The Star-Ledger of Newark, N.J., which had long sought access to private e-mails of former Gov. Jon Corzine, on Sunday published material from some 123 e-mails between Corzine, a Democrat, and former state union leader Carla Katz.

After Corzine, a former U.S. Senator, became governor in 2006, his relationship with Katz, his former girlfriend, became a point of interest because her union was in bitter talks with the state for a new agreement. The newspaper had been denied access to the e-mails in recent years via a court ruling, but apparently obtained them through another source that is not disclosed.

The story by statehouse bureau scribe Josh Margolin states:

From Jan. 25, 2007, through March 26, 2007, while both were involved in heated negotiations over a new state workers contract, Corzine and Katz exchanged scores of e-mails. Of those the newspaper obtained, she sent 100, he sent 23.

They are by turns salacious, playful, plaintive, even angry. And they include clear discussions of state business.

The e-mails appear to support Corzine's contention that no direct negotiations took place between him and Katz. But they contradict Corzine's claim at the time that his interaction with Katz was no different from the way he dealt with any other top labor leaders in the state.

The newspaper also filled five pages in Sunday's paper with the e-mails and related stories.

Asked for comment, Star-Ledger editor Kevin Whitmer e-mailed this statement:

For a paper that has preached about the need for transparency in government to do anything other than present the emails in their original form would by hypocritical. By putting everything in print and online, we have given everyone an opportunity to judge the entirety of their relationship for themselves -- without the filter of anyone's reporting.

The paper also posted an online interview with Margolin: