*
Published in the New York Times, Sunday, September 10, 2006
Week In Review
10 Ways to Avoid the Next 9/11
If we are fortunate, we will open our newspapers this morning knowing that there have been no major terrorist attacks on American soil in nearly five years. Did we just get lucky?
The Op-Ed page asked 10 people with experience in security and counterterrorism to answer the following question: What is one major reason the United States has not suffered a major attack since 2001, and what is the one thing you would recommend the nation do in order to avoid attacks in the future?
Giving Muslims Hope
THE best news in our struggle against terrorism is that we have not been hit at home since the 9/11 attacks. Yet terrorists are patient. We remain a target and must expect another attack.
Our most important long-term recommendations involve foreign policy. First, preventing terrorists from gaining access to nuclear weapons, especially by stepping up efforts to secure loose nuclear materials abroad, must be our highest priority.
Second, the long-term challenge is for America to stop the radicalization of young Muslims from Jakarta to London by serving as a source of opportunity, not despair. Too many young Muslims are without jobs or hope, are angry with their governments, and don't like the war in Iraq or American foreign policy.
We should cultivate educational and cultural exchanges, and vigorous public diplomacy. We must offer moral leadership, treating all people -- including detainees -- with respect for the rule of law and human decency. And we must put forward an agenda of opportunity for the Islamic world. This includes support for pragmatic political reform, as well as education and economic empowerment.
-- THOMAS H. KEAN and LEE H. HAMILTON, the co-chairmen of the 9/11 commission and co-authors of ''Without Precedent.''
We Can't Kill an Ideology
THOUGH it may not be immediately apparent to the casual viewer, Al Qaeda is attacking when and where it chooses. It is an ideology-driven global insurgency on the march. It has not hit America because it has chosen not to. Whether it lacks on-the-ground capacity for a spectacular attack, is still in the planning stages or is busy elsewhere is under debate within our intelligence community. The point is that five years out, Al Qaeda is as dangerous as, if not more than, it was on 9/11.
Yes, our intelligence agencies have struck the terrorist group hard, detaining or killing many of its founding leaders. But these are not death blows -- because you cannot decapitate an ideology. Although the majority of Muslims reject the political vision of a Taliban-style Islamic caliphate, many agree with Al Qaeda that the Western-imposed political order is the source of their political and economic woes. Moreover, militant resistance to the current order is gaining acceptance and prestige, aptly demonstrated by the groundswell of popular support for Hamas and Hezbollah in the Muslim world.
During the last five years, our priority has been to beef up defenses and take the war to the terrorists. It's time to start discrediting Al Qaeda's ideology and offering Muslims nonviolent alternatives. The first step is to acknowledge that their grievances are legitimate and center on issues of dignity, economic disparity, border disputes and power alignment. The second is to acknowledge that our current approach is only helping Al Qaeda go mainstream.
-- MELISSA BOYLE MAHLE, a former C.I.A. operations officer and the author of ''Denial and Deception: An Insider's View of the C.I.A. from Iran-Contra to 9/11.''
How War Can Bring Peace
OFFENSIVE action abroad has protected the homeland. Our military presence in Afghanistan and our aggressive policies around the globe have seriously disrupted the enemy. Through a mix of military and paramilitary action, pre-emptive strikes, deterrent threats and surveillance we have captured many terrorist leaders, destroyed training camps and structures of communication and control, and uncovered valuable intelligence troves.
Some maintain that such offensive action feeds resentment and spawns more terrorism. But if aggression can create resentment, passivity and defensiveness can inspire contempt. Our weak responses to Qaeda attacks on the Khobar Towers, the African embassies and the destroyer Cole, and our withdrawal from Somalia, emboldened the enemy and allowed it to organize and train for the 9/11 attacks.
Going forward, we should more vigorously embrace technology as a tool for taking the fight to the Islamic terrorists. The same technological changes that help terrorists plot to deliver weapons of mass destruction, including low-cost information and communication over the Internet, also make it easier for the government to monitor and pre-empt terrorist plots. Libertarians overreact to the new technology, stoking fears of an Orwellian surveillance state. But properly designed programs can produce large gains in security in return for small losses of privacy and liberty.
-- JACK L. GOLDSMITH and ADRIAN VERMEULE, Harvard law professors and, respectively, an assistant attorney general from 2003 to 2004 and a co-author of the forthcoming ''Terror in the Balance.''
Less Political Correctness
THE reason we have not been attacked on American soil is that the war started by radical Muslims is not against the United States, but against everyone who does not conform to their beliefs and way of life. It is the first global war we have experienced since globalization became a factor in our life, and the terrorist battlefield has included Madrid, London, Bali, Moscow, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and India. The terrorists have had a very busy five years.
The struggle imposed on us is, by nature, a long-term struggle. Only an effective homeland security system will provide us with the necessary political power to prevail in those instances where the terrorists do find value in attacking within the United States. In that sense, we must be less politically correct, and begin a program that looks for risks where they are most likely to be found. For example, it is crucial to identify high-risk airline passengers through all criteria -- including appearance and behavior -- and spend more resources on them, rather than maintaining an across-the-board, politically correct low level of search.
-- RAFI RON, a security consultant and the former head of security at Ben-Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv.
Keep American Muslims on Our Side
SINCE 9/11, terrorism has increased significantly around the globe, but the United States has been spared. Eurasia rather than America has been the main source and victim. Why?
Increased awareness and surveillance have made a strike as sophisticated as the 9/11 attacks far more difficult to achieve, especially without local support. Unlike their counterparts in Britain, for example, few of America's Muslims at least for now subscribe to the notion that Western governments or their proxies are deliberately hurting and humiliating Muslims and that the way to restore dignity is to join a jihad. Moreover, terrorist strategists like Ayman al-Zawahri have warned that while smaller strikes serve as training opportunities for their fighters, major strikes can backfire; attacking the wrong people at the wrong time would reduce the popularity of their movement.
The jihadists understand that they are fighting a war of ideas. According to ''The Management of Savagery,'' a Qaeda manual, the success of the movement will ultimately depend on the jihadists' ability to damage America's prestige throughout the globe, sow discord between America and its allies and expose the hollowness of American values. The manual prescribes a strategy of forcing America ''to abandon its war against Islam by proxy'' by provoking it into direct military confrontation with a Muslim country. When the United States attacked Iraq, it inadvertently ''expanded the jihadi current'' just as Osama bin Laden's strategists had hoped.
Every foreign-policy decision entails tradeoffs in regard to terrorism, especially with respect to the spread of the jihadist idea. Attacking the wrong people at the wrong time can backfire, just as Al Qaeda's strategists say. Let's not make that mistake again.
-- JESSICA STERN, a former National Security Council staff member and the author of ''Terror in the Name of God.''
What Really Scares Us
ANOTHER attempt on the scale of the 2001 attacks hasn't been necessary. The last one is still doing the trick, and the terrorists' resources are limited. The fear induced by terrorism mirrors the irrational psychology that makes state lotteries an utterly reliable form of stupidity tax. A huge statistical asymmetry serves as fulcrum for a spectral yet powerful lever: apprehension of the next jackpot. We're terrorized not by the actual explosion, which statistically we're almost never present for, but by our apprehension of the next one.
The terrorist tactic that matters most is the next one used, one we haven't seen yet. In order to know it, we must know the terrorists. Without a national security policy that concentrates on the vigorous and politically agnostic maximization of intelligence rather than, in the phrase of the security expert Bruce Schneier, ''security theater,'' that may well prove impossible.
-- WILLIAM GIBSON, novelist.
Walking the Terror Beat
THE most important counterterrorism activity since the fall of the Taliban has been the close cooperation of the C.I.A. with foreign intelligence services.
Powerful American technologies identify names, locations, phone numbers and computer addresses of suspicious people. Local intelligence services operate informant networks. The C.I.A. station chief works with intelligence officials to follow up and coordinate hundreds of leads generated by these joint collection efforts. The connections often cross national boundaries, and periodically they ''connect the dots,'' identify a key terrorist and have the local services execute a nighttime raid against a terrorist safe house.
Such coordinated efforts have led to the captures of key Qaeda operatives including Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the 9/11 mastermind; Hambali, the planner of the Bali bombings; and Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, who oversaw the attack on the Navy destroyer Cole. With midlevel leaders like these out of commission, terrorist operations have been left to less capable local operatives. As a result, the Qaeda movement has been limited to only two successful operations in the West in the past five years, in Madrid and London.
To prevent the next attack in the United States we need a similar coordinated intelligence effort at home. In New York City, the F.B.I. and Police Department share this responsibility. And although they do not always love each other, they find ways to work together. The Police Department brings grit, creativity and street smarts to the investigative programs. The F.B.I. connects local efforts with information from national and international intelligence databases. Other cities should emulate their example.
-- MICHAEL A. SHEEHAN, former deputy commissioner for counterterrorism for the New York City Police Department.
The President's Plan
AS a result of the horror of Sept. 11, 2001, President Bush has transformed the way we fight terrorism and the tools we use. We successfully attack those very things our enemies need to operate and survive: leadership, communications, the ability to travel, weapons; foot soldiers and financing. The president has strengthened and transformed the intelligence community, integrated our military and intelligence assets, and broken down the barriers that kept domestic law enforcement and intelligence agencies from sharing information.
The United States has enhanced relationships with allies around the world, recognizing that this is truly a global war on terrorism. Working together, we have denied Al Qaeda the safe havens and resources it needs to plan and carry out attacks and made it more difficult for our enemies to travel. We use their communications against them and have cut off their money.
At home, the president has transformed the fight by creating the Department of Homeland Security and by ensuring that the F.B.I. had the necessary tools, like the Patriot Act, to get the job done. The airline bombing plot disrupted by our British allies this summer is only the most recent case of brutal terrorists continuing to plan mass murder. We must be right 100 percent of the time; the terrorists have to succeed only once. On Sept. 11, 2001, each of us became soldiers in this fight to protect freedom. We're in a war we didn't ask for, but it's a war we must wage and a war we will win.
-- FRANCES FRAGOS TOWNSEND, White House homeland security adviser.
Don't Forget Our Values
THE 9/11 attacks were a defining moment for the course of world politics and a strategic assault against the world's leading power at the beginning of the 21st century. But the question is, were the terrorists successful? The answer is mixed. In the aftermath of 9/11, the world was united with America. Even in Arab and Muslim countries, the sense of shock and feelings of solidarity with America far outweighed any sympathies with the terrorists.
Since then, international counterterrorism cooperation has disrupted the terrorists' activities. Yet even public awareness of the threat, counterterrorism cooperation, and more stringent anti-terrorism laws in democratic societies around the globe couldn't prevent the bombings in Madrid, London and Istanbul.
Immediately after 9/11, Al Qaeda seemed to be losing its battle with America and the West. Unfortunately, that changed when America invaded Iraq. The fight against the jihadists will not be decided simply on the battlefield; it will also be decided in the sphere of international legitimacy. We know that Islamic extremists celebrate death through martyrdom, and the killing of innocents. But what are we in the West fighting for?
We fight for our values: for our freedom, for democracy, for the rule of law, the equality of all human beings and for peace. In this context, Guantánamo Bay, Abu Ghraib and the situation in Iraq could hardly be called successes. Against the new totalitarian challenge of Islamic extremism, we have to defend our values; and this means sticking to the values of our democratic societies, even under fire.
-- JOSCHKA FISCHER, the foreign minister of Germany from 1998 to 2005 and a visiting professor at Princeton's Woodrow Wilson School.
Qaeda Set the Bar High
So why haven't we been attacked in five years? Terrorists -- especially those directed by or affiliated with Al Qaeda -- are committed to carrying out spectacular attacks that maximize death, injury, economic damage and political symbolism. If their aim were merely to blow up the odd bus or to level a supermarket, doing so would be a very short order. But, the more spectacular the scale of a plot, the longer it takes to plan, the costlier it is to finance, the more operatives you need to carry it out, and the greater the chance that something will go awry.
For the future, we must take a hard look at how to improve the Department of Homeland Security, which has earned its reputation as the most dysfunctional agency in all of government. It has played little role in keeping us safe since 9/11.
One need look no further than the recently foiled London jetliner plot. The department had nothing to do with uncovering the plot; that was primarily the work of British counterterrorism agencies. If not for their efforts, it would very likely have succeeded. This is because we still lack defenses against liquid explosives, although the Transportation Security Administration, part of the department, has been aware of this particular vulnerability for years and claims that its principal focus nowadays is on detecting explosives.
If after spending some $20 billion on securing the nation's airways since 9/11 we are still vulnerable in the skies, one shudders to think how much more vulnerable our seaports, land borders, mass transit systems, chemical plants and ''soft targets'' like shopping malls and sports arenas are to terrorist attack.
The good news, then, is that we are unlikely to see many future attempts to strike our homeland. The bad news is that the few we will see are likely to be giant in scale, and the likelihood that the Department of Homeland Security will be able to stop them is small.
-- CLARK KENT ERVIN, the inspector general of the Department of Homeland Security from 2003 to 2004 and author of ''Open Target.''
Link to online story.
(Note: Online stories may be taken down by their publisher after a period of time or made available for a fee. Links posted here is from the original online publication of this piece.)
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff and Clippings have no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of these articles nor are Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff or Clippings endorsed or sponsored by the originator.)
*
Monday, September 18, 2006
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Zoning Officers - Bergen Record - Blunders bring calls for reform
*
Published in the Bergen Record, Sunday, September 17, 2006
Zoning law blunders bring calls for reform
By SHAWN BOBURG
STAFF WRITER
When you walk into your town's building department with plans for that home addition, you may assume the person who decides what's allowed under local laws has experience, training or a state license.
But you'd be wrong.
Zoning officers -- the people authorized to declare your detached garage too tall or your swimming pool too close to property lines -- are not required to have any minimum qualifications and face no state oversight, unlike other building officials.
Yet, their decisions carry high stakes. If they fail to spot a zoning code violation on your project and it's discovered later, you -- the property owner -- will probably pay to correct the mistake, legal experts say.
With New Jersey in a renovation and building boom, some say state oversight of zoning officers is needed to stamp out incompetence and protect property owners and taxpayers from the types of costly mistakes made by a former Ridgefield zoning officer and construction official.
State building officials announced last week they would investigate Robert K. Rogers after The Record reported that his string of mistakes over the last two years forced Ridgefield property owners to pay tens of thousands of dollars in repairs and buried the borough in lawsuits. But if Rogers' mistakes were only zoning law oversights, he will face no sanctions because the state has no authority over zoning officers, state officials said. Rogers was the zoning officer, electrical subcode official and construction official in Ridgefield. He has said he made mistakes only while acting as a zoning officer.
Some find the relative autonomy of zoning officials puzzling in a state whose oversight is among the nation's most stringent when it comes to construction officials and inspectors -- those who monitor and inspect construction sites.
"It is beyond me why [a zoning officer] -- somebody who is so important in a community and has so much authority over what people can do with their property -- is not required to have any kind of licensure or certification," said Jackie Zelinka, program development administrator at Rutgers University's Center for Government Services. "We're certification-happy in New Jersey, whereas in this position you could just hire the next person who walked through the door."
The state Department of Community Affairs, the agency that oversees construction, investigates hundreds of construction officials each year, with disciplinary action ranging from a written reprimand to license revocation. The agency investigated 181 building officials in 2005 and has stripped 41 licenses so far in 2006, said William Connolly, director of the agency's Division of Codes and Standards. Licensed officials must renew their certification with additional training every three years and submit monthly reports to the state, and are subject to random site visits from state monitors, Connolly said.
But zoning officers, who work beside them, are beholden only to the elected local officials who hire them. And no agency investigates or tracks complaints against them. After Ridgefield officials discovered Rogers had erred, he quietly resigned last December and moved on to municipal jobs elsewhere.
A statewide group of zoning and planning officials plans to lobby legislators to require that zoning officers be certified and face more state scrutiny.
"Certification would provide a level of assurance, with all the development going on in New Jersey," said Adele Lewis, of the New Jersey Association of Planning and Zoning Administrators, a non-profit organization.
Building in New Jersey was at a record high in 2005. Construction spending has more than doubled since 1996, to $16 billion statewide, according to state records. As construction has increased, building officials have maintained the common practice of holding multiple part-time positions in several towns. Rogers, for example, worked part-time in four towns besides Ridgefield.
Zoning officers need to be well-versed in land-use laws and how they relate to state rules, Lewis said, "because if they make a mistake, it can be very costly."
Rutgers University offers a four-course certification program for zoning officials that costs about $1,000, but few communities require the certification, officials said. If legislators were to pass a law requiring the training, the cost would likely be covered by an increase in permit fees the homeowner must pay, Lewis said.
Stuart Meck, a former zoning officer and director of Rutgers' Center for Government Services, said, "It's not unusual for mistakes to be made in zoning review. It happens all the time."
Meck called New Jersey's oversight of construction officials "one of the best in the nation." But zoning officers have escaped the spotlight, he said, even as their jobs have become increasingly important and more difficult.
"I see more of a justification now for licensing zoning officers because in New Jersey you have incredibly complex laws and there is a body of knowledge one must know in reviewing plans. ... This is not something you learn in high school."
Once a property owner builds, there is little protection if a building code or zoning violation is found later. Courts traditionally side with communities in lawsuits where homeowners fight violations that were overlooked by a municipal official, said Elliot W. Urdang, a Tenafly land-use attorney.
"Homeowners are definitely at a legal disadvantage," he said, because courts view compliance with local laws a matter of public interest.
Staff Writer Matthew Van Dusen contributed to this article. E-mail: boburg@northjersey.com
Who they are
Construction officials grant construction permits after subcode officials issue permits for specific work, such as electrical and plumbing. They also ensure compliance with the state's construction codes and manage subcode officials. Hired by local governments, they are licensed and overseen by the state.
Subcode officials grant permits in particular work categories and ensure compliance with the state's construction codes. Hired by local governments, they are licensed and overseen by the state.
Zoning officers review plans for compliance with local land-use laws. Hired by local governments, they aren't licensed and don't have to meet minimum requirements.
Link to online story.
(Note: Online stories may be taken down by their publisher after a period of time or made available for a fee. Link posted here is from the original online publication of this piece.)
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff and Clippings have no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of these articles nor are Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff or Clippings endorsed or sponsored by the originator.)
*
Published in the Bergen Record, Sunday, September 17, 2006
Zoning law blunders bring calls for reform
By SHAWN BOBURG
STAFF WRITER
When you walk into your town's building department with plans for that home addition, you may assume the person who decides what's allowed under local laws has experience, training or a state license.
But you'd be wrong.
Zoning officers -- the people authorized to declare your detached garage too tall or your swimming pool too close to property lines -- are not required to have any minimum qualifications and face no state oversight, unlike other building officials.
Yet, their decisions carry high stakes. If they fail to spot a zoning code violation on your project and it's discovered later, you -- the property owner -- will probably pay to correct the mistake, legal experts say.
With New Jersey in a renovation and building boom, some say state oversight of zoning officers is needed to stamp out incompetence and protect property owners and taxpayers from the types of costly mistakes made by a former Ridgefield zoning officer and construction official.
State building officials announced last week they would investigate Robert K. Rogers after The Record reported that his string of mistakes over the last two years forced Ridgefield property owners to pay tens of thousands of dollars in repairs and buried the borough in lawsuits. But if Rogers' mistakes were only zoning law oversights, he will face no sanctions because the state has no authority over zoning officers, state officials said. Rogers was the zoning officer, electrical subcode official and construction official in Ridgefield. He has said he made mistakes only while acting as a zoning officer.
Some find the relative autonomy of zoning officials puzzling in a state whose oversight is among the nation's most stringent when it comes to construction officials and inspectors -- those who monitor and inspect construction sites.
"It is beyond me why [a zoning officer] -- somebody who is so important in a community and has so much authority over what people can do with their property -- is not required to have any kind of licensure or certification," said Jackie Zelinka, program development administrator at Rutgers University's Center for Government Services. "We're certification-happy in New Jersey, whereas in this position you could just hire the next person who walked through the door."
The state Department of Community Affairs, the agency that oversees construction, investigates hundreds of construction officials each year, with disciplinary action ranging from a written reprimand to license revocation. The agency investigated 181 building officials in 2005 and has stripped 41 licenses so far in 2006, said William Connolly, director of the agency's Division of Codes and Standards. Licensed officials must renew their certification with additional training every three years and submit monthly reports to the state, and are subject to random site visits from state monitors, Connolly said.
But zoning officers, who work beside them, are beholden only to the elected local officials who hire them. And no agency investigates or tracks complaints against them. After Ridgefield officials discovered Rogers had erred, he quietly resigned last December and moved on to municipal jobs elsewhere.
A statewide group of zoning and planning officials plans to lobby legislators to require that zoning officers be certified and face more state scrutiny.
"Certification would provide a level of assurance, with all the development going on in New Jersey," said Adele Lewis, of the New Jersey Association of Planning and Zoning Administrators, a non-profit organization.
Building in New Jersey was at a record high in 2005. Construction spending has more than doubled since 1996, to $16 billion statewide, according to state records. As construction has increased, building officials have maintained the common practice of holding multiple part-time positions in several towns. Rogers, for example, worked part-time in four towns besides Ridgefield.
Zoning officers need to be well-versed in land-use laws and how they relate to state rules, Lewis said, "because if they make a mistake, it can be very costly."
Rutgers University offers a four-course certification program for zoning officials that costs about $1,000, but few communities require the certification, officials said. If legislators were to pass a law requiring the training, the cost would likely be covered by an increase in permit fees the homeowner must pay, Lewis said.
Stuart Meck, a former zoning officer and director of Rutgers' Center for Government Services, said, "It's not unusual for mistakes to be made in zoning review. It happens all the time."
Meck called New Jersey's oversight of construction officials "one of the best in the nation." But zoning officers have escaped the spotlight, he said, even as their jobs have become increasingly important and more difficult.
"I see more of a justification now for licensing zoning officers because in New Jersey you have incredibly complex laws and there is a body of knowledge one must know in reviewing plans. ... This is not something you learn in high school."
Once a property owner builds, there is little protection if a building code or zoning violation is found later. Courts traditionally side with communities in lawsuits where homeowners fight violations that were overlooked by a municipal official, said Elliot W. Urdang, a Tenafly land-use attorney.
"Homeowners are definitely at a legal disadvantage," he said, because courts view compliance with local laws a matter of public interest.
Staff Writer Matthew Van Dusen contributed to this article. E-mail: boburg@northjersey.com
* * *
Who they are
Construction officials grant construction permits after subcode officials issue permits for specific work, such as electrical and plumbing. They also ensure compliance with the state's construction codes and manage subcode officials. Hired by local governments, they are licensed and overseen by the state.
Subcode officials grant permits in particular work categories and ensure compliance with the state's construction codes. Hired by local governments, they are licensed and overseen by the state.
Zoning officers review plans for compliance with local land-use laws. Hired by local governments, they aren't licensed and don't have to meet minimum requirements.
Link to online story.
(Note: Online stories may be taken down by their publisher after a period of time or made available for a fee. Link posted here is from the original online publication of this piece.)
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff and Clippings have no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of these articles nor are Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff or Clippings endorsed or sponsored by the originator.)
*
Pay-to-Play - Ledger - Money flows back from contractors thru pols
*
Published in the Star-Ledger, Sunday, September 17, 2006
Contractor funds circle back to Democrats
Law restricted donations to county party,
so money now flows through public officials
BY DIANE C. WALSH
Star-Ledger Staff
T&M Associates was one of many firms that consistently and generously contributed to the Middlesex County Democratic Organization.
The Middletown-based engineering firm, which has lucrative contracts with the county and several towns, donated more than $250,000 from 1998 to 2004, according to campaign finance records.
Last year, however, the firm stopped donating to the party organization. It wasn't alone.
At least two dozen of the party's biggest contributors stopped making contributions to the county committee in 2005, the same year the state enacted tough regulations to curb the practice of pay to play, where no-bid contracts are awarded to campaign donors.
In 2005, the county organization raised $900,000 less than it had the previous year.
Reformers say the drop-off in contributions shows pay-to-play reforms are working.
But a closer look at campaign finance records shows the money is still flowing to county Democrats.
Elected county officials -- who previously did not raise money on their own -- suddenly began holding fundraisers. In one year, the county sheriff, the freeholders, and the county clerk raised nearly $450,000. More than $200,000 came from just 12 firms, including T&M, that were major contributors to the party.
Nearly $200,000 also made its way back to the county coffers, since the freeholders and other officials each donated $37,000 -- the maximum allowable contribution -- to the county organization in 2005.
County Democratic officials declined to comment about their strategy for raising campaign funds in the new climate. But they defended their methods.
"Are we following the letter of the law set by the governor and the state? The answer is yes," said Freeholder John Pulomena, who is seeking re-election to a fourth term in November.
His running mate, Freeholder H. James Polos, the former mayor of Highland Park, agreed. He said Democrats "just decided to create individual committees."
The three-time incumbent said the party "thought it was appropriate" to raise funds through separate accounts. "The only discussion we had was how could we effectively raise funds and make sure we comply with all the local regulations, and we certainly have," Polos said.
But Republican State Assemblyman Bill Baroni charged the Middlesex County Democrats found a way to circumvent the pay-to-play law. He said Democrats are taking advantage of a "huge loophole" in the reform legislation.
In addition, the Republican candidates for countywide office last year charged that the Democratic candidates violated the county ethics code by accepting contributions from firms that do business with the county government. They filed a complaint with the county ethics board, which cleared the Democrats. The Republicans have appealed to the state Local Finance Board.
Baroni, who is one of only a handful of Republicans office-holders in Middlesex, said the state regulations and local ordinances created a "patchwork" of rules that failed to break the ties between public officials who routinely award no-bid contracts to consultants who provide large campaign contributions.
