04/18/2023

New Jersey Wins SCOTUS Dispute Against New York

The state is permitted to withdraw from the Waterfront Commission Compact

The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) says New Jersey can withdraw from a commission the state created decades ago with New York to combat the mafia's influence at their joint port.

The high court ruled unanimously Tuesday that the Garden State does not need New York's consent to withdraw from the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor. The commission was created in 1953 when organized crime had infiltrated the port and was demanding payments from workers and shippers through extortion and violence.

New Jersey lawmakers have said that changes in the industry, including the development of container shipping, have lessened the influence of organized crime at the port and reduced the need for the commission. The state says the commission has become "an impediment to economic growth."

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Associated Press.