|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Signs say: RESIGN!Signs say: RESIGN!
Protests mount against those arrested; Elwell, Hoboken chief of staff step down by Timothy J. Carroll / Hudson Reporter
July 29, 2009 – 11:02 PM
Local mayors Peter Cammarano and Dennis Elwell were under pressure this week – internal and external – to resign their positions in Hoboken and Secaucus, as was Jersey City’s Council President Mariano Vega. All three were arrested on Thursday, July 23 as part of a statewide political corruption sting that netted 44 politicians, religious leaders, and consultants.
Elwell notified town administrators at 1 p.m. on Tuesday that he was resigning his position and turning control of the city over to Deputy Mayor John Reilly.
Cammarano had said before that he would refuse to resign, even though his chief of staff resigned on Tuesday and hundreds of people have protested on the City Hall steps.
Jersey City Councilman Steven Fulop called for Vega’s resignation and has organized a rally at City Hall on Tuesday during the “Night Out Against Crime.” A group of protesters planned to descend on a Jersey City council meeting on Wednesday.
One top-level Hoboken source said last week that it was an “impossible” situation for Cammarano to continue governing.
Subpoenas were sent to City Hall in Hoboken and Secaucus on Tuesday requesting records in conjunction with the investigation, according to city officials.
A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s office could not confirm or deny any subpoenas.
Corzine, Ramos, others: resign Gov. Jon Corzine publicly said this week that anyone involved in the allegations should resign his or her elected position for the good of the people. Since then, other Democratic leaders have piled on.
In Hoboken, Assemblyman and close Cammarano ally Ruben Ramos Jr. joined Democratic committee leaders in calling for the mayor’s resignation, as did City Council members Dawn Zimmer, Beth Mason, Ravi Bhalla, and David Mello.
Ramos said he was “wholeheartedly behind” the call for resignation.
“I just don’t see how he can govern under these circumstances,” he said in an interview.
All six Cammarano transition team chairmen sent Cammarano their resignations at noon on Tuesday, including Michael Novak, who had run as a City Council candidate on Cammarano’s ticket.
Cammarano Chief of Staff Joe Garcia resigned his position on Tuesday after less than a month on the city payroll. He cited a lack of opportunity to achieve the goals for the city under present circumstances.
“I thought we would be finally able to tackle the problems of Hoboken,” Garcia said Tuesday. “I no longer believe this is possible.”
In Jersey City, Fulop introduced a resolution calling for Vega to step down and asked resident to attend a protest on this coming Tuesday night.
“The crime inside City Hall must be dealt with the same way as crime on the streets. Let your leaders hear your voice and know how you feel about their deception, their lies, their stealing,” Fulop said.
Vega maintained his innocence at the council’s caucus meeting on Monday.
“The events of this past Thursday were as shocking to me as they were to everyone else. I am not guilty of the allegations,” Vega said in a statement. “In our system of justice, we are presumed innocent until proven guilty. I do not intend to resign as council president, nor as councilman.”[...]
Read More at HudsonReporter.com Officials Investigate Death of Hudson County Political Consultant Charged in Corruption StingOfficials Investigate Death of Hudson County Political Consultant Charged in Corruption Sting
by Carly Rothman and Mark Mueller/The Star-Ledger
JERSEY CITY — A veteran Hudson County political consultant charged last week in a sweeping corruption sting was found dead today in his Jersey City home, and authorities were investigating whether he committed suicide. Jack Shaw, 61, was one of 44 people arrested in the federal probe, which ensnared elected officials, political operatives and members of the Syrian Jewish communities in Deal and Brooklyn. Authorities said Shaw accepted a $10,000 cash bribe from an FBI informant and suggested the informant give an additional $10,000 to a Jersey City official, later identified as Mayor Jerramiah Healy. The mayor has not been charged. A major player on the Hudson County political stage going back decades, Shaw was discovered dead shortly after 5 p.m. in his apartment at Portside Towers, an upscale waterfront complex in the Paulus Hook section. Jersey City police and Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio declined to characterize the death pending an autopsy, but three officials with knowledge of the investigation said multiple bottles of pills were found near Shaw’s body. One of the officials said that while investigators suspect suicide, they did not want to jump to conclusions because Shaw suffers from an unspecified medical condition. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity, citing the probe’s early stage. Shaw’s death came on the same day Secaucus Mayor Dennis Elwell, one of six elected officials arrested in the sting, resigned his post, saying he wanted to devote more time to his legal defense. Through his lawyer, the Democrat also said he would drop out of the mayoral race this November instead of seeking a fourth term. Elwell is the only elected official arrested to have resigned. "He’s going to focus his attention on the unproven allegations that are made against him," said Jeffrey Garrigan, one of Elwell’s attorneys. "He’s decided that he doesn’t want to be a distraction to the governing body." Shaw’s death brings a dark new component to the scandal. Friends and former associates said that for a time, he was a force in New Jersey politics, working with former Gov. James Florio and former Assembly Speaker Joseph Doria, among others [...]
Read More at NJ.com
Fulop: On Night against Crime, PROTEST THE CRIMES AT CITY HALL!Fulop: On Night against Crime, PROTEST THE CRIMES AT CITY HALL!
By: Ricardo Kaulessar / HudsonReporter.com Jersey City Councilman Steven Fulop announced on Monday that for National Night Out on Tuesday, Aug. 4, there will be a rally in front of City Hall that he is organizing regarding the recent arrests of political and religious leaders. The night is generally celebrated across the country in order to unite neighbors to band together against crime in their area. But Fulop is adding a new element in the wake of the recent FBI sting.