Baroni said the pay-to-play reforms failed. "All it's done is alter it and made it harder to trace," Baroni charged. The better solution would be a "comprehensive" pay-to-play regulation that sets limits on all donations, Baroni said.
Harry Pozycki, chairman of the Citizen's Campaign, a statewide organization working to eliminate abuses in campaign fundraising, said comprehensive reforms are needed.
Pozycki commended the nine Middlesex County towns where local pay-to-play ordinances were passed. Many of the towns followed the draft written by Common Cause, an affiliate of the Citizen's Campaign.
"There's no question pay-to-play created an awareness of the art of diversion and pay-to-play brought attention to the fact that now more than ever elected officials are using pay-to-play to stay in office and extend their political power," he said.
Firms that once donated to the Middlesex Democratic organization said they stopped in 2005 because contributions put their businesses at risk. The state campaign finance reforms and many local ordinances, which recently went into effect, disqualify firms from public contracts if they made donations to county parties.
Pete McDonough, a spokesman for T&M, said the state and local pay-to-play regulations are affecting the way firms make political contributions.
"It precludes anyone who wants to do business from making contributions (to the county organization)," he said.
Even Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, a Woodbridge-based law firm that has been among the biggest contributors to the party, stopped donating.
Between 1998 and 2004, the firm and its employees donated $390,000 to the county Democrats. But in 2005, the firm did not make a single donation, although its employees gave nearly $59,000 to the party and an additional $30,000 to the individual accounts of county officials.
John Hoffman, the managing partner at Wilentz Goldman, said individuals lawyers can and have continued to donate without violating the pay-to-play ordinance because no one owns 10 percent of the firm.
The law states that if a partner owns more than 10 percent of the firm, those contributions are considered to be made from the firm.
Schoor DePalma, one of the state's largest engineering firms, stopped donating to political campaigns entirely in August 2005. It last contributed the maximum $2,600 to five Middlesex County freeholders and Sheriff Joseph Spicuzzo on June 15, 2005.
Anthony "Skip" Cimino, a spokesman for the firm, said Schoor DePalma stopped giving because there was "little or no consistency" between the regulations. He said it was "too burdensome" to try to navigate through rules.
"Why would you continue in a process that could harm yourself," Cimino said, explaining his firm wanted to avoid any negative publicity that might occur if it violated a rule.
Robert Morrison, one of the partners at Hodulik & Morrison, a Highland Park auditing firm that works for at least 10 towns as well as the county, said the firm has become cautious about political contributions.
"As much as people ask us, we're not going to do something that's going to hurt our business," Morrison said.
Based on the attorney's warnings, Hodulik & Morrison now attaches a carefully worded letter to all political donations. It asks the recipient to return the check if it violates any relevant contribution limits. Morrison said his office keeps careful files on all its donations.
"If there was some blanket rule in the state or a statewide provision for alternative financing I think the entire business community would be happy," he said.
Link to online story.
(Note: Online stories may be taken down by their publisher after a period of time or made available for a fee. Link posted here is from the original online publication of this piece.)
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff and Clippings have no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of these articles nor are Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff or Clippings endorsed or sponsored by the originator.)
*
Published in the Star-Ledger, Sunday, September 17, 2006
Contractor funds circle back to Democrats
Law restricted donations to county party,
so money now flows through public officials
BY DIANE C. WALSH
Star-Ledger Staff
T&M Associates was one of many firms that consistently and generously contributed to the Middlesex County Democratic Organization.
The Middletown-based engineering firm, which has lucrative contracts with the county and several towns, donated more than $250,000 from 1998 to 2004, according to campaign finance records.
Last year, however, the firm stopped donating to the party organization. It wasn't alone.
At least two dozen of the party's biggest contributors stopped making contributions to the county committee in 2005, the same year the state enacted tough regulations to curb the practice of pay to play, where no-bid contracts are awarded to campaign donors.
In 2005, the county organization raised $900,000 less than it had the previous year.
Reformers say the drop-off in contributions shows pay-to-play reforms are working.
But a closer look at campaign finance records shows the money is still flowing to county Democrats.
Elected county officials -- who previously did not raise money on their own -- suddenly began holding fundraisers. In one year, the county sheriff, the freeholders, and the county clerk raised nearly $450,000. More than $200,000 came from just 12 firms, including T&M, that were major contributors to the party.
Nearly $200,000 also made its way back to the county coffers, since the freeholders and other officials each donated $37,000 -- the maximum allowable contribution -- to the county organization in 2005.
County Democratic officials declined to comment about their strategy for raising campaign funds in the new climate. But they defended their methods.
"Are we following the letter of the law set by the governor and the state? The answer is yes," said Freeholder John Pulomena, who is seeking re-election to a fourth term in November.
His running mate, Freeholder H. James Polos, the former mayor of Highland Park, agreed. He said Democrats "just decided to create individual committees."
The three-time incumbent said the party "thought it was appropriate" to raise funds through separate accounts. "The only discussion we had was how could we effectively raise funds and make sure we comply with all the local regulations, and we certainly have," Polos said.
But Republican State Assemblyman Bill Baroni charged the Middlesex County Democrats found a way to circumvent the pay-to-play law. He said Democrats are taking advantage of a "huge loophole" in the reform legislation.
In addition, the Republican candidates for countywide office last year charged that the Democratic candidates violated the county ethics code by accepting contributions from firms that do business with the county government. They filed a complaint with the county ethics board, which cleared the Democrats. The Republicans have appealed to the state Local Finance Board.
Baroni, who is one of only a handful of Republicans office-holders in Middlesex, said the state regulations and local ordinances created a "patchwork" of rules that failed to break the ties between public officials who routinely award no-bid contracts to consultants who provide large campaign contributions.
Baroni said the pay-to-play reforms failed. "All it's done is alter it and made it harder to trace," Baroni charged. The better solution would be a "comprehensive" pay-to-play regulation that sets limits on all donations, Baroni said.
Harry Pozycki, chairman of the Citizen's Campaign, a statewide organization working to eliminate abuses in campaign fundraising, said comprehensive reforms are needed.
Pozycki commended the nine Middlesex County towns where local pay-to-play ordinances were passed. Many of the towns followed the draft written by Common Cause, an affiliate of the Citizen's Campaign.
"There's no question pay-to-play created an awareness of the art of diversion and pay-to-play brought attention to the fact that now more than ever elected officials are using pay-to-play to stay in office and extend their political power," he said.
Firms that once donated to the Middlesex Democratic organization said they stopped in 2005 because contributions put their businesses at risk. The state campaign finance reforms and many local ordinances, which recently went into effect, disqualify firms from public contracts if they made donations to county parties.
Pete McDonough, a spokesman for T&M, said the state and local pay-to-play regulations are affecting the way firms make political contributions.
"It precludes anyone who wants to do business from making contributions (to the county organization)," he said.
Even Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, a Woodbridge-based law firm that has been among the biggest contributors to the party, stopped donating.
Between 1998 and 2004, the firm and its employees donated $390,000 to the county Democrats. But in 2005, the firm did not make a single donation, although its employees gave nearly $59,000 to the party and an additional $30,000 to the individual accounts of county officials.
John Hoffman, the managing partner at Wilentz Goldman, said individuals lawyers can and have continued to donate without violating the pay-to-play ordinance because no one owns 10 percent of the firm.
The law states that if a partner owns more than 10 percent of the firm, those contributions are considered to be made from the firm.
Schoor DePalma, one of the state's largest engineering firms, stopped donating to political campaigns entirely in August 2005. It last contributed the maximum $2,600 to five Middlesex County freeholders and Sheriff Joseph Spicuzzo on June 15, 2005.
Anthony "Skip" Cimino, a spokesman for the firm, said Schoor DePalma stopped giving because there was "little or no consistency" between the regulations. He said it was "too burdensome" to try to navigate through rules.
"Why would you continue in a process that could harm yourself," Cimino said, explaining his firm wanted to avoid any negative publicity that might occur if it violated a rule.
Robert Morrison, one of the partners at Hodulik & Morrison, a Highland Park auditing firm that works for at least 10 towns as well as the county, said the firm has become cautious about political contributions.
"As much as people ask us, we're not going to do something that's going to hurt our business," Morrison said.
Based on the attorney's warnings, Hodulik & Morrison now attaches a carefully worded letter to all political donations. It asks the recipient to return the check if it violates any relevant contribution limits. Morrison said his office keeps careful files on all its donations.
"If there was some blanket rule in the state or a statewide provision for alternative financing I think the entire business community would be happy," he said.
Link to online story.
(Note: Online stories may be taken down by their publisher after a period of time or made available for a fee. Link posted here is from the original online publication of this piece.)
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff and Clippings have no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of these articles nor are Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff or Clippings endorsed or sponsored by the originator.)
*
Menendez-Kean race - PoliticsNJ - Wally Edge: Poll numbers in swing town
*
Published in the Wally Edge column, PoliticsNJ, Friday, September 15, 2006
Some interesting poll numbers in a swing town
A poll conducted for the Democratic mayoral candidate in North Arlington shows Republican Thomas Kean, Jr. leading Democratic U.S. Senator Robert Menendez by a 47%-29% margin in this Democratic-leaning blue collar town of 15,181 people. The same survey, done by Neighborhood Research, gives Democrat Peter Massa a 31-point lead in the race for Mayor over Republican Peter Norcia, and Bergen County Executive Dennis McNerney a ten-point lead against his GOP challenger, Todd Caliguire.
North Arlington's voter registration is 30% Democratic, 18% Republican and 52% Unaffiliated.
In 2005, Jon Corzine won North Arlington by a 56%-40% margin over Douglas Forrester, and in 2004, George W. Bush won the town by six votes over John Kerry. Corzine carried the town narrowly (57 votes) over Bob Franks in 2000, while Al Gore won it by 850 votes. In 2003, State Senator Paul Sarlo won North Arlington by a 54%-46% margin; in the same election, voters picked GOP Assemblyman Paul DiGaetano and Democratic Assemblyman Frederick Scalera. Last year, North Arlington strongly supported the Democratic legislative ticket.
Posted by Wally Edge on September 15, 2006 10:48 AM
Link to online story.
(Note: Online stories may be taken down by their publisher after a period of time or made available for a fee. Link posted here is from the original online publication of this piece.)
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff and Clippings have no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of these articles nor are Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff or Clippings endorsed or sponsored by the originator.)
*
Published in the Wally Edge column, PoliticsNJ, Friday, September 15, 2006
Some interesting poll numbers in a swing town
A poll conducted for the Democratic mayoral candidate in North Arlington shows Republican Thomas Kean, Jr. leading Democratic U.S. Senator Robert Menendez by a 47%-29% margin in this Democratic-leaning blue collar town of 15,181 people. The same survey, done by Neighborhood Research, gives Democrat Peter Massa a 31-point lead in the race for Mayor over Republican Peter Norcia, and Bergen County Executive Dennis McNerney a ten-point lead against his GOP challenger, Todd Caliguire.
North Arlington's voter registration is 30% Democratic, 18% Republican and 52% Unaffiliated.
In 2005, Jon Corzine won North Arlington by a 56%-40% margin over Douglas Forrester, and in 2004, George W. Bush won the town by six votes over John Kerry. Corzine carried the town narrowly (57 votes) over Bob Franks in 2000, while Al Gore won it by 850 votes. In 2003, State Senator Paul Sarlo won North Arlington by a 54%-46% margin; in the same election, voters picked GOP Assemblyman Paul DiGaetano and Democratic Assemblyman Frederick Scalera. Last year, North Arlington strongly supported the Democratic legislative ticket.
Posted by Wally Edge on September 15, 2006 10:48 AM
Link to online story.
(Note: Online stories may be taken down by their publisher after a period of time or made available for a fee. Link posted here is from the original online publication of this piece.)
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff and Clippings have no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of these articles nor are Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff or Clippings endorsed or sponsored by the originator.)
*
Lynch - Home News Tribune - Reactions on guilty plea
*
Published in the Home News Tribune, Saturday, September 16, 2006
Political friends, foes register varying reactions
By RICK MALWITZ
and GENE RACZ
STAFF WRITERS
rmalwitz@thnt.com
When John A. Lynch Jr., former mayor of New Brunswick, president of the state Senate and one of the most influential politicians in the state, entered a guilty plea in U.S. District Court, political friends and foes reacted yesterday.
Gov. Jon Corzine: "He betrayed the public trust. It was completely undermining the public confidence. We need to get our house in order,"
Joseph Vitale, state senator and mayor of Woodbridge: "A situation like this makes it much harder for the large number of good people who dedicate their lives to public service. There is the perception out there of a culture of corruption and I hope I can be part of the effort to fix that."
David Crabiel, director, Middlesex County Board of Freeholders: "I believe John Lynch is among the finest people I have ever known. He has earned bipartisan praise for his outstanding work on behalf of local, county and state governments. I believe John to be an outstanding citizen of our state and it is my hope that people who know John will stand by him in these very difficult times.
"The conduct to which John today admitted is inconsistent with the man I know and respect. However, the fact that John chose to admit that conduct and accept its consequences in entirely consistent with that man."
Jeff Tittel, executive director of the New Jersey Sierra Club: "(U.S. Attorney) Chris Christie has done more to stop sprawl than the State Planning Commission will ever do. When you look at the basis of why this indictment is happening it's all about pay-to-pave. It's about politicians and developers exchanging money. This is a strike against sprawl in many ways."
Jim Cahill, mayor of New Brunswick: "John Lynch had a great vision for the city of New Brunswick and it began and cemented the city's early revitalizaton efforts. All that we continue to do today is built upon the foundation that John Lynch had built.
"The actions to which John Lynch admitted today are contrary to everything I know for the 25 years I've known him."
Van Dyke J. Pollitt, longtime aide to Lynch: "I know and have respected John Lynch for more than 32 years. I know him to be an outstanding leader, a great public servant and a man of the highest standards of principles. He has been properly credited with fostering the rebirth of the City of New Brunswick as its mayor, and has earned bi-partisan praise for his work in behalf of all of us during 20 years in the state Senate.
"I know John to be a man of great character who has made a mistake, has admitted that mistake and has taken full responsibility for his actions.
"These actions today do not diminish my very high regard for him. I will continue to stand by him and I wish him well."
David Harris, former member of Rutgers Board of Governors and operator of day care center in New Brunswick: "I have sympathy for his children, that's my first thought.
"John always carried with him the air of invincibility and omnipotence. This county was operated essentially as a closed shop and the power was absolute. The Democrat Party in this county has been run like a private business. It was an industry for the insiders. Without torture and murder this was like Pinochet in Chile."
Alex DeCroce, state Assembly Republican leader: "Another day, another public corruption scandal in New Jersey. Sometimes it seems that there is an endless assembly line churning out corrupt officials in this state. One after another they appear on the public stage and undermine the public's trust in government."
Ross Baker, Rutgers University political scientist: "John is a brilliant man with tragic flaws. He is someone who is capable of doing enormous enormous good. His ambitions really carried him into dangerous areas, and he went over the line, particularly in his real estate dealings. The world of New Jersey politics is a very intimate one. It is a compact club. When someone comes to dominate a county or a region, like a John Lynch or a George Norcross, he becomes an outsize figure. John's fall is big news."
Alan Marcus, registered Republican lobbyist: "Personally I'm devastated by it — that's as a friend. In my opinion John is one of greatest public policy figures New Jersey has ever seen. He is the man most responsible for the renaissance of New Brunswick, and he was a great state senator. Unfortunately that record will be blemished by today's proceedings. To see this outcome is personally very difficult."
David Rebovich, director of the Rider University Institute for New Jersey Politics: "The downfall is not just of a political boss, but of a guy who seemed too smart and too shrewd to find himself in a situation like this. He had a brilliant legal mind, and you would think he would escape this. He wasn't the kingmaker, he was the king. He was really a princemaker."
Robert Smith, state senator from Middlesex County: "I am very sad for his family and for Central New Jersey. He was our senior statesman. He had done it all — mayor, state senator. He was a very valuable source of information, with his institutional memory."
Frank Bright, chairman of the New Brunswick Republican Party: "Maybe New Brunswick voters will say, "Enough is enough' and actually vote for some reform.
"The significant thing about John Lynch is that this is a plea deal really — he agreed to one charge of tax evasion and one charge of fraud. The U.S. Attorney General is not going any further into looking at this which I think is a mistake. Part of this was The Highlands (project in New Brunswick). Redevelopment in this town (New Brunswick) has never passed the smell test. It can be seen in the crisis of high taxes, the parking crisis and the traffic crisis. You can't get across town, you can't get any parking, you can't afford your taxes. This is not even tip of iceberg, this is the tip top of the iceberg.
Joe Leo, Middlesex County Republican Party Chairman: "Without knowing all the specifics of the case, what I can say is that the I consider this to be a drop in the bucket in Middlesex County where there's been almost an open secret that corruption is the style of the day.
"We have a number of investigations pending where we have requested action and interest by state agencies of various kinds, and this fits the pattern. But it is certainly not the end of it; it is one small part of a way that people have governed in this county for a couple of years.
"The various land development schemes that have involved Lynch and others operating on the fringe of clean practices in Middlesex County, all those things are part of the muck that has become Middlesex County politics. Lynch being gone is a drop in the bucket.
David Meiswinkle, New Brunswick attorney: "In 1982 I ran against him, and in 1984 ran against his machine for City Council — five people working were arrested and charged with electioneering too close to polls. Lynch's bodyguard was in plainclothes and taken off the streets to police headquarters. I couldn't believe something like that could happen in this country. I've had a lot of run-ins with Lynch over years."
"What has transpired now with Lynch is nothing new to me. Whatever's been spun now, it's not an isolated incident. It's been a systemic problem. It's an indictment against Middlesex County politics that it would allow John Lynch to become as prominent as he was. It's a systemic failure on the part of the county to check itself. But I do wish him good luck in whatever happens to him, and God bless him."
Link to online story.
(Note: Online stories may be taken down by their publisher after a period of time or made available for a fee. Link posted here is from the original online publication of this piece.)
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff and Clippings have no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of these articles nor are Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff or Clippings endorsed or sponsored by the originator.)
*
Published in the Home News Tribune, Saturday, September 16, 2006
Political friends, foes register varying reactions
By RICK MALWITZ
and GENE RACZ
STAFF WRITERS
rmalwitz@thnt.com
When John A. Lynch Jr., former mayor of New Brunswick, president of the state Senate and one of the most influential politicians in the state, entered a guilty plea in U.S. District Court, political friends and foes reacted yesterday.
Gov. Jon Corzine: "He betrayed the public trust. It was completely undermining the public confidence. We need to get our house in order,"
Joseph Vitale, state senator and mayor of Woodbridge: "A situation like this makes it much harder for the large number of good people who dedicate their lives to public service. There is the perception out there of a culture of corruption and I hope I can be part of the effort to fix that."
David Crabiel, director, Middlesex County Board of Freeholders: "I believe John Lynch is among the finest people I have ever known. He has earned bipartisan praise for his outstanding work on behalf of local, county and state governments. I believe John to be an outstanding citizen of our state and it is my hope that people who know John will stand by him in these very difficult times.
"The conduct to which John today admitted is inconsistent with the man I know and respect. However, the fact that John chose to admit that conduct and accept its consequences in entirely consistent with that man."
Jeff Tittel, executive director of the New Jersey Sierra Club: "(U.S. Attorney) Chris Christie has done more to stop sprawl than the State Planning Commission will ever do. When you look at the basis of why this indictment is happening it's all about pay-to-pave. It's about politicians and developers exchanging money. This is a strike against sprawl in many ways."
Jim Cahill, mayor of New Brunswick: "John Lynch had a great vision for the city of New Brunswick and it began and cemented the city's early revitalizaton efforts. All that we continue to do today is built upon the foundation that John Lynch had built.
"The actions to which John Lynch admitted today are contrary to everything I know for the 25 years I've known him."
Van Dyke J. Pollitt, longtime aide to Lynch: "I know and have respected John Lynch for more than 32 years. I know him to be an outstanding leader, a great public servant and a man of the highest standards of principles. He has been properly credited with fostering the rebirth of the City of New Brunswick as its mayor, and has earned bi-partisan praise for his work in behalf of all of us during 20 years in the state Senate.
"I know John to be a man of great character who has made a mistake, has admitted that mistake and has taken full responsibility for his actions.
"These actions today do not diminish my very high regard for him. I will continue to stand by him and I wish him well."
David Harris, former member of Rutgers Board of Governors and operator of day care center in New Brunswick: "I have sympathy for his children, that's my first thought.
"John always carried with him the air of invincibility and omnipotence. This county was operated essentially as a closed shop and the power was absolute. The Democrat Party in this county has been run like a private business. It was an industry for the insiders. Without torture and murder this was like Pinochet in Chile."
Alex DeCroce, state Assembly Republican leader: "Another day, another public corruption scandal in New Jersey. Sometimes it seems that there is an endless assembly line churning out corrupt officials in this state. One after another they appear on the public stage and undermine the public's trust in government."
Ross Baker, Rutgers University political scientist: "John is a brilliant man with tragic flaws. He is someone who is capable of doing enormous enormous good. His ambitions really carried him into dangerous areas, and he went over the line, particularly in his real estate dealings. The world of New Jersey politics is a very intimate one. It is a compact club. When someone comes to dominate a county or a region, like a John Lynch or a George Norcross, he becomes an outsize figure. John's fall is big news."
Alan Marcus, registered Republican lobbyist: "Personally I'm devastated by it — that's as a friend. In my opinion John is one of greatest public policy figures New Jersey has ever seen. He is the man most responsible for the renaissance of New Brunswick, and he was a great state senator. Unfortunately that record will be blemished by today's proceedings. To see this outcome is personally very difficult."
David Rebovich, director of the Rider University Institute for New Jersey Politics: "The downfall is not just of a political boss, but of a guy who seemed too smart and too shrewd to find himself in a situation like this. He had a brilliant legal mind, and you would think he would escape this. He wasn't the kingmaker, he was the king. He was really a princemaker."
Robert Smith, state senator from Middlesex County: "I am very sad for his family and for Central New Jersey. He was our senior statesman. He had done it all — mayor, state senator. He was a very valuable source of information, with his institutional memory."
Frank Bright, chairman of the New Brunswick Republican Party: "Maybe New Brunswick voters will say, "Enough is enough' and actually vote for some reform.
"The significant thing about John Lynch is that this is a plea deal really — he agreed to one charge of tax evasion and one charge of fraud. The U.S. Attorney General is not going any further into looking at this which I think is a mistake. Part of this was The Highlands (project in New Brunswick). Redevelopment in this town (New Brunswick) has never passed the smell test. It can be seen in the crisis of high taxes, the parking crisis and the traffic crisis. You can't get across town, you can't get any parking, you can't afford your taxes. This is not even tip of iceberg, this is the tip top of the iceberg.
Joe Leo, Middlesex County Republican Party Chairman: "Without knowing all the specifics of the case, what I can say is that the I consider this to be a drop in the bucket in Middlesex County where there's been almost an open secret that corruption is the style of the day.
"We have a number of investigations pending where we have requested action and interest by state agencies of various kinds, and this fits the pattern. But it is certainly not the end of it; it is one small part of a way that people have governed in this county for a couple of years.
"The various land development schemes that have involved Lynch and others operating on the fringe of clean practices in Middlesex County, all those things are part of the muck that has become Middlesex County politics. Lynch being gone is a drop in the bucket.
David Meiswinkle, New Brunswick attorney: "In 1982 I ran against him, and in 1984 ran against his machine for City Council — five people working were arrested and charged with electioneering too close to polls. Lynch's bodyguard was in plainclothes and taken off the streets to police headquarters. I couldn't believe something like that could happen in this country. I've had a lot of run-ins with Lynch over years."
"What has transpired now with Lynch is nothing new to me. Whatever's been spun now, it's not an isolated incident. It's been a systemic problem. It's an indictment against Middlesex County politics that it would allow John Lynch to become as prominent as he was. It's a systemic failure on the part of the county to check itself. But I do wish him good luck in whatever happens to him, and God bless him."
Link to online story.
(Note: Online stories may be taken down by their publisher after a period of time or made available for a fee. Link posted here is from the original online publication of this piece.)
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff and Clippings have no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of these articles nor are Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff or Clippings endorsed or sponsored by the originator.)
*
Menendez - NY Times - Lost his lead
*
Published in the New York Times, Sunday, September 17, 2006
Our Towns
New Jersey Is as Democratic as It Gets.
For One Democrat, That’s a Problem.
By PETER APPLEBOME
Newark
IT’S possible, but not easy, to find a more dismal way to spend a morning than slogging through Newark in a downpour to witness the guilty plea of yet another disgraced New Jersey politician. Friday it was John A. Lynch Jr., the former State Senate president and Democratic power broker, who pleaded guilty to corruption charges that could lead to a prison term of as much as 41 months.
But bit by bit, a far drearier and not entirely unrelated picture, at once far-fetched and somehow perversely credible, is beginning to take form in the fevered brains of Democrats in Washington.
It goes like this: Riding a tide of anger against the war in Iraq, they manage to take away six Republican Senate seats in places like Missouri, Tennessee and Ohio to take back the Senate. And then, oops, they find they’ve lost an unlosable seat in New Jersey to render the whole thing moot.
“Believe me, there are Democrats who are having that nightmare already,” said Jennifer E. Duffy, with the Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan newsletter in Washington. “And if it happens, there will be people leaping from tall buildings. What’s staggering to us is it’s still a viable option for a Republican to win this year in a blue state like New Jersey. I promise you I never thought I’d be talking about New Jersey after Labor Day.”
In fact, the Cook Report, like all the major political newsletters, is now calling the race between State Senator Thomas H. Kean Jr., the Republican, and Senator Robert Menendez, the Democrat, a toss-up. And, whether or not control of the Senate ends up hinging on the answer, it’s clear that this is yet another toxic soufflé of New Jersey politics that will revolve around this question: Who seems scarier — the Republicans in Washington or the Democrats in New Jersey?
