So, New Jersey's Top 'Salesman' Just Took a Lobbying Gig With the State's Biggest Utility. Shocking.
Let’s get one thing straight. When I saw the press release that Wes Mathews, the CEO of Choose New Jersey, was jumping ship to become the VP for state government affairs at PSEG, my first reaction wasn't shock. It was a long, slow, tired sigh. The kind you let out when you see the same predictable plot twist in a movie for the hundredth time.
This isn't just a career move. This is a masterclass in how the game is played. For the last few years, Mathews has been the state's head cheerleader, running a "nonprofit" tasked with luring businesses to the Garden State. And who was the chairman of this nonprofit? Why, none other than Ralph LaRossa, the chair, president, and CEO of PSEG.
You see the beautiful, closed-loop perfection of it? The head of the state's biggest utility oversees the guy whose job is to glad-hand and promote the state's business climate. Then, when that guy has built up an impeccable Rolodex and cashed in every favor, the utility just... absorbs him. It’s so neat, so tidy, so utterly shameless. This is a pretty standard career move. No, 'standard' isn't right—this is the playbook written in neon lights.
So What Are They Actually Buying?
The press releases are, offcourse, a festival of corporate back-patting. Governor Murphy is "deeply grateful." PSEG's man LaRossa says Mathews was a "proven leader" who created "$6.7 billion in economic impact." These are big, shiny numbers designed to make you feel like something important happened. But what did it really get the state? A few international offices and an ad campaign with "11.3 billion impressions"—a metric so meaningless it might as well be imaginary internet points.
Let’s be real. PSEG isn't paying a VP salary for a guy who's good at launching ad campaigns. They're buying influence. They're buying a direct line.
Look at the quote from Mathews' new boss, Rick Thigpen. He says Mathews will help PSEG "support the governor-elect to ensure a seamless transition for New Jersey.” Let me translate that from PR-speak into English for you: "He will use his connections to make sure the new administration doesn't do anything that might hurt PSEG's bottom line during the transition." This is about navigating energy policy, affordability debates, and reliability issues. It’s about making sure the "solutions" that get developed are the ones PSEG likes. It ain't about you or me.
This whole thing reminds me of the two faces these companies always show us. One day, you read a story about how a PSEG Long Island program helps seniors stay safe and storm-ready, teaching the elderly how to avoid tripping on electrical cords. It’s all warm and fuzzy. You can almost picture the team handing out cookies and pamphlets. Then, a few days later, you see another headline: PSEG seeks to prohibit hunting on properties while it does surveys for power-line project.
That’s the real PSEG. One face is the friendly community partner; the other is the brass-knuckled corporation that will take you to court to get what it wants. Which version do you think they hired Wes Mathews to be? He’s the velvet glove, the guy who smooths things over and makes sure the political path is clear before the bulldozers roll in. And honestly, if you expect anything else...
A Perfect System
The part that really gets me is the sheer audacity of it all. Mathews himself called his time at Choose New Jersey "the most rewarding chapter of my professional journey." A journey that, conveniently, ends with a cushy executive lobbying job at the company run by his old board chairman. It's a perfect feedback loop. The "public service" of running a state-boosting nonprofit becomes the ultimate audition for a lucrative private-sector gig where you can leverage all the connections you just made.
What questions does this even leave us with? Are we supposed to ask if this is ethical? The system is designed to make it perfectly legal. Are we supposed to ask if Mathews is qualified? Of course he is—he’s a former diplomat specifically trained in advancing economic interests. He's the most qualified person imaginable for a job that involves whispering in the right ears.
The real question is, why do we even pretend anymore? Why do we have these quasi-public "nonprofits" that act as finishing schools for corporate lobbyists? We are watching the gears of the machine turn in broad daylight, and we're just supposed to nod along and applaud the "seamless transition." Then again, maybe I'm the crazy one for even being annoyed by it. This is just how the world works.
This Ain't a Charity, Folks
Give me a break. This isn't a hire; it's an acquisition. PSEG didn't just get a new VP. They bought the entire state government affairs starter pack—complete with a direct line to the governor's mansion and a deep understanding of every lever of power in Trenton. And we, the ratepayers and taxpayers, are the ones who will ultimately foot the bill for whatever "collaboration" he engineers. It's a brilliant move for them. For the rest of us? It's just another Tuesday in the swamp.
