Bill Baroni

William E. Baroni Jr. (born December 10, 1971) is an American Republican Party politician and law professor.

Baroni became interested in politics as a teenager, working on the 1988 campaign of his hometown US representative, Christopher H. Smith (R), who was seeking re-election to his fourth term.

He was also a driver for Assembly Speaker Chuck Haytaian in his campaign for US Senator against Frank Lautenberg in 1994 and worked on the advance staff for the 1996 presidential campaign of Steve Forbes.

In 1999, Baroni made his first campaign for public office, losing a race for Hamilton Township council.

In 2000, Baroni was one of a small group of New Jersey Republicans who supported John McCain for president over George W. Bush.

He served as chief counsel to Congressman Bob Franks in his 2000 U.S. Senate race.

In 2001, Baroni was general counsel for congressman Bob Franks's gubernatorial campaign.

In 2002, he led the Republican efforts to keep incumbent U.S. Senator Robert Torricelli's name on the ballot after Torricelli withdrew amid ethical problems.

The efforts were ultimately unsuccessful.

In 2002, when U.S. Senator Robert Torricelli withdrew his candidacy for re-election five weeks before Election Day after the Senate admonished him on ethics charges, Baroni argued for the Republicans in the New Jersey Supreme Court against a last-minute switch of candidates to Frank Lautenberg.

In 2003, Baroni mounted an aggressive campaign for the General Assembly, knocking on over 10,000 doors to defeat the Democratic incumbent Gary Guear.

Baroni's campaign got a boost when Guear accused Baroni of falsely claiming to be a native Hamiltonian.

Baroni was born in Jacksonville, Florida before his adoption by the Baroni family in Hamilton, where he had lived ever since.

The remark backfired as an attack on Baroni's adoption, and Guear's campaign never recovered.

In 2004 and 2005, he was the Assembly's Assistant Parliamentarian.

Baroni served in the Senate on the Joint Committee on the Public Schools, the Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee, the Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee and the Judiciary Committee.

He was re-elected to the Assembly in 2005.

During the 2005 campaign, Democratic opponent Daniel R. Benson held an October press conference at the State House, intending to attack Baroni on property taxes.

Instead, Baroni personally attended the press conference and debated the issue with Benson, attacking Benson's record on taxes as a Hamilton Township councilman.

Benson eventually left his own press conference, leaving Baroni to take media questions from Benson's podium.

In 2006, Baroni helped Tom Kean Jr. prepare for his debates against Senator Bob Menendez by playing the part of Menendez.

On November 6, 2007, he won election to become State Senator of the 14th Legislative District.

He captured 62.3% of the vote, defeating Democratic Party opponent Seema Singh.

Baroni filled the State Senate seat vacated by Republican Senator Peter Inverso.

There had been speculation that Baroni would seek the Republican nomination for United States Senate in 2008 against Frank Lautenberg, but his run for the New Jersey Senate effectively ended that speculation.

In 2008, Baroni served as State Chairman of John McCain's presidential campaign in New Jersey.

Baroni has been described as "pro-life and pro-labor."

He did the same in 2009 for Chris Christie's debate preparations, standing in for Jon Corzine.

In 2010, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie named Baroni to serve as the Deputy Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

In 2010, he was the only Republican Senator who voted to allow same-sex marriage in New Jersey.

He supports same sex marriage in Ireland, of which he is also a citizen.

Baroni was an associate at DeCotiis, Fitzpatrick & Cole, and then at Blank Rome.

He was of counsel at Fornaro Francioso, a Hamilton firm.

He resigned from his position at the Port Authority on December 12, 2013, during the inquiry into the Fort Lee lane closure controversy.

Baroni was convicted on seven counts of conspiracy and wire fraud in relation to his involvement in the closure and sentenced to two years of imprisonment and 500 hours of community service, later reduced to 18 months.

He represented the 14th legislative district in the New Jersey Senate and General Assembly.

On May 7, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously reversed the conviction in Kelly v. United States.

Baroni was born in Jacksonville, Florida.

He attended Steinert High School in Hamilton Township.

He received a B.A. from George Washington University in history and was awarded a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law.