This, of course, was not supposed to be the story line in a year when the Democrats are poised to make major gains, even if winning the House still remains a challenge and taking back the Senate a major long shot. But the longer that polls show the New Jersey race in a dead heat, the more people wonder just what script gets written in the end.
The betting for most is still that things eventually revert to form. New Jersey has not elected a Republican to the Senate since Clifford Case 34 years ago. Polls show the Iraq war wildly unpopular in New Jersey and President Bush getting a favorable approval rating from about a third of state voters. And in tough races, the Democrats almost always manage to turn out big enough numbers in North Jersey cities to push the sick and frail over the finish line.
“A month ago I said Menendez would win by between seven and 10 points, and I’m getting teased about it,” said David Rebovich, director of the Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University. “I still think a Democrat has to be favored, but we’re looking at a much tighter race.”
And somewhere in the reptile brain of voters, where gut rules, there are plenty of reasons to hedge one’s bets. Many voters may still not know that the Kean who is running is not the former governor but his 38-year-old son. And they might not care. In America, where nothing beats a good brand, we elect Kennedys and Bushes and Cuomos and Keans, and there’s always room for a fresh product line.
Voters might not approve of President Bush or his war, but as Mr. Lynch’s plea yesterday shows, New Jersey Democrats never run out of reasons to give voters pause. Maybe you could dream up a worse election-season front page for New Jersey Democrats than Friday’s Star-Ledger, but it wouldn’t be easy. Splashed across the top was the Lynch story. Dominating the rest of the page was another headlined “McGreevey ‘In Love’ From the First Kiss.”
And for all the Democrats’ advantage in money and base, this race remains full of questions. With almost no really competitive races for Democratic congressmen, can they guarantee the urban turnout they need? In a state where a Hispanic candidate has never been elected statewide, what role will Mr. Menendez’s ethnicity have both on white suburban voters and on black urban ones?
And if ethics is a major issue and an aggressive Republican United States attorney keeps it that way, can Mr. Menendez convince voters he’s clean and the election is about Iraq and control of the Senate, not Hudson County and New Jersey politics?
So we’ll see what race wins out. If it’s about Washington, Mr. Menendez almost surely wins. If it’s about New Jersey, the Democrats have reason to be nervous.
Link to online story.
(Note: Online stories may be taken down by their publisher after a period of time or made available for a fee. Links posted here is from the original online publication of this piece.)
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff and Clippings have no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of these articles nor are Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff or Clippings endorsed or sponsored by the originator.)
*
Published in the New York Times, Sunday, September 17, 2006
Our Towns
New Jersey Is as Democratic as It Gets.
For One Democrat, That’s a Problem.
By PETER APPLEBOME
Newark
IT’S possible, but not easy, to find a more dismal way to spend a morning than slogging through Newark in a downpour to witness the guilty plea of yet another disgraced New Jersey politician. Friday it was John A. Lynch Jr., the former State Senate president and Democratic power broker, who pleaded guilty to corruption charges that could lead to a prison term of as much as 41 months.
But bit by bit, a far drearier and not entirely unrelated picture, at once far-fetched and somehow perversely credible, is beginning to take form in the fevered brains of Democrats in Washington.
It goes like this: Riding a tide of anger against the war in Iraq, they manage to take away six Republican Senate seats in places like Missouri, Tennessee and Ohio to take back the Senate. And then, oops, they find they’ve lost an unlosable seat in New Jersey to render the whole thing moot.
“Believe me, there are Democrats who are having that nightmare already,” said Jennifer E. Duffy, with the Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan newsletter in Washington. “And if it happens, there will be people leaping from tall buildings. What’s staggering to us is it’s still a viable option for a Republican to win this year in a blue state like New Jersey. I promise you I never thought I’d be talking about New Jersey after Labor Day.”
In fact, the Cook Report, like all the major political newsletters, is now calling the race between State Senator Thomas H. Kean Jr., the Republican, and Senator Robert Menendez, the Democrat, a toss-up. And, whether or not control of the Senate ends up hinging on the answer, it’s clear that this is yet another toxic soufflé of New Jersey politics that will revolve around this question: Who seems scarier — the Republicans in Washington or the Democrats in New Jersey?
This, of course, was not supposed to be the story line in a year when the Democrats are poised to make major gains, even if winning the House still remains a challenge and taking back the Senate a major long shot. But the longer that polls show the New Jersey race in a dead heat, the more people wonder just what script gets written in the end.
The betting for most is still that things eventually revert to form. New Jersey has not elected a Republican to the Senate since Clifford Case 34 years ago. Polls show the Iraq war wildly unpopular in New Jersey and President Bush getting a favorable approval rating from about a third of state voters. And in tough races, the Democrats almost always manage to turn out big enough numbers in North Jersey cities to push the sick and frail over the finish line.
“A month ago I said Menendez would win by between seven and 10 points, and I’m getting teased about it,” said David Rebovich, director of the Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University. “I still think a Democrat has to be favored, but we’re looking at a much tighter race.”
And somewhere in the reptile brain of voters, where gut rules, there are plenty of reasons to hedge one’s bets. Many voters may still not know that the Kean who is running is not the former governor but his 38-year-old son. And they might not care. In America, where nothing beats a good brand, we elect Kennedys and Bushes and Cuomos and Keans, and there’s always room for a fresh product line.
Voters might not approve of President Bush or his war, but as Mr. Lynch’s plea yesterday shows, New Jersey Democrats never run out of reasons to give voters pause. Maybe you could dream up a worse election-season front page for New Jersey Democrats than Friday’s Star-Ledger, but it wouldn’t be easy. Splashed across the top was the Lynch story. Dominating the rest of the page was another headlined “McGreevey ‘In Love’ From the First Kiss.”
And for all the Democrats’ advantage in money and base, this race remains full of questions. With almost no really competitive races for Democratic congressmen, can they guarantee the urban turnout they need? In a state where a Hispanic candidate has never been elected statewide, what role will Mr. Menendez’s ethnicity have both on white suburban voters and on black urban ones?
And if ethics is a major issue and an aggressive Republican United States attorney keeps it that way, can Mr. Menendez convince voters he’s clean and the election is about Iraq and control of the Senate, not Hudson County and New Jersey politics?
So we’ll see what race wins out. If it’s about Washington, Mr. Menendez almost surely wins. If it’s about New Jersey, the Democrats have reason to be nervous.
Link to online story.
(Note: Online stories may be taken down by their publisher after a period of time or made available for a fee. Links posted here is from the original online publication of this piece.)
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff and Clippings have no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of these articles nor are Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff or Clippings endorsed or sponsored by the originator.)
*
Saturday, September 16, 2006
NJ Dems - PoliticsNJ - Joint Dem/LGBTI statement
*
Published in PoliticsNJ, Saturday, September 16, 2006
[published presumably between 9/11 and 9/14, based on adjacent dated articles]
DEMOCRATIC STATE COMMITTEE/LGBTI JOINT STATEMENT
We want to report back to you on the positive and productive meeting that was held today among top officials of the Democratic State Committee and leaders of the LGBTI community.
Chairman Joe Cryan and Executive Director Diane Legreide of the DSC met today with Steven Goldstein, Chairman of Garden State Equality; Barbara Casbar, President of New Jersey Stonewall Democrats; Joan Hervey, Deputy Executive Director of Garden State Equality; and Randy Bishop, Executive Vice President of New Jersey Stonewall Democrats and a Democratic Township Committee member in Neptune.
We all agree that the misunderstanding at the caucus meeting in Atlantic City was regrettable. No offense was intended and, as a result of today’s meeting, none was taken.
Moving forward to achieve our common goal of equality for all, we identified specific actions that we will take together to enhance communication between the LGBTI community and the State Democratic Party, as well as to build on the growing political and organizational strength of the LGBTI community.
1. As an Assemblyman, Joe Cryan will become a cosponsor of the bill to add the transgender community to the Law Against Discrimination. He will also actively encourage support for the measure among his colleagues in the legislature.
Assemblyman Cryan, a longtime advocate of gender equality and other priority legislative issues of importance to the LGBTI community, said the principles of equal rights, civil rights and fair treatment under the law are core values that should unite all citizens, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. Assemblyman Cryan restated his opposition to a state constitutional ban on marriage equality.
2. Chairman Cryan created a new Deputy Vice Chair position on the Democratic State Committee and appointed Denise Brunner, who is transgender. Denise was named to the position at the party conference on Saturday. She had been recommended by LGBTI leaders.
3. Together, we will establish a working group of LGBTI leaders and Democratic State Committee officials that will meet periodically to discuss issues of concern to the LGBTI community as well as to develop concrete plans to increase LGBTI diversity throughout the party.
4. Together, we will work to utilize the talents of the LGBTI caucus, to expand their role in the party and their participation in the political process, including increased representation on county Democratic committees.
We have many challenges before us and many opportunities for real and lasting progress on matters that can have a positive impact on the lives of countless people, now and for generations to come. While these issues, for the most part, directly affect the LGBTI community, they are important to everyone, important to the rich diversity of our communities and important to the values we live by.
The Democratic Party and the LGBTI community have a strong and productive partnership and we have a determined commitment to work together in the months and years ahead to advance our shared goals and priorities.
Link to online story.
(Note: Online stories may be taken down by their publisher after a period of time or made available for a fee. Link posted here is from the original online publication of this piece.)
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff and Clippings have no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of these articles nor are Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff or Clippings endorsed or sponsored by the originator.)
*
Published in PoliticsNJ, Saturday, September 16, 2006
[published presumably between 9/11 and 9/14, based on adjacent dated articles]
DEMOCRATIC STATE COMMITTEE/LGBTI JOINT STATEMENT
We want to report back to you on the positive and productive meeting that was held today among top officials of the Democratic State Committee and leaders of the LGBTI community.
Chairman Joe Cryan and Executive Director Diane Legreide of the DSC met today with Steven Goldstein, Chairman of Garden State Equality; Barbara Casbar, President of New Jersey Stonewall Democrats; Joan Hervey, Deputy Executive Director of Garden State Equality; and Randy Bishop, Executive Vice President of New Jersey Stonewall Democrats and a Democratic Township Committee member in Neptune.
We all agree that the misunderstanding at the caucus meeting in Atlantic City was regrettable. No offense was intended and, as a result of today’s meeting, none was taken.
Moving forward to achieve our common goal of equality for all, we identified specific actions that we will take together to enhance communication between the LGBTI community and the State Democratic Party, as well as to build on the growing political and organizational strength of the LGBTI community.
1. As an Assemblyman, Joe Cryan will become a cosponsor of the bill to add the transgender community to the Law Against Discrimination. He will also actively encourage support for the measure among his colleagues in the legislature.
Assemblyman Cryan, a longtime advocate of gender equality and other priority legislative issues of importance to the LGBTI community, said the principles of equal rights, civil rights and fair treatment under the law are core values that should unite all citizens, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. Assemblyman Cryan restated his opposition to a state constitutional ban on marriage equality.
2. Chairman Cryan created a new Deputy Vice Chair position on the Democratic State Committee and appointed Denise Brunner, who is transgender. Denise was named to the position at the party conference on Saturday. She had been recommended by LGBTI leaders.
3. Together, we will establish a working group of LGBTI leaders and Democratic State Committee officials that will meet periodically to discuss issues of concern to the LGBTI community as well as to develop concrete plans to increase LGBTI diversity throughout the party.
4. Together, we will work to utilize the talents of the LGBTI caucus, to expand their role in the party and their participation in the political process, including increased representation on county Democratic committees.
We have many challenges before us and many opportunities for real and lasting progress on matters that can have a positive impact on the lives of countless people, now and for generations to come. While these issues, for the most part, directly affect the LGBTI community, they are important to everyone, important to the rich diversity of our communities and important to the values we live by.
The Democratic Party and the LGBTI community have a strong and productive partnership and we have a determined commitment to work together in the months and years ahead to advance our shared goals and priorities.
Joseph Cryan, Chairman, Democratic State Committee
Diane Legreide, Executive Director, Democratic State Committee
Steven Goldstein, Chair of Garden State Equality
Barbara Casbar, President of New Jersey Stonewall Democrats
Joan Hervey, Deputy Executive Director of Garden State Equality
Randy Bishop, a Democratic Township Committee member in Neptune
Link to online story.
(Note: Online stories may be taken down by their publisher after a period of time or made available for a fee. Link posted here is from the original online publication of this piece.)
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff and Clippings have no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of these articles nor are Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff or Clippings endorsed or sponsored by the originator.)
*
Friday, September 15, 2006
Plame Affair - Novak - Armitage's leak examined
*
Published Thursday, September 14, 2006
Armitage's Leak
BY ROBERT D. NOVAK
WASHINGTON -- When Richard Armitage finally acknowledged last week he was my source three years ago in revealing Valerie Plame Wilson as a CIA employee, the former deputy secretary of state's interviews obscured what he really did. I want to set the record straight based on firsthand knowledge.
