NJ Democrat Pleads Not Guilty to Child Porn Charges

Ironically enough while this guy was in office he "championed" the fight against child porn. Yeah, right. He just wanted free access to the goods.

On the upside, the Associated Press actually identifies him as a Democrat, and it only takes four paragraphs to get there.

A former New Jersey lawmaker who once championed bills aimed at fighting child pornography pleaded not guilty Tuesday to child porn and official misconduct charges in his first public appearance since the state began investigating him last July.

A judge determined Neil Cohen is not a flight risk, so he can remain free without bail — with restrictions. He's not allowed to "loiter or linger" around playgrounds or schools, have unsupervised contact with children under 16 or use the Internet for purposes other than business.

A state prosecutor said Cohen told investigators he had viewed child porn but rejected a plea bargain offer.

Cohen, a 58-year-old Democrat from Roselle, sat silently through his arraignment in Superior Court and allowed his lawyer to enter the not guilty plea for him.

Cohen, who was elected to the Assembly nine times, once sponsored a law creating a hot line to report child pornography and other Internet crimes.

Naturally, he's be playing the crazy card.

He resigned from office last July and checked into a psychiatric hospital after word got out that he was under investigation for child pornography. Other lawmakers tipped off officials about images that allegedly show underage girls engaged in sexual acts.

Deputy Attorney General Anthony Picione said Cohen admitted the images were his and said he had viewed them on the computer in his law office in Montclair and in his district legislative office in Union Township. Computers from both locations were seized.

His lawyer, Mark Tuohey, said Cohen is now receiving mental health treatment "probably for a lifetime."