New Jersey can leave the mob-busting Waterfront Commission without New York’s approval, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.
The court sided with New Jersey in a unanimous decision by Justice Brett Kavanaugh expected to put the 70-year-old commission out of business.
The bi-state watchdog was created in 1953 to address organized crime racketeering and unfair hiring at the port of New York and New Jersey. New Jersey has sought to unilaterally disband the commission since 2018, arguing that it hurt hiring at the port and had outlived its usefulness.
Kavanaugh wrote that the decision was based on contract law and the language of the compact itself.
“The question presented is straightforward: Does the Waterfront Commission Compact allow New Jersey to unilaterally withdraw from the Compact notwithstanding New York’s opposition? The answer is yes,” the court’s opinion said.
The text of the compact establishing the bi-state commission does not explicitly say how either New York or New Jersey may withdraw, Kavanagh noted.
The decision said that “default contract-law rule — that contracts calling for ongoing and indefinite performance may be terminated by either party — supports New Jersey’s position in this case.”
Gov. Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James issued a joint statement lamenting the ruling, saying they were “disappointed.”
“For decades, the Waterfront Commission has been a vital law enforcement agency, protecting essential industries at the port and cracking down on organized crime,” the statement said. “We will continue to do everything in our power to combat corruption and crime, protect the health of our economy, and ensure the safety of New Yorkers.”