First, Armitage did not, as he now indicates, merely pass on something he had heard and that he "thought" might be so. Rather, he identified to me the CIA division where Mrs. Wilson worked, and said flatly that she recommended the mission to Niger by her husband, former Amb. Joseph Wilson. Second, Armitage did not slip me this information as idle chitchat, as he now suggests. He made clear he considered it especially suited for my column.
An accurate depiction of what Armitage actually said deepens the irony of him being my source. He was a foremost internal skeptic of the administration's war policy, and I long had opposed military intervention in Iraq. Zealous foes of George W. Bush transformed me improbably into the president's lapdog. But they cannot fit Armitage into the left-wing fantasy of a well-crafted White House conspiracy to destroy Joe and Valerie Wilson. The news that he and not Karl Rove was the leaker was devastating news for the Left.
A peculiar convergence had joined Armitage and me on the same historical path. During his quarter of a century in Washington, I had no contact with Armitage before our fateful interview. I tried to see him in the first two and one-half years of the Bush administration, but he rebuffed me -- summarily and with disdain, I thought.
Then, without explanation, in June 2003, Armitage's office said the deputy secretary would see me. This was two weeks before Joe Wilson surfaced himself as author of a 2002 report for the CIA debunking Iraqi interest in buying uranium in Africa.
I sat down with Armitage in his State Department office the afternoon of July 8 with tacit rather than explicit ground rules: deep background with nothing said attributed to Armitage or even an anonymous State Department official. Consequently, I refused to identify Armitage as my leaker until his admission was forced by "Hubris," a new book by reporters Michael Isikoff and David Corn that absolutely identified him.
Late in my hour-long interview with Armitage. I asked why the CIA had sent Wilson -- lacking intelligence experience, nuclear policy or recent contact with Niger -- on the African mission. He told the Washington Post last week that his answer was: "I don't know, but I think his wife worked out there."
Neither of us took notes, and nobody else was present. But I recalled our conversation that week in writing a column, while Armitage reconstructed it months later for federal prosecutors. He had told me unequivocally that Mrs. Wilson worked in the CIA's Counter-Proliferation Division and that she had suggested her husband's mission. As for his current implications that he never expected this to be published, he noted that the story of Mrs. Wilson's role fit the style of the old Evans-Novak column -- implying to me it continued reporting Washington inside information.
Mrs. Wilson's name appeared in my column July 14, 2003, but it was not until Oct. 1 that I heard about it from Armitage. Washington lobbyist Kenneth Duberstein, Armitage's close friend and political adviser, called me to say the deputy secretary feared he had "inadvertently" (the word Armitage used in last week's interviews) disclosed Mrs. Wilson's identity to me in July and was considering resignation. (Duberstein's phone call was disclosed in the Isikoff-Corn book, which used Duberstein as a source. They reported Duberstein was responsible for arranging my unexpected interview with Armitage.)
Duberstein told me Armitage wanted to know whether he was my source. I did not reply because I was sure that Armitage knew he was the source. I believed he contacted me Oct. 1 because of news the weekend of Sept. 27-28 that the Justice Department was investigating the leak. I cannot credit Armitage's current claim that he realized he was the source only when my Oct. 1 column revealed that the official who gave me the information was "no partisan gunslinger."
Armitage's silence the next two and one-half years caused intense pain for his colleagues in government and enabled partisan Democrats in Congress to falsely accuse Rove of being my primary source. When Armitage now says he was mute because of special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald's request, that does not explain his silent three months between his claimed first realization that he was the source and Fitzgerald's appointment on Dec. 30. Armitage's tardy self-disclosure is tainted because it is deceptive.
To find out more about Robert D. Novak and read his past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com.
COPYRIGHT 2006 CREATORS SYNDICATE INC.
Link to online story.
(Note: Online stories may be taken down by their publisher after a period of time or made available for a fee. Link posted here is from the original online publication of this piece.)
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff and Clippings have no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of these articles nor are Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff or Clippings endorsed or sponsored by the originator.)
*
Published Thursday, September 14, 2006
Armitage's Leak
BY ROBERT D. NOVAK
WASHINGTON -- When Richard Armitage finally acknowledged last week he was my source three years ago in revealing Valerie Plame Wilson as a CIA employee, the former deputy secretary of state's interviews obscured what he really did. I want to set the record straight based on firsthand knowledge.
First, Armitage did not, as he now indicates, merely pass on something he had heard and that he "thought" might be so. Rather, he identified to me the CIA division where Mrs. Wilson worked, and said flatly that she recommended the mission to Niger by her husband, former Amb. Joseph Wilson. Second, Armitage did not slip me this information as idle chitchat, as he now suggests. He made clear he considered it especially suited for my column.
An accurate depiction of what Armitage actually said deepens the irony of him being my source. He was a foremost internal skeptic of the administration's war policy, and I long had opposed military intervention in Iraq. Zealous foes of George W. Bush transformed me improbably into the president's lapdog. But they cannot fit Armitage into the left-wing fantasy of a well-crafted White House conspiracy to destroy Joe and Valerie Wilson. The news that he and not Karl Rove was the leaker was devastating news for the Left.
A peculiar convergence had joined Armitage and me on the same historical path. During his quarter of a century in Washington, I had no contact with Armitage before our fateful interview. I tried to see him in the first two and one-half years of the Bush administration, but he rebuffed me -- summarily and with disdain, I thought.
Then, without explanation, in June 2003, Armitage's office said the deputy secretary would see me. This was two weeks before Joe Wilson surfaced himself as author of a 2002 report for the CIA debunking Iraqi interest in buying uranium in Africa.
I sat down with Armitage in his State Department office the afternoon of July 8 with tacit rather than explicit ground rules: deep background with nothing said attributed to Armitage or even an anonymous State Department official. Consequently, I refused to identify Armitage as my leaker until his admission was forced by "Hubris," a new book by reporters Michael Isikoff and David Corn that absolutely identified him.
Late in my hour-long interview with Armitage. I asked why the CIA had sent Wilson -- lacking intelligence experience, nuclear policy or recent contact with Niger -- on the African mission. He told the Washington Post last week that his answer was: "I don't know, but I think his wife worked out there."
Neither of us took notes, and nobody else was present. But I recalled our conversation that week in writing a column, while Armitage reconstructed it months later for federal prosecutors. He had told me unequivocally that Mrs. Wilson worked in the CIA's Counter-Proliferation Division and that she had suggested her husband's mission. As for his current implications that he never expected this to be published, he noted that the story of Mrs. Wilson's role fit the style of the old Evans-Novak column -- implying to me it continued reporting Washington inside information.
Mrs. Wilson's name appeared in my column July 14, 2003, but it was not until Oct. 1 that I heard about it from Armitage. Washington lobbyist Kenneth Duberstein, Armitage's close friend and political adviser, called me to say the deputy secretary feared he had "inadvertently" (the word Armitage used in last week's interviews) disclosed Mrs. Wilson's identity to me in July and was considering resignation. (Duberstein's phone call was disclosed in the Isikoff-Corn book, which used Duberstein as a source. They reported Duberstein was responsible for arranging my unexpected interview with Armitage.)
Duberstein told me Armitage wanted to know whether he was my source. I did not reply because I was sure that Armitage knew he was the source. I believed he contacted me Oct. 1 because of news the weekend of Sept. 27-28 that the Justice Department was investigating the leak. I cannot credit Armitage's current claim that he realized he was the source only when my Oct. 1 column revealed that the official who gave me the information was "no partisan gunslinger."
Armitage's silence the next two and one-half years caused intense pain for his colleagues in government and enabled partisan Democrats in Congress to falsely accuse Rove of being my primary source. When Armitage now says he was mute because of special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald's request, that does not explain his silent three months between his claimed first realization that he was the source and Fitzgerald's appointment on Dec. 30. Armitage's tardy self-disclosure is tainted because it is deceptive.
To find out more about Robert D. Novak and read his past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com.
COPYRIGHT 2006 CREATORS SYNDICATE INC.
Link to online story.
(Note: Online stories may be taken down by their publisher after a period of time or made available for a fee. Link posted here is from the original online publication of this piece.)
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff and Clippings have no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of these articles nor are Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff or Clippings endorsed or sponsored by the originator.)
*
Constituent Relations - Ledger - Booker sets a model
*
Published in the Star-Ledger, Friday, September 15, 2006
Booker gives new meaning to 'chat room' in Newark
BY JEFFERY C. MAYS
Star-Ledger Staff
Retired corrections officer William Elmore wasn't planning to take advantage of Newark Mayor Cory Booker's open office hours yesterday, but after waiting four hours to get a report because his wheelchair could not get into the police station on Green Street, he decided a conversation with the city's top guy was in order.
"I was hoping to bring to his attention that even City Hall is not as accessible as it should be," Elmore, 47, said yesterday. "I shouldn't be treated like a second-class citizen."
Sitting in a conference room in the basement of City Hall, Booker listened to Elmore's complaints and dozens more from residents in the first of what is being billed as a bi-monthly opportunity to chat with the mayor.
Inside what looked like a tan confessional booth, more than 80 people sidled up to Booker and talked about everything from supporting the Central Ward Jazz Drill Team to offering a reward to find out who murdered a sibling.
"This gives people a chance who want to see their mayor," said Booker during a brief break. "If I can do it during election season, I can do it when I'm an elected official with the authority to do something."
After entering City Hall, visitors were greeted and a form detailing their concern was filled out by a staff member. Enough chairs to form a waiting room were set up in the rotunda. From there, residents moved into the conference room where they sat outside the booth to talk with Booker. Various department heads also were lined up outside to provide follow-up.
Although each person was allotted three minutes, Booker often spent more time chatting than that. The mayor often bounded outside the booth to greet each resident as he did with Ervin Mathis, a machine mechanic with a conviction on his record who is now working but trying to get a higher-paying job.
Mathis asked Booker to write him a letter of recommendation. After reviewing his résumé, Booker told Mathis he was on the right track and agreed to write a general letter. He also was referred to the personnel department.
"Brother Mathis, God has plans for you. Feel it?" Booker said.
"It went well," Mathis said afterward. "It's a crowd of people so you can't get everything you want but he's trying hard to serve."
Alieu Shariff came to City Hall to talk to Booker about the murder of his brother Mohammed Bamba, 33, last week. Bamba, a street vendor from Liberia, was found shot several times inside his residence on Longworth Street.
"We are asking the city of Newark to help us to get the killer," Shariff said.
The family also wanted the city to offer a reward to help find Bamba's killer and financial assistance to bring his mother over from Liberia.
Shariff said he received assurances from Booker that some of the city's best detectives were on the case and that he would investigate the possibility of a reward.
"We are hopeful something will happen," Shariff said.
Terrance Bankston, director of constituent services, said senior staff were concerned about having Booker sit down with so many residents and thought about devising alternative formats, but the mayor insisted on "seeing every person." At 7 p.m., Booker had met with about 80 residents.
There was also concern that meeting with residents would be difficult if there were controversial issues afoot, such as Booker's proposed 8 percent tax increase and the reduction of 10 to 20 percent of the city's employees.
"We got calls asking would the open hours be canceled because of those issues," said Bankston. "He has to stand up to the hot-button issues. We are not going to play politics with the open hours."
What will really make the program work is the follow-through, said Bankston. Every issue will be divided by topic and then tracked until resolved.
Booker said he realizes he's not going to be able to solve every problem but that he's trying to be honest with residents about what the city can do for them. The plan is to have two open hours sessions a month from October to December and then evaluate the program.
Elmore, the retired corrections officer, said he left his conversation with Booker slightly optimistic. He said Booker invited him to join in more talks about accessibility issues.
"I know how politicians work. Everyone is saying what they are going to do, but they've only been in office a few months so we might have to wait and see," Elmore said.
Jeffery C. Mays covers Newark City Hall. He may be reached at jmays@starledger.com or (973) 392-4149.
Link to online story.
(Note: Online stories may be taken down by their publisher after a period of time or made available for a fee. Link posted here is from the original online publication of this piece.)
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff and Clippings have no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of these articles nor are Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff or Clippings endorsed or sponsored by the originator.)
*
Published in the Star-Ledger, Friday, September 15, 2006
Booker gives new meaning to 'chat room' in Newark
BY JEFFERY C. MAYS
Star-Ledger Staff
Retired corrections officer William Elmore wasn't planning to take advantage of Newark Mayor Cory Booker's open office hours yesterday, but after waiting four hours to get a report because his wheelchair could not get into the police station on Green Street, he decided a conversation with the city's top guy was in order.
"I was hoping to bring to his attention that even City Hall is not as accessible as it should be," Elmore, 47, said yesterday. "I shouldn't be treated like a second-class citizen."
Sitting in a conference room in the basement of City Hall, Booker listened to Elmore's complaints and dozens more from residents in the first of what is being billed as a bi-monthly opportunity to chat with the mayor.
Inside what looked like a tan confessional booth, more than 80 people sidled up to Booker and talked about everything from supporting the Central Ward Jazz Drill Team to offering a reward to find out who murdered a sibling.
"This gives people a chance who want to see their mayor," said Booker during a brief break. "If I can do it during election season, I can do it when I'm an elected official with the authority to do something."
