TRENTON - Chris Cerf, leader of New Jersey's Education Department, was confirmed on Monday, 18 months after he was nominated for the job by Gov. Christie. The state Senate confirmed Cerf by a 28-0 vote.
Cerf began serving as acting commissioner in December 2010. His confirmation was held up because of a process called senatorial courtesy, which allows the senator from a nominee's home county to block a gubernatorial appointment.
Cerf, who lives in Montclair, rented an apartment in Republican-friendly Montgomery, Somerset County, to get around the rule after Sen. Ron Rice (D., Essex) refused to sign off on his nomination.
