2 N.J. Mayors Arrested in Broad Inquiry on Corruption

[Puneet]

Hoboken and Secaucus Mayors arrested, JC Deputy Mayor arrested. Boy oh boy!

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/24/nyregion/24jersey.html?hp

[Lenin]

It looks like we DO have the TONY SOPRANO state.

Mariano Vega and Harvy Smith...bye, bye.

Deputy mayor of Jersey City what's her face....bye bye.

A passle of DEAL rabbis shuttling Mafia money to Israel...is anyone surprised?

New mayor of Hoboken....gee two weeks to take a bribe" Gee, any surprises? Most take the bribe in two DAYS.


Gee, how did Healy escape.

Tony and Carmella are giggling!

Any gueses why taxes are high?

[PTMG]

One of the accused in corruption was a corrupt buildings inspector in Jersey City. How shocking to find out that building inspectors in Jersey City are corrupt. :eek:

[Puneet]

One of the accused in corruption was a corrupt buildings inspector in Jersey City. How shocking to find out that building inspectors in Jersey City are corrupt. :eek:

To paraphrase Casablanca: I'm shocked, shocked to find that corruption is going on here!

BTW here is a full list of persons charged in the operation.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/07/nj_corruption_probe_full_list.html

[Sonia]

Thanks for posting folks, I was out of town, and came home to find the following email from Councilman Steven Fulop. I too was shocked by the news, but not surprised. Here is Steve's email:


Friends,

Yesterday was truly a low point for Jersey City. Seven high-ranking members of the Mayor Healy’s administration, including City Council President Mariano Vega and Deputy Mayor Leona Beldini, were arrested by Federal agents and charged with public corruption. These arrests were made as part of an even larger investigation, and more charges may be filed as it develops.
This is a sad day for Jersey City. We should have pride in our city, not be embarrassed by the conduct of our city’s leadership. Just this morning, a major news channels started their broadcast by describing that they were reporting from Jersey City as “the epicenter of corruption."

While the individuals named in today’s indictments deserve their day in court, the sheer scale and widespread nature of these allegations is nothing short of outrageous. The conduct alleged describes not just the conduct of a few individuals, but a pervasive culture of corruption that infects our political system at every level.

This system must change.

As the only elected official in Jersey City who has never run as part of the old-guard political machine, I can tell you first hand that this culture of corruption serves as a back door tax on all citizens. It has become a part of the well-known cost of doing business in our city, draining our pocketbooks and degrading our quality of life.

Ultimately, it is not enough to remove corrupt individuals from public service. We must remove the financial incentives within our system that enable this type of conduct to persist. That is why I sponsored legislation in 2007 aimed at ending such obviously ethically-cha lleged practices as pay to play and double-dipping. Today’s events show all too clearly why I was the only member of the city council who voted in favor of such reforms.
While today is a black eye for the city, I am hopeful that the actions of the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s office will serve as a first step in what will undoubtedly be a long road toward honest and open government.

I will continue to speak up against corruption and unfair practices, even when mine is the only voice within the city government willing to do so. In that regard, I am troubled that Mayor Healy has stopped at merely suspending the individuals involved. A cloud of suspicion will hang over every vote and decision these individuals make, and there are too many pressing issues our city must address. We cannot continually question the motivation behind each of their decisions.

I am therefore publicly calling upon the councilman and deputy mayor who were indicted yesterday to resign their appointed and elected positions immediately. My stance was published in this article in yesterday's Jersey Journal , which I encourage you to read. Furthermore, I will be introducing a resolution to the city council at our next meeting, Wednesday, July 29 that formally requests that Mayor Healy amend his executive order regarding the closed - door abatement negotiation committee to which Healy appointed Mariano Vega as chairperson.

In addition, I believe it is crucial that a formal review of Council activities be performed to see what city business may have been impacted by public corruption. Individuals and businesses that engage in bribery should not be allowed to benefit at everyone else’s expense. We must send a clear message that corruption will not be tolerated in Jersey City.

I assure you that the arrogance and selfishness of a few will not be allowed to ruin the good works and progress of our city. On that you have my word.


Sincerely,

Councilman Steven Fulop

[Nargissa]

Mayor Healy is on ALL the major News channels this evening. I saw him on NBC and Eyewitness news. It's possible there will be more arrests, and he may be under investigation. He has admitted that he is the public official named in three indictments, including the indictment against his Deputy Mayor. Here we go again! Mayor Healy seems to go from one legal mess to another. This can't possibly be good for Jersey City.

[Lenin]

Good, bad, or indifferent, it illustrates that Jersey City circa 2009 isn't much different from Jersey City, 1939 when power in the city was split between crooked politicians (Mayor Hague) and the MOB.


Same old city, only the real estate prices have changed.

[Puneet]

Interesting article.

http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/31929/jersey-city-and-hoboken-entirely-different-kinds-places