During testimony in Bryant's corruption trial Tuesday, former state Department of Human Service Commissioner James Davy described Bryant as blocking funding for reforms, then reversing course after one of his employers benefited from the plan.

But yesterday, Bryant's attorney noted that the 191-page plan, unveiled in February 2004, was drawn up largely without legislative input.

The next month, Davy asked the Joint Budget Oversight Committee to approve $15 million to immediately begin making changes. Bryant was chair of the committee, which instead approved just $7 million.

Bryant and Assemblyman Louis Greenwald, a fellow Camden County Democrat who chaired the Assembly's budget committee, both complained they had been given too little information on how that $15 million would be spent.

The joint budget committee voted unanimously to provide the lesser amount, noted Bryant's attorney, Carl Poplar.

"So [the committee] didn't say, 'no, no, no,' " Poplar said, while cross-examining Davy. "They said, 'We'll give you half' . . . and it was unanimous."

The rest of the money was approved several weeks later, after Davy's agency had provided more information and answered lawmakers' questions.

"What was ongoing, wouldn't you agree, was oversight from the Joint Budget Oversight Committee . . . of how you would spend $15 million?" Poplar asked. Davy agreed.

On Tuesday, Davy said he went on a grassroots campaign to gain support for the reforms after Bryant expressed his initial reservations. At one point, Davy told the media during an event in Camden that he shouldn't have "to beg" for money to help vulnerable children.

Gov. Jim McGreevey then called Davy and told him, "Jim, this isn't the right way to deal with Sen. Bryant." Instead, Davy said he arranged a meeting with Bryant to make peace.

At that meeting, Davy said, Bryant mentioned the CARES Institute for abused children at the School of Osteopathic Medicine in Stratford.

Bryant had been working for the school since 2003 in what prosecutors have called a "low-show" job. Prosecutors said the job amounted to a bribe, and Bryant steered millions to the school after he was hired.

Davy said Bryant told him during a subsequent tour of the CARES Institute that "you will have a problem with me" if the institute didn't receive more state support. He said Bryant did not disclose that he worked for the osteopathic school.

As part of the reform plan, Davy said he approved a new contract with the institute that poured in about $1.5 million in new money.

Davy said the rest of the $15 million his agency had requested was approved after the tour.

Poplar noted the CARES Institute had an existing contract to provide services to the state's child-welfare agency.

"You found that this program was not only historically providing services to the state, but you found that it was . . . an exemplary program?" Poplar asked. Again, Davy agreed.

Davy also said on Tuesday that Bryant called him to a meeting in August 2005, when the CARES Institute had about $600,000 in state money left over from the previous fiscal year. The institute did not want to return the money to the state.

Davy agreed to let the institute keep the money, and said he only attended that meeting because of Bryant's powerful position.

Poplar noted yesterday that the institute's director, Martin Finkel, pressed at that meeting for even more funding the state was not inclined to provide - and Bryant sided with Davy.

"Do you remember . . . Sen. Bryant saying your decision was reasonable and that ended the meeting?" Poplar asked. Davy said he remembered.

Bryant did not run for reelection last year after he and the osteopathic school's former dean, R. Michael Gallagher, were indicted. Gallagher was accused of rigging the hiring process to bring Bryant on the payroll and hiding the true nature of the employment.

The trial will not be held today because of Yom Kippur and Monday because of Columbus Day. Testimony will resume on Tuesday.