Carmine DeSopo

Last updated July 29, 2024

Carmine DeSopo (born November 1, 1940) is an American Republican Party politician who served one term in the New Jersey General Assembly, from 1996 to 1998, where he represented the 7th Legislative District.

Education

DeSopo earned bachelor's degree in 1964 and a master's degree in 1967, both with a major in education, at William Paterson College in Wayne, New Jersey. He earned a Ph.D. in administration from Nova University. He was the long-time Superintendent of the Burlington County Special Services School District.^[1] William Paterson University recognized DeSopo as one of its Distinguished Alumni Award honorees in 1975.^[2]

Superintendent

While DeSopo was superintendent, a group of emotionally and physically disabled students from the Burlington County Special Services School District marched in the inaugural parade for President Bill Clinton.^[3] The band also marched in the parade in Atlantic City, New Jersey for the 1993 Miss America pageant.^[4] Saying that he "didn't even know it was a paying job" when he was elected to the Assembly, DeSopo announced in 1996 that he would donate his entire $35,000 annual salary from the Assembly to the school district's marching band and to a camp the district runs for adult graduates.^[5] Having been responsible for the creation of the district, DeSopo announced in March 2001 that he was retiring at the end of the school year from his position as superintendent after 38 years in the field of education^[6]^[7] DeSopo was the target of an investigation into his use of school district employees to perform work on his home in Westampton Township, New Jersey and a Long Beach Island vacation property.^[8]

General Assembly

In the 1995 general election, DeSopo and Republican running mate Diane Allen were elected, defeating Democratic incumbent Steven M. Petrillo and his running mate, newcomer Joseph P. Dugan.^[9] The $1.1 million spent in the 1995 Assembly race made it the first in New Jersey to cross the $1 million spending mark, as reported in the results of a study conducted by the Center for the Analysis of Public Issues of Princeton, New Jersey that analyzed campaign finance reports from candidates for all 80 Assembly seats.^[10]^[11]

DeSopo served in the General Assembly as Vice-Chair of the Community Services Committee and as a member of the Judiciary Committee.^[1]

Related Research Articles

Delanco Township is a township in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 4,824, an increase of 541 (+12.6%) from the 2010 census count of 4,283, which in turn reflected an increase of 1,046 (+32.3%) from the 3,237 counted in the 2000 census. The township, and all of Burlington County, is a part of the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden combined statistical area and the Delaware Valley.

Lumberton is a township in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The township, and all of Burlington County, is a part of the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden combined statistical area and the Delaware Valley. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 12,803, an increase of 244 (+1.9%) from the 2010 census count of 12,559, which in turn reflected an increase of 2,098 (+20.1%) from the 10,461 counted in the 2000 census.

Mount Holly is a township that is the county seat of Burlington County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is an eastern suburb of Philadelphia, the nation's sixth largest city as of 2020. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 9,981, an increase of 445 (+4.7%) from the 2010 census count of 9,536, which in turn reflected a decline of 1,192 (-11.1%) from the 10,728 counted in the 2000 census. The township, and all of Burlington County, is a part of the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden combined statistical area and the Delaware Valley.

Westampton is a township in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 9,121, an increase of 308 (+3.5%) from the 2010 census count of 8,813, which in turn reflected an increase of 1,596 (+22.1%) from the 7,217 counted in the 2000 census. The township, and all of Burlington County, is a part of the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden combined statistical area and the Delaware Valley.

Willingboro Township is a township in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is a suburb of Philadelphia and part of the state's South Jersey region. The township, and all of Burlington County, is a part of the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden combined statistical area and the Delaware Valley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hainesport Township, New Jersey</span> Township in Burlington County, New Jersey, US

Hainesport Township is a township in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 6,035, a decline of 75 (-1.2%) from the 2010 census enumeration of 6,110, in turn reflecting an increase of 1,984 (+48.1%) from the 4,126 counted in the 2000 census. The township, and all of Burlington County, is a part of the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden combined statistical area and the Delaware Valley.

