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Q – How did your role start?
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He viewed it based on the Army Corps of Engineers' report as not only necessary but very valuable to the continued viability of Philadelphia as a port city.
He had had a meeting with Jon and he was looking into it. He discussed the idea of having an independent investigation to come up with a proposal to satisfy both sides. Since I was a friend of Jon and Ed, he asked me. They both asked me. Jon separately asked me to get involved. They had talked to each other about asking me to act as an intermediary and to do my own independent investigation, so I could come back with a fair agreement for both.
Q – So Corzine was on board with your mediation from the beginning?
A – Shortly after my first conversation with Ed, I talked with Corzine and he echoed the same thing. He was totally on board and gave me some direction and gave me the New Jersey point of view. Ed gave me same thing on the Pennsylvania side. And I was able to tap into the view of Jeff Nash at the DRPA with respect to the DRPA concerns …
Q – What was the stumbling block between Rendell and Corzine?
A – I can’t say there was a single stumbling block. There were a lot of different points of view that needed to be taken into consideration. One of the things that had to be done was to get the DRPA back up and functioning on a normal basis. It had functioned very well without the commissioner meetings. But you needed the commissioners to meet to address a variety of issues.
Q – How did you conduct the investigation and get everybody together?
A – What had to be done is you had to listen to the environmental interests, you had to listen to Rep. Andrews and his views, you had to listen to other South Jersey leaders on what it was and was not good for them. And the same on the Pennsylvania side. I had to study all the Army Corps reports, the critiques of those reports and the updates, and look at other things that had been done in similar situations, like at the Port of New York-New Jersey. I had to pay attention to the whole issue of a spoils management plan, and who should be the project sponsor, and could you even do it without an additional Army Corps report.
I came up with answers to all those questions that formed the basis for dialogue for Ed and (his chief of staff John H.) Estey on one had, and Corzine and (his chief of staff John) Shea on the other hand. And when we had common ground, I got everybody in a room together and said here is the proposal. We worked out not only the basic understanding, but how we would go forward in implementing it.
Q – What was the root of disagreement between Rendell and Corzine? Was it personal?
A – I can’t get into that, because that would be invading confidential communications. It was definitely not personal. In my view, Ed Rendell and Jon Corzine are two of the best public servants, best governors, and best guys I know. They are passionate about representing their constituencies, but they are also reasonable, practical guys who want to do what is right.
Q – Surely something must have divided such reasonable guys. What it something different from their public statements about the dredging itself?
A – I can’t discuss it. You can assume there were things that were not discussed publicly that were creating difficulties and stumbling blocks, and I was able to take care of it because, to a large measure, these guys are both my friends and they trusted me.
Q – Was it completely unrelated to the dredging?
A – I just cannot go further than that. That would really be inappropriate.
Q – Now, the whole business landscape around the port has changed. Who benefits?
A – From the Pennsylvania point of view, there are great opportunities that will be created once we go through all steps necessary. … I think Ed is correct that it will be a substantial boom for Southeast Pennsylvania, and he deserves all credit for that. For South Jersey, they will get what they want in an environmentally safe way and will not have to bear the cost burden of something that will not benefit them. South Jersey will get expansion of high-speed rail lines, will get some port faclities they want, and will get certainly some real improvements to the transport system in South Jersey. All that is going to have to be worked through.
Q – What does the environmental side get?
A – The environment side gets the assurance that everything will be done well and properly. You still need a spoils management contract, and we’ll have to get the buy-in from the state of Delaware.
Q – Your role is finished?
A – Both sides have asked me to keep working. The agreement contemplates creation of committee to implement key provisions of the agreement, and both have asked me to serve and chair that committee.
Q – On politics, you’ve a major campaign donor to Joe Biden. Is he your choice for president?
A – We have been friends for a long time, and I think he would do a great job. I have supported him financially. But my allegiance is and has been to Bill Richardson. He is my guy for this presidential race.
Q – Oddly for such a strong Democrat, you did give a $5,000 donation in 2004 to the Republican Federal Committee of Pennsylvania. What was that about?
A – I did? I have absolutely no recollection of that. I have been a supporter of Arlen Specter, although I was never a supporter of Rick Santorum. Never. But if Arlen asked me to do it, maybe I did. I don’t remember.
