Despite the scramble in the early morning hours of July 4th to pass the budget and compromise Horizon bill, the Assembly took the time to recognize and bid farewell to LD30 Assemblyman Dave Rible, whose departing to take on the role of ABC Director, first reported by Insider NJ in mid-June (as well as the names floated as possible successors).  The well-regarded Rible, who’s served in the Assembly since 2007, became Minority Leader Jon Bramnick’s right-hand man in the Republican caucus as conference leader.   In the wake of the news of Rible’s departure, as possible replacements in LD30 for Assemblyman Kean’s replacement.

Both Republicans and Democrats took the time to honor Rible.

GOP Minority Leader Bramnick said, “as I look over to my friends on the Democratic side and the Republican side, and there is no better person than Dave Rible.  There is no one more willing to work with everyone here than Dave Rible, and there’s no one more committed to his family – his daughter and his wife – than Dave Rible.  He is the essence of a New Jerseysan.  A guy whose fun, fun-loving, witty, smart, passionate.  This is one special guy, and I am so lucky to have as one of my best friends – not just a colleague – Dave Rible.  I want to thank him for his service to New Jersey, I want to thank him for his friendship, I want to thank him for being a leader in this Legislature, someone who taught all of us how to interact with each other.  So tonight we recognize Assemblyman Dave Rible as an outstanding member of this Legislature, but also whose going to serve now as the ABC Director, so although he’s going to leave us he’s just going right down the street, and I’m sure when you call Dave Rible, he’s still going to be your friend.  So thank you, Mr. Speaker, thank you Dave for an incredible career in the Legislature, and I’m sure you aren’t going too far.”

Majority Leader Greenwald referenced their joint work on the Transportation Trust Fund and Rible’s bipartisan reputation: “You are an example to everyone Republicans and Democrat of what it means to cross party lines.  You will be sorely missed here.”

LD30 Assemblyman Sean Kean congratulated his departing district-mate, saying, “Dave you represented LD11 and then LD30 with passion, integrity, and brought a great set of skills to the district.  I want to congratulate you on your new endeavor and I know you won’t be far.  God bless, and good luck.”

Speaker Prieto, Bramnick, and Greenwald presented Rible with a resolution on the floor; the Speaker added, “you’ve given great service to the state and to this body and I wish you a lot of luck in all your future endeavors with the ABC board.”

Rible kept it short, brief and poignant, light-heartedly joking about the late time, saying “its not a question of what time people get home, its about last call,” giving the tired chamber members a well-needed laugh.

He gave a round of thank you’s to the Speaker, Bramnick, and the leadership team, and his LD30 colleagues Senator Singer and Kean.

He thanked his family for understanding the life of a legislator, saying his daughter is looking forward to having a dad on weekend and nights again.

He made sure to give credit and thanks to his Chief of Staff Ryan Sharpe, and both partisan and OLS staff – “all of us may think we’re really good, but without them, we’re nothing”.

Alluding to the budget impasse, he gave the chamber one departing piece of wisdom, saying “one thing I came in here for was I wanted to accomplish things; but one thing I made a priority of was friendships first, politics second.  I think I know a little something about every member here, and that’s how it should be.  I think we need to get to know everyone and be friends, and then we can discuss the policy.  That way, we’re not here on July 4th, we leave before June 30th.”