Diane B. Allen is an American politician and television journalist. A member of the Republican Party, she represented the 7th legislative district in the New Jersey Assembly from 1996 to 1998 and New Jersey Senate from 1998 to 2018. Allen was the senate majority whip from 1998 to 2001, deputy Republican conference leader from 2002 to 2003, and later deputy minority leader. In 2002, she was an unsuccessful candidate for United States Senate, finishing second in the Republican primary.

Rancocas Valley Regional High School is a regional high school and public school district serving students in ninth through twelfth grades from five communities in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The district encompasses approximately 40 square miles (100 km²) and comprises the communities of Eastampton Township, Hainesport Township, Lumberton, Mount Holly and Westampton Township. The school is located in Mount Holly. The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools since 1938. The high school is the only facility of the Rancocas Valley Regional High School District.

Willingboro Public Schools is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade from Willingboro Township, in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.

The Mount Holly Township Public Schools are a comprehensive community public school district, that serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade from Mount Holly, in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.

The Eastampton Township School District is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in kindergarten through eighth grade from Eastampton Township, in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.

The Lumberton Township School District is a community public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade in Lumberton, in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.

The Westampton Township Schools are a community public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade from Westampton, in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.

The Hainesport Township School District is a community public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade from Hainesport Township, in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.

New Jersey's 7th legislative district is one of 40 in the New Jersey Legislature, covering the Burlington County municipalities of Beverly City, Bordentown City, Bordentown Township, Burlington City, Burlington Township, Cinnaminson Township, Delanco Township, Delran Township, Edgewater Park Township, Fieldsboro Borough, Florence Township, Moorestown Township, Mount Laurel Township, Palmyra Borough, Riverside Township, Riverton Borough and Willingboro Township as of the 2021 apportionment.

The Burlington County Special Services School District is a special education public school district headquartered in Westampton, in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, whose schools offer educational and therapeutic services for students of elementary and high school age from across the county who have emotional of physical disabilities that cannot be addressed by their sending districts.

Martha Bark was an American Republican Party politician, who served in the New Jersey State Senate from 1997 to 2008, where she represented the 8th Legislative District. She served as Deputy Minority Leader from 2004 to 2008. She was a member of the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature, the New Jersey General Assembly, from 1995 to 1997.

Kenneth William Faulkner is a former Republican Party politician who served for 10 weeks in the New Jersey General Assembly. After a collegiate career with the Campbell Fighting Camels basketball team, he was inducted into the Campbell University Hall of Fame. He is also a retired teacher, school administrator and high school basketball coach.

Steven M. Petrillo is an American Democratic Party politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1994 to 1996.

Jean Stanfield is an American politician who served in the New Jersey Senate, representing the 8th Legislative District from 2022 to 2024. She previously served in the New Jersey General Assembly, representing the 8th Legislative District from 2020 to 2022. Stanfield served as Sheriff of Burlington County from 2002 to 2019.