After entering City Hall, visitors were greeted and a form detailing their concern was filled out by a staff member. Enough chairs to form a waiting room were set up in the rotunda. From there, residents moved into the conference room where they sat outside the booth to talk with Booker. Various department heads also were lined up outside to provide follow-up.
Although each person was allotted three minutes, Booker often spent more time chatting than that. The mayor often bounded outside the booth to greet each resident as he did with Ervin Mathis, a machine mechanic with a conviction on his record who is now working but trying to get a higher-paying job.
Mathis asked Booker to write him a letter of recommendation. After reviewing his résumé, Booker told Mathis he was on the right track and agreed to write a general letter. He also was referred to the personnel department.
"Brother Mathis, God has plans for you. Feel it?" Booker said.
"It went well," Mathis said afterward. "It's a crowd of people so you can't get everything you want but he's trying hard to serve."
Alieu Shariff came to City Hall to talk to Booker about the murder of his brother Mohammed Bamba, 33, last week. Bamba, a street vendor from Liberia, was found shot several times inside his residence on Longworth Street.
"We are asking the city of Newark to help us to get the killer," Shariff said.
The family also wanted the city to offer a reward to help find Bamba's killer and financial assistance to bring his mother over from Liberia.
Shariff said he received assurances from Booker that some of the city's best detectives were on the case and that he would investigate the possibility of a reward.
"We are hopeful something will happen," Shariff said.
Terrance Bankston, director of constituent services, said senior staff were concerned about having Booker sit down with so many residents and thought about devising alternative formats, but the mayor insisted on "seeing every person." At 7 p.m., Booker had met with about 80 residents.
There was also concern that meeting with residents would be difficult if there were controversial issues afoot, such as Booker's proposed 8 percent tax increase and the reduction of 10 to 20 percent of the city's employees.
"We got calls asking would the open hours be canceled because of those issues," said Bankston. "He has to stand up to the hot-button issues. We are not going to play politics with the open hours."
What will really make the program work is the follow-through, said Bankston. Every issue will be divided by topic and then tracked until resolved.
Booker said he realizes he's not going to be able to solve every problem but that he's trying to be honest with residents about what the city can do for them. The plan is to have two open hours sessions a month from October to December and then evaluate the program.
Elmore, the retired corrections officer, said he left his conversation with Booker slightly optimistic. He said Booker invited him to join in more talks about accessibility issues.
"I know how politicians work. Everyone is saying what they are going to do, but they've only been in office a few months so we might have to wait and see," Elmore said.
Jeffery C. Mays covers Newark City Hall. He may be reached at jmays@starledger.com or (973) 392-4149.
Link to online story.
(Note: Online stories may be taken down by their publisher after a period of time or made available for a fee. Link posted here is from the original online publication of this piece.)
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff and Clippings have no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of these articles nor are Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff or Clippings endorsed or sponsored by the originator.)
*
Thursday, September 14, 2006
McGee - Biz Wire - To CorpHQ as CFO, 2004
*
Published in Business Wire, June 23, 2004
CorpHQ To Expand Operations
New CFO Carlton McGee Will Direct East Coast Operation
Business Wire, June 23, 2004
REDONDO BEACH, Calif. -- Further to yesterday's announcement regarding the appointment of Carlton McGee, Sr. as Chief Financial Officer, CorpHQ Inc. (OTC:COHQ) today announced its planned expansion to the Manhattan/Jersey City area of the Eastern United States.
Mr. McGee most recently served as the Business Administrator for the City of Jersey City, New Jersey, where he managed an annual operating budget exceeding $375 million and assisted the Mayor in direct supervision of all divisions of city government.
Mr. McGee operates a government affairs consulting practice in Jersey City, which will be integrated into CorpHQ's East Coast operation. CorpHQ's first portfolio company, My Personal Salon, also operates from offices in New York City. According to a company spokesman, both operations will be housed in the new facility.
"We are now actively reviewing properties in both Manhattan and Jersey City, and hope to find a suitable location for our East Coast operations within the next 30 days," said Carlton McGee, CorpHQ CFO. "We plan to use the same format used at our Redondo Beach, CA location. Our management personnel will work with portfolio companies on a day to day basis and we will be very 'hands-on.' My initial goal is to accelerate the development and growth of My Personal Salon and I am really looking forward to working with their team."
About My Personal Salon Inc.
My Personal Salon is the brainchild of advertising guru George Lois and beauty industry veteran Jim Morrison -- the combination of state-of-the-art beauty, apparel and lifestyle product development with profoundly innovative marketing. By merging compelling marketing concepts with cutting-edge products, MPS is creating brands that can outsell nationally advertised names.
About CorpHQ, Inc.
Since the inception of its predecessor company in 1993, CorpHQ, Inc. has evolved from an innovative online marketplace and virtual corporation for small and home-based businesses into a business consulting organization and holding company comprised of established and emerging companies. The CorpHQ companies address vertical market segments in the Consumer Products, Services and Technology industries. For additional information please visit the Company's website at www.corphq.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Any statements made in this press release which are not historical facts contain certain "forward-looking statements", as such term is defined in the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995, concerning potential developments affecting the business, prospects, financial condition and other aspects of the company to which this release pertains. The actual results of the specific items described in this release, and the company's operations generally, may differ materially from what is projected in such forward-looking statements. Although such statements are based upon the best judgments of management of the company as of the date of this release, significant deviations in magnitude, timing and other factors may result from business risks and uncertainties including, without limitation, the company's dependence on third parties, general market and economic conditions, technical factors, the availability of outside capital, receipt of revenues and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the company. The company disclaims any obligation to update information contained in any forward-looking statement.
This press release is available at www.corphq.com and http://www.pinksheets.com/quote/quote.jsp?symbol=COHQ
COPYRIGHT 2004 Business Wire
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group"
Link to online story.
(Note: Online stories may be taken down by their publisher after a period of time or made available for a fee. Links posted here is from the original online publication of this piece.)
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff and Clippings have no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of these articles nor are Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff or Clippings endorsed or sponsored by the originator.)
*
Published in Business Wire, June 23, 2004
CorpHQ To Expand Operations
New CFO Carlton McGee Will Direct East Coast Operation
Business Wire, June 23, 2004
REDONDO BEACH, Calif. -- Further to yesterday's announcement regarding the appointment of Carlton McGee, Sr. as Chief Financial Officer, CorpHQ Inc. (OTC:COHQ) today announced its planned expansion to the Manhattan/Jersey City area of the Eastern United States.
Mr. McGee most recently served as the Business Administrator for the City of Jersey City, New Jersey, where he managed an annual operating budget exceeding $375 million and assisted the Mayor in direct supervision of all divisions of city government.
Mr. McGee operates a government affairs consulting practice in Jersey City, which will be integrated into CorpHQ's East Coast operation. CorpHQ's first portfolio company, My Personal Salon, also operates from offices in New York City. According to a company spokesman, both operations will be housed in the new facility.
"We are now actively reviewing properties in both Manhattan and Jersey City, and hope to find a suitable location for our East Coast operations within the next 30 days," said Carlton McGee, CorpHQ CFO. "We plan to use the same format used at our Redondo Beach, CA location. Our management personnel will work with portfolio companies on a day to day basis and we will be very 'hands-on.' My initial goal is to accelerate the development and growth of My Personal Salon and I am really looking forward to working with their team."
About My Personal Salon Inc.
My Personal Salon is the brainchild of advertising guru George Lois and beauty industry veteran Jim Morrison -- the combination of state-of-the-art beauty, apparel and lifestyle product development with profoundly innovative marketing. By merging compelling marketing concepts with cutting-edge products, MPS is creating brands that can outsell nationally advertised names.
About CorpHQ, Inc.
Since the inception of its predecessor company in 1993, CorpHQ, Inc. has evolved from an innovative online marketplace and virtual corporation for small and home-based businesses into a business consulting organization and holding company comprised of established and emerging companies. The CorpHQ companies address vertical market segments in the Consumer Products, Services and Technology industries. For additional information please visit the Company's website at www.corphq.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Any statements made in this press release which are not historical facts contain certain "forward-looking statements", as such term is defined in the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995, concerning potential developments affecting the business, prospects, financial condition and other aspects of the company to which this release pertains. The actual results of the specific items described in this release, and the company's operations generally, may differ materially from what is projected in such forward-looking statements. Although such statements are based upon the best judgments of management of the company as of the date of this release, significant deviations in magnitude, timing and other factors may result from business risks and uncertainties including, without limitation, the company's dependence on third parties, general market and economic conditions, technical factors, the availability of outside capital, receipt of revenues and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the company. The company disclaims any obligation to update information contained in any forward-looking statement.
This press release is available at www.corphq.com and http://www.pinksheets.com/quote/quote.jsp?symbol=COHQ
COPYRIGHT 2004 Business Wire
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group"
Link to online story.
(Note: Online stories may be taken down by their publisher after a period of time or made available for a fee. Links posted here is from the original online publication of this piece.)
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff and Clippings have no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of these articles nor are Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff or Clippings endorsed or sponsored by the originator.)
*
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Asm Jerry Green - Legislature - Bill to make Chiefs of Police contractual employees
What follows is the unaltered text of a press release from the Assembly Majority Office dated 3/15/2006. -- Dan
GREEN INTRODUCES MEASURE TO MAKE
CHIEFS OF POLICE CONTRACTUAL EMPLOYEES
Removes Tenure for Police Chiefs;
Establishes 'Chiefs of Police Performance Evaluation Commission'
(
"Our current laws do more to protect and serve bad chiefs of police than they do to protect and serve the public," said Green (D-Middlesex/Somerset/Union). "Current laws are antiquated, counterproductive and an impediment when municipalities attempt to deliver better services at less cost to taxpayers."
The Green bill (A-2864) would do two things: make municipal chiefs of police contractual employees and create a "Chiefs of Police Performance Evaluation Commission" to oversee the performance of police chiefs in
Under current law, municipal chiefs of police are tenured employees and can be removed from office only for incapacity, misconduct, or disobedience of the police department's rules and regulations.
The measure would require municipalities to hire chiefs of police on a three-to-five-year contractual basis. At the end of the contract, the chief would be automatically reappointed unless the municipality decides to renew the contract for a different term or the municipality determines the chief has failed to adequately address deficiencies highlighted in a performance evaluation.
"With virtually no oversight and no real threat of repercussion for poor performance, it is easy for even the most stalwart chief of police to become lax and complacent upon receiving tenure," said Green. "Making police chiefs contractual employees and creating a system to review their performance ensures that police departments and the public have effective leaders they can trust."
The legislation also would create a Chiefs of Police Performance Evaluation Commission in the state Division of Criminal Justice. The commission's primary function would be to conduct performance evaluations of municipal chiefs of police.
The commission would consist of 12 members: two public members with expertise in personnel management and administration, who would be appointed to three-year terms by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate; the president or authorized representative of the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police, the New Jersey State Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, the New Jersey State Lodge, the Fraternal Order of Police, the New Jersey State League of Municipalities and the New Jersey Conference of Mayors; the Attorney General; the Superintendent of State Police; the Commissioner of Personnel; and the Commissioner of Labor.
It would be required to adopt rules and regulations concerning the performance evaluations, which would include the size and population of a municipality, the size of its police force, and the local crime rate.
The commission would conduct a performance evaluation of every police chief at least one year before their respective contracts expire. The evaluation would assess whether a police chief is satisfactorily managing the routine day-to-day operation of a municipal police department, implementing the policies of the appropriate governing authority and complying with the rules and regulations established for the government of the police force. Copies of the evaluation would be sent to each police chief, who would then meet with their municipal appointing authority to discuss the findings.
Under the bill, a municipality may refuse to renew the contract of a police chief if the individual fails to adequately address deficiencies detailed in an unsatisfactory performance evaluation within one year of that evaluation.
The bill also allows municipalities to request a performance review of their police chief within the first year the legislation is enacted into law to determine whether the individual is performing satisfactorily.
Any chief found to be unsatisfactorily performing his or her duties would be subject to removal from office by the municipal appointing authority. However, the bill is not intended to affect the tenure rights which police chiefs may have accrued prior to its enactment. If a chief of police is removed from office, they would be able to continue to serve as a member of the police department in a different position or capacity.
Green introduced the measure in response to complaints from municipal officials who are frustrated and aggravated by state laws that make it difficult to deal with poor or inept chiefs of police.
"Protecting the public is hard, thankless work and we recognize that," said Green. "However, we must send a message that we will not tolerate substandard leadership and conduct from police chiefs. In a post 9/11 world, putting complacency before public safety is a risk we cannot afford to take."
--30--
The Legislature's site is here
A2864 Makes chief of police contractual municipal employee and establishes in Department of Criminal Justice "Chiefs of Police Performance Evaluation Commission."
