The bill literally arrived in the dead of night.

Dropped into a lame duck session just before Thanksgiving and fast-tracked for a hearing, the timing was immediately suspect — as if no one would notice a measure that would gut an agency intended to fight corruption, waste and fraud in a state known for such abuses.

But an effort by state Senate President Nicholas Scutari to undercut the watchdog role of the Office of the State Comptroller was quickly reported out of the State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee on Monday by a 5-0 vote.

The action followed an often contentious, hours-long hearing in Trenton that sometimes turned into a shouting match, as dozens complained about the shockingly quick action on a bill they said had allowed little opportunity

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