References

1 2 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 1997-02-05. Retrieved 2017-04-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link), New Jersey Legislature, backed up by the Internet Archive as of February 5, 1997. Accessed June 22, 2010.
↑ Past Distinguished Alumni Award Honorees Archived May 27, 2010, at the Wayback Machine , William Paterson University. Accessed June 22, 2010.
↑ Staff. "PAGEANT DECISION IS DISAPPOINTING, BUT BURLCO BAND PLAYS ON THE SPECIAL SERVICES SCHOOL'S PIONEERS WERE TO HAVE MARCHED IN A.C., BUT A LATE APPLICATION CANCELED THEIR APPEARANCE.", The Philadelphia Inquirer , September 15, 1993. Accessed June 22, 2010.
↑ Cannon, Kathleen. "PAGEANT RELENTS, WILL LET DISABLED BAND MARCH IN PARADE", The Press of Atlantic City , September 17, 1993. Accessed June 22, 2010.
↑ Johnston, Robert C. and Walsh, Mark. "State Journal: Surprise gift; No charge", Education Week , April 3, 1996. Accessed June 23, 2010.
↑ Staff. "PIONEERING BURLCO SUPERINTENDENT ANNOUNCES HIS RETIREMENT", The Philadelphia Inquirer , March 15, 2001. Accessed June 22, 2010.
↑ Staff. "A new year brings changes in staff, Carmine DeSopo is retiring. Lenape gets ready for a new school. Others come and go.", The Philadelphia Inquirer , August 26, 2001. Accessed June 22, 2010.
↑ Staff. "Special services school superintendent retiring", Courier-Post , March 15, 2001. Accessed October 26, 2015. "A former assemblyman representing Burlington County, DeSopo was the subject of an FBI investigation in 1997 regarding an election campaign complaint that he misused students and staff to work on his Westampton home and a summer home on Long Beach Island."
↑ NJ Assembly 07 - History, OurCampaigns.com. Accessed June 22, 2010.
↑ Pristin, Terry. "New Jersey Daily Briefing;$1 Million Campaign Costs", The New York Times , March 13, 1996. Accessed June 22, 2010.
↑ Staff. "Assembly campaign spending rises, especially in South Jersey. The most expensive race cost $1.5 million.", The Philadelphia Inquirer , March 14, 1996. Accessed June 22, 2010. "The District 7 race in Burlington and Camden Counties, eventually won by the Republican ticket of Diane Allen and Carmine DeSopo, was the most expensive in the state, totaling $1.5 million, according to Upmeyer's analysis of campaign finance reports."

New Jersey General Assembly
Preceded by Steven M. Petrillo George Williams	Member of the New Jersey General Assembly from the 7th district 1996–1998 Served alongside: Diane Allen	Succeeded by Herb Conaway Jack Conners

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[NJLEG-1] 1 2 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 1997-02-05. Retrieved 2017-04-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link), New Jersey Legislature, backed up by the Internet Archive as of February 5, 1997. Accessed June 22, 2010.

[2] Past Distinguished Alumni Award Honorees Archived May 27, 2010, at the Wayback Machine , William Paterson University. Accessed June 22, 2010.

[3] Staff. "PAGEANT DECISION IS DISAPPOINTING, BUT BURLCO BAND PLAYS ON THE SPECIAL SERVICES SCHOOL'S PIONEERS WERE TO HAVE MARCHED IN A.C., BUT A LATE APPLICATION CANCELED THEIR APPEARANCE.", The Philadelphia Inquirer , September 15, 1993. Accessed June 22, 2010.

[4] Cannon, Kathleen. "PAGEANT RELENTS, WILL LET DISABLED BAND MARCH IN PARADE", The Press of Atlantic City , September 17, 1993. Accessed June 22, 2010.

[5] Johnston, Robert C. and Walsh, Mark. "State Journal: Surprise gift; No charge", Education Week , April 3, 1996. Accessed June 23, 2010.

[6] Staff. "PIONEERING BURLCO SUPERINTENDENT ANNOUNCES HIS RETIREMENT", The Philadelphia Inquirer , March 15, 2001. Accessed June 22, 2010.

[7] Staff. "A new year brings changes in staff, Carmine DeSopo is retiring. Lenape gets ready for a new school. Others come and go.", The Philadelphia Inquirer , August 26, 2001. Accessed June 22, 2010.

[8] Staff. "Special services school superintendent retiring", Courier-Post , March 15, 2001. Accessed October 26, 2015. "A former assemblyman representing Burlington County, DeSopo was the subject of an FBI investigation in 1997 regarding an election campaign complaint that he misused students and staff to work on his Westampton home and a summer home on Long Beach Island."

[9] NJ Assembly 07 - History, OurCampaigns.com. Accessed June 22, 2010.

[10] Pristin, Terry. "New Jersey Daily Briefing;$1 Million Campaign Costs", The New York Times , March 13, 1996. Accessed June 22, 2010.

[11] Staff. "Assembly campaign spending rises, especially in South Jersey. The most expensive race cost $1.5 million.", The Philadelphia Inquirer , March 14, 1996. Accessed June 22, 2010. "The District 7 race in Burlington and Camden Counties, eventually won by the Republican ticket of Diane Allen and Carmine DeSopo, was the most expensive in the state, totaling $1.5 million, according to Upmeyer's analysis of campaign finance reports."

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]