2012. Cryan served as the Assembly's Deputy Majority Leader 2006–2010, and was Assistant Majority Leader from 2004 to 2005. He served on the Human Services Committee and the Law and Public Safety Committee.[2]
New Jersey Senate
Cryan ran for New Jersey Senate in 2017, and won. Cryan was sworn in on January 9, 2018.
Assemblymember Jamel Holley announced in January 2021 that he would challenge Cryan in the June 2021 primaries.[3] Jason Krychiw also ran against Cryan in the primary.
Cryan's father had been charged in Federal court with racketeering and corruption, though the judge in the case dismissed the charges due to prosecutorial mistakes and ended the proceedings against him.[8]
The lawmaker's son, also named John Cryan, was convicted of brutally beating a motorist with a baseball bat while two accomplices punched and kicked the victim, after a case of road rage that occurred when his father was in the General Assembly. The younger Cryan was ordered by the court only to probation but he was later jailed for violating the terms of his sentence.[9]
Other relatives involved in public life are his cousin, Morristown Councilman John Cryan,[10] his sister, Union Township Municipal Clerk Eileen Birch, his cousin, Cranford, New Jersey township administrator Jamie Cryan,[11] his brother-in-law Superior Court judge Joseph Donohue.[12]
The New York Post reported that Cryan "graphically spelled out his kinky proclivities in more than 150 e-mails that he sent to" a former lobbyist for Prudential Financial who pleaded guilty to stalking his girlfriend in exchange for being allowed to participate in a pre-trial intervention program.[13] "The e-mails were written when the pol presumably would have been at one of his government jobs — either his $49,000-a-year Assembly gig or his $111,000-a-year post as Union County undersheriff," the Post said.
^"Essex Irish Family Recognized As Civic, Public and Business Leaders". Newark, New Jersey: Essex County, New Jersey. March 15, 2005. Retrieved August 17, 2011. John Cryan, a former Essex County Sheriff and Assemblyman, who was born in County Roscommon, Ireland, passed away last month. He was 75. Cryan immigrated to America and Essex County in the late 1940s... During the Irish Heritage Celebration, Assemblyman Joe Cryan (D-Union), a witty storyteller, remembered his dad as a loving father, husband and civic leader.
^Maitland, Leslie (August 10, 1980). "Did Del Tufo Jump, or Was He Pushed By Abscam?". The New York Times. p. E6. Retrieved August 17, 2011. A Federal judge ordered racketeering and kickback charges against former Essex County Sheriff John Cryan dropped, after halting his trial because of prosecution errors in drafting the charges.
^"Gov. Corzine hurt by scant support in Democratic strongholds". The Star-Ledger. nj.com. November 4, 2009. Retrieved November 21, 2011. Corzine carried Union County — but just barely. Democratic Committee Chairwoman Charlotte DeFilippo said her organization delivered. "I think if you look statewide, we did very well for the governor. We did our job," she said. But the numbers show turnout there was less than memorable. More than 10,000 fewer voters went to the polls in Union County on Tuesday, compared to the 2005 governor's race. Corzine received 77,982 votes in that election and only 64,759 votes on Tuesday."
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