Green, Jerry as Primary Sponsor
Epps, Charles T. as Co-Sponsor
Manzo, Louis M. as Co-Sponsor
Cryan, Joseph as Co-Sponsor
Diegnan, Patrick J. as Co-Sponsor
Voss, Joan M. as Co-Sponsor
Conners, Jack as Co-Sponsor
Greenwald, Louis D. as Co-Sponsor
Conaway, Herb as Co-Sponsor
Payne, William D. as Co-Sponsor
Caraballo, Wilfredo as Co-Sponsor
Hackett, Mims as Co-Sponsor
Pou, Nellie as Co-Sponsor
Steele, Alfred E. as Co-Sponsor
Wisniewski, John S. as Co-Sponsor
A2864 Makes chief of police contractual municipal employee and establishes in Department of Criminal Justice "Chiefs of Police Performance Evaluation Commission."
Green, Jerry as Primary Sponsor
Epps, Charles T. as Co-Sponsor
Manzo, Louis M. as Co-Sponsor
Cryan, Joseph as Co-Sponsor
Diegnan, Patrick J. as Co-Sponsor
Voss, Joan M. as Co-Sponsor
Conners, Jack as Co-Sponsor
Greenwald, Louis D. as Co-Sponsor
Conaway, Herb as Co-Sponsor
Payne, William D. as Co-Sponsor
Caraballo, Wilfredo as Co-Sponsor
Hackett, Mims as Co-Sponsor
Pou, Nellie as Co-Sponsor
Steele, Alfred E. as Co-Sponsor
Wisniewski, John S. as Co-Sponsor
James Sverapa IV
Press Secretary
Assembly Majority Office
Ph: 609-292-7065
Fax: 609-292-2386
*
Stabbing - Courier - Warrant issued
*
Published in the Courier News [print only], Sunday, September 10, 2006, page A-1
Cops issue warrant in Plainfield stabbing
PLAINFIELD -- An arrest warrant has been issued for a 22-year old city man in connection with a stabbing Wednesday night.
Antwon Grays of 697 West Third Street, has been charged with attempted murder, possession of a weapon and unlawful possession of a weapon, police chief Edward Santiago said.
Grays also has an address in Bound Brook, police say.
Santiago said the 16-year old victim was stabbed in the face, buttocks and ribs in the 600-block of West Third Street before 11 p.m. Wednesday. The teenager was discovered sitting on a stoop in the 700-block of West Third Street by a passerby, who then called police.
Santiago said the victim was initially uncooperative with police. The chief said the teen's injuries were not life-threatening.
The teenager was taken to an area trauma center for treatment, Santiago said.
-- Staff report
No link, story not online.
(Note: Online stories may be taken down by their publisher after a period of time or made available for a fee. Links posted here is from the original online publication of this piece.)
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff and Clippings have no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of these articles nor are Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff or Clippings endorsed or sponsored by the originator.)
*
Published in the Courier News [print only], Sunday, September 10, 2006, page A-1
Cops issue warrant in Plainfield stabbing
PLAINFIELD -- An arrest warrant has been issued for a 22-year old city man in connection with a stabbing Wednesday night.
Antwon Grays of 697 West Third Street, has been charged with attempted murder, possession of a weapon and unlawful possession of a weapon, police chief Edward Santiago said.
Grays also has an address in Bound Brook, police say.
Santiago said the 16-year old victim was stabbed in the face, buttocks and ribs in the 600-block of West Third Street before 11 p.m. Wednesday. The teenager was discovered sitting on a stoop in the 700-block of West Third Street by a passerby, who then called police.
Santiago said the victim was initially uncooperative with police. The chief said the teen's injuries were not life-threatening.
The teenager was taken to an area trauma center for treatment, Santiago said.
-- Staff report
No link, story not online.
(Note: Online stories may be taken down by their publisher after a period of time or made available for a fee. Links posted here is from the original online publication of this piece.)
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff and Clippings have no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of these articles nor are Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff or Clippings endorsed or sponsored by the originator.)
*
Friday, September 08, 2006
Asbury Park - APP - Schools super suspended
*
Published in the Asbury Park Press, September 8, 2006
Schools chief suspended in Asbury Park
Board had agreed to buyout, but state balked at expense
BY NANCY SHIELDS
COASTAL MONMOUTH BUREAU
ASBURY PARK — The city school board suspended Schools Superintendent Antonio Lewis with pay Thursday night while an investigation by the state Attorney General's Office is under way.
Before the vote, Lewis and his attorney, Michael Inzelbuch, stood before the board with Inzelbuch asking board President Robert DiSanto to keep a commitment to buy Lewis out. The superintendent, 57, made $182,000 a year in 2005-06 and has three years left on a four-year contract.
"Let us sit down and discuss this in a rational way,'' Inzelbuch said.
Although the board had been set on a buyout, the state … which sent an intervention team into Asbury Park last week … would not go along with a settlement of $600,000.
Acting Commissioner Lucille E. Davy said in a letter to DiSanto dated Thursday that if the board still wanted a buyout, it would have to be funded with local taxpayers' money. The state heavily underwrites Asbury Park's school budget, sometimes funding more than 80 percent.
"We're certainly not going to raise our tax levy here in town,'' DiSanto said before Thursday night's meeting. "We're looking at our other options and (are) going to do what's best for the district.''
The working relationship between Lewis and a majority of board members came apart dramatically in the last three months, as the board became increasingly frustrated with the lack of sustained improvements at the high school and middle
school. The superintendent, who started in the district as the middle school principal in 1993 and moved up to the superintendent job in 1999, could no longer get the board majority to approve major appointments.
Both sides reached out to the state for help, and it appears the state backed the board and agreed it was time for Lewis to go.
Vote was 6-2
The vote to suspend Lewis Thursday night was 6-2, with one member, Garrett Giberson, absent. Board members Adrienne Sanders and Eileen Sonnier opposed the suspension.
After Lewis left the packed Bradley Elementary School gymnasium, the board hired Kathy McDavid to be acting superintendent at a fee of $650 a day. McDavid, once a close working colleague of the superintendent, was the school system's curriculum director until she left the district suddenly in the summer of 2005.
"It's going to take a concerted effort,'' McDavid told the public, many of those present school staff, but also some parents and community members. "We have a lot of work to do, a lot of healing to do. We have to build this district one step at a time.''
"Today we start a new path, a new course,'' DiSanto said, saying the board will work with the state team that has come in to help. "Our students deserve it and we demand it.''
The board approved many staff hirings that had been held up the past month while Lewis and the board majority were battling.
One of those positions was the high school football coach. The board would not rehire Joe Stinson, a close confidant of Lewis, after a finding a year ago that Stinson had sexually harassed a female teacher at the high school.
Instead, the board approved a contract Thursday night for Matthew Ardizzoni to be the head football coach. Ardizzoni is a physical education teacher at the high school who had applied for an assistant football coach position.
At Thursday night's board meeting, Inzelbuch, Lewis' attorney, who also is the attorney for Lakewood schools, pointed out that the state said it had not received the backup information from the school board the state needed to go along with
a settlement for Lewis. That settlement was to have included money for sick and vacation days.
"There are no records, so there's nothing to provide,'' DiSanto said earlier Thursday. "We provided them with everything we have.''
Inzelbuch said at the meeting that Lewis was seeking information on his attendance from the board … information missing from his personnel file he got from the board lawyer.
"The state office doesn't know where his entire file is,'' Inzelbuch added.
Documents were shredded
"We had three bags of shredded documents,'' board member Frank D'Alessandro responded during a break at Thursday's meeting. He referred to an incident of documents being shredded at the central office two weeks ago, which led to the
business administrator, Aiman Mahmoud, to send out a memorandum to stop all shredding.
State Police came to the board offices last week and by Friday, Sept. 1, the state Attorney General's Office served a subpoena seeking documents and records about Lewis' employment in the district and money paid to him since 2003.
Lewis was removed by an earlier board in late 2003. The state found that many of those board members were in violation because of the way the removal was carried out. Lewis was reinstated by June 2004.
He sued the board after his reinstatement and agreed to a $150,000 settlement. That settlement and another $450,000 made up the buyout amount, according to acting commissioner Davy.
Sonnier, who opposed suspending Lewis, said it would be costly paying Lewis while also paying an acting superintendent, repeating what had taken place in 2004 before the state reinstated Lewis.
Stephen J. Edelstein, one of the board's lawyers, said the state was supporting the board's move to suspend the superintendent.
Link to online story.
(Note: Online stories may be taken down by their publisher after a period of time or made available for a fee. Links posted here is from the original online publication of this piece.)
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff and Clippings have no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of these articles nor are Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff or Clippings endorsed or sponsored by the originator.)
*
Published in the Asbury Park Press, September 8, 2006
Schools chief suspended in Asbury Park
Board had agreed to buyout, but state balked at expense
BY NANCY SHIELDS
COASTAL MONMOUTH BUREAU
ASBURY PARK — The city school board suspended Schools Superintendent Antonio Lewis with pay Thursday night while an investigation by the state Attorney General's Office is under way.
Before the vote, Lewis and his attorney, Michael Inzelbuch, stood before the board with Inzelbuch asking board President Robert DiSanto to keep a commitment to buy Lewis out. The superintendent, 57, made $182,000 a year in 2005-06 and has three years left on a four-year contract.
"Let us sit down and discuss this in a rational way,'' Inzelbuch said.
Although the board had been set on a buyout, the state … which sent an intervention team into Asbury Park last week … would not go along with a settlement of $600,000.
Acting Commissioner Lucille E. Davy said in a letter to DiSanto dated Thursday that if the board still wanted a buyout, it would have to be funded with local taxpayers' money. The state heavily underwrites Asbury Park's school budget, sometimes funding more than 80 percent.
"We're certainly not going to raise our tax levy here in town,'' DiSanto said before Thursday night's meeting. "We're looking at our other options and (are) going to do what's best for the district.''
The working relationship between Lewis and a majority of board members came apart dramatically in the last three months, as the board became increasingly frustrated with the lack of sustained improvements at the high school and middle
school. The superintendent, who started in the district as the middle school principal in 1993 and moved up to the superintendent job in 1999, could no longer get the board majority to approve major appointments.
Both sides reached out to the state for help, and it appears the state backed the board and agreed it was time for Lewis to go.
Vote was 6-2
The vote to suspend Lewis Thursday night was 6-2, with one member, Garrett Giberson, absent. Board members Adrienne Sanders and Eileen Sonnier opposed the suspension.
After Lewis left the packed Bradley Elementary School gymnasium, the board hired Kathy McDavid to be acting superintendent at a fee of $650 a day. McDavid, once a close working colleague of the superintendent, was the school system's curriculum director until she left the district suddenly in the summer of 2005.
"It's going to take a concerted effort,'' McDavid told the public, many of those present school staff, but also some parents and community members. "We have a lot of work to do, a lot of healing to do. We have to build this district one step at a time.''
"Today we start a new path, a new course,'' DiSanto said, saying the board will work with the state team that has come in to help. "Our students deserve it and we demand it.''
The board approved many staff hirings that had been held up the past month while Lewis and the board majority were battling.
One of those positions was the high school football coach. The board would not rehire Joe Stinson, a close confidant of Lewis, after a finding a year ago that Stinson had sexually harassed a female teacher at the high school.
Instead, the board approved a contract Thursday night for Matthew Ardizzoni to be the head football coach. Ardizzoni is a physical education teacher at the high school who had applied for an assistant football coach position.
At Thursday night's board meeting, Inzelbuch, Lewis' attorney, who also is the attorney for Lakewood schools, pointed out that the state said it had not received the backup information from the school board the state needed to go along with
a settlement for Lewis. That settlement was to have included money for sick and vacation days.
"There are no records, so there's nothing to provide,'' DiSanto said earlier Thursday. "We provided them with everything we have.''
Inzelbuch said at the meeting that Lewis was seeking information on his attendance from the board … information missing from his personnel file he got from the board lawyer.
"The state office doesn't know where his entire file is,'' Inzelbuch added.
Documents were shredded
"We had three bags of shredded documents,'' board member Frank D'Alessandro responded during a break at Thursday's meeting. He referred to an incident of documents being shredded at the central office two weeks ago, which led to the
business administrator, Aiman Mahmoud, to send out a memorandum to stop all shredding.
State Police came to the board offices last week and by Friday, Sept. 1, the state Attorney General's Office served a subpoena seeking documents and records about Lewis' employment in the district and money paid to him since 2003.
Lewis was removed by an earlier board in late 2003. The state found that many of those board members were in violation because of the way the removal was carried out. Lewis was reinstated by June 2004.
He sued the board after his reinstatement and agreed to a $150,000 settlement. That settlement and another $450,000 made up the buyout amount, according to acting commissioner Davy.
Sonnier, who opposed suspending Lewis, said it would be costly paying Lewis while also paying an acting superintendent, repeating what had taken place in 2004 before the state reinstated Lewis.
Stephen J. Edelstein, one of the board's lawyers, said the state was supporting the board's move to suspend the superintendent.
Link to online story.
(Note: Online stories may be taken down by their publisher after a period of time or made available for a fee. Links posted here is from the original online publication of this piece.)
(In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff and Clippings have no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of these articles nor are Plainfield Today, Plainfield Stuff or Clippings endorsed or sponsored by the originator.)
*
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)