Here is his announcement:
"Friends,
"Tuesday, August 4th is National Night Out, a day where cities all across the country will bring together their leadership and their citizens to discuss and fight crime. In the past, Jersey City has sponsored individual ward block parties in each neighborhood for National Night Out. This year is different. In light of recent events that have shaken our city to the core, I invite you to save the date of Tuesday, August 4th for a city-wide rally on the steps of City Hall itself. "The crime inside City Hall must be dealt with the same way as crime on the streets. Let your leaders hear your voice and know how you feel about their deception, their lies, their stealing. We must send a strong message of one city, united in the belief that crime must be stopped wherever it happens. Bring a friend, tell your neighbor, join the Facebook group. For more information on this event and on what I am doing to prevent crime in our city, please visit www.stevenfulop.com" - Ricardo Kaulessar
Councilman Wants Indicted Jersey City Council President to ResignCouncilman Wants Indicted Jersey City Council President to Resign
Posted: Monday, 27 July 2009 11:16AM – Steve Sandberg reports "Every single vote going forward will be tainted, there is no question about that," Fullop said.
Several other Jersey City officials were named in the indictment including Mayor Jerramiah Healy, who is referred to in the federal complaint as "JC Official 4," though he has not been charged. Read more at www.1010wins.com/
Arrested Jersey City council president shows up to caucus meeting, vows not to resignArrested Jersey City council president shows up to caucus meeting, vows not to resign
By Matt Friedman, PolitickerNJ.com Reporter JERSEY CITY — Four days after his perp walk was splashed across newsprint and tri-state area television screens, Jersey City Council President Mariano Vega showed up to this morning’s City Council caucus meeting and took his place at the head of the table. Vega started the meeting with a statement. ‘The events of this past Thursday were as shocking to me as they were to everyone else,” he said. “I am not guilty of the allegations. In our system of justice we are presumed innocent until proven guilty. I do not intend to resign as council president, nor as a councilman." Vega said the council is developing an ordinance – to be voted on at its meeting on Wednesday – to create of president pro-temp. Whoever gets that title will take over Vega’s role while he deals with his criminal case. He also relinquished his chairmanship of the Tax Enhancement Committee. “Public service is the profession I have chosen, and I am proud of my service ot he people of my beloved Jersey City. I am thankful that I have the support of my wife, children and most importantly, I have the support of the facts. I look forward to putting this all behind us as quickly as possible," he said. Councilman Steven Fulop – the one council member who is not aligned with Mayor Healy – is introducing a resolution of no confidence in Vega, which calls on him to resign. He also wants to open the Tax Enhancement Committee’s meetings to be open to the public. Fulop issued a statement just minutes prior to the scheduled start of today’s meeting demanding that Mayor Jerramiah Healy also call on Vega to resign, and essentially tying Healy in to the corruption scandal that has struck at the heart of Jersey City politics. “While Mayor Healy, who has acknowledged being JC Official #4, has not been arrested to date, his refusal to comment on whether Councilman Vega should resign, and his continued support for Deputy Mayor Beldini, shows a complete lack of leadership. At the very least, his silence on the issue is seen by many as a tacit acceptance of ongoing corruption in Jersey City. Mayor Healy has no problem suspending seven low level city employees, but seems to have no opinion about Councilman Vega or Deputy Mayor Beldini,’ he said. At the start of the meeting, Fulop recounted a list of proposed ethics reforms he introduced that were rejected 8-1 by the council members. ‘The list goes on, and the comments you made at each of those meetings was that I was not a team player, which today I look at as a compliment,” he said. Municipal Clerk Robert Byrne and most other council members rebuffed Fulop’s attempt to move Wednesday’s council meeting from 10am to 6pm, which would allow more residents to attend. Byrne cited difficulty publishing notice of the time change, while council members said they did not see a need to change it. Only Ward C Councilwoman Nidia Lopez said she would be open to attending the meeting at night.
Fulop plans to introduce resolutions regarding council president VegaFulop plans to introduce resolutions regarding council president Vega
By: Ricardo Kaulessar / HudsonReporter.com At the Jersey City council meeting scheduled for July 29, Councilman Steven Fulop plans to present two resolutions before the City Council regarding City Councilman Mariano Vega, who was one of the 44 people arrested on Thursday as part of federal investigation into money laundering and public corruption. The first resolution will be a no confidence vote asking the rest of the City Council to support a formal request for the resignation of Councilman Mariano Vega. Fulop stated the second resolution will formally request that Mayor Healy amend his executive order regarding the closed-door abatement negotiation committee to which Healy appointed Mariano Vega as chairperson. “In light of yesterday’s arrests, there is a cloud over these closed backroom meetings. The public is rightfully concerned about them," Fulop said. "There has never been a more appropriate time for the mayor to open these meetings so the public can see how the city negotiates their tax dollars.”
Fulop: Jersey City City Council President Mariano Vega should resignFulop: Jersey City City Council President Mariano Vega should resign
by Agustin C. Torres/The Jersey Journal
Jersey City Downtown Councilman Steven Fulop has called for City Council President Mariano Vega, who is named in a federal complaint and arrested this morning, to resign his office immediately. "Councilman Vega’s office has been compromised and he can no longer adequately represent the people of Jersey City underneath a cloud of suspicion and corruption," Fulop said. "This is truly a dark day for Jersey City. Yet again, we are disgraced by the conduct of our city’s leadership and the far-reaching embarrassment their actions bring to the city. While the individuals named in today’s indictments deserve their day in court, the sheer scale and widespread nature of the allegations is an outrage to the people of our city. Vega is charged with "conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right," according to federal prosecutors. "I am calling on Mayor Jerramiah Healy to suspend all city employees involved in this investigation, including Deputy Mayor Baldini, immediately and without pay." Healy announced that he is suspending all those named in the federal complaints without pay.
Read more at www.NJ.com
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
