According to a report made public yesterday from the Election Law Enforcement Commission, NJEA, New Jersey’s teachers’ union, has donated $707,600 to favored candidates in both Legislative houses. That’s almost twice as much as four years ago.

According to the Star-Ledger, the money is intended for two reasons: one,” largely to gird for a battle with Gov. Chris Christie over proposed changes in education policy” and, two, in order to follow through “on a threat to penalize lawmakers who approved a large increase in the cost of pension and health care benefits.”

So Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver — who both ultimately backed the pension and health care benefits reform — received no money this year from NJEA. Senator Linda Greenstein, on the other hand, received the maximum allowed by law — $8.200 — because she was “one of the loudest opponents” of the new legislation.