Tony gets protection, time to plot; Smith gets .?

Political Insider column
Jersey Journal
Saturday, April 04, 2009

The story of the week was to be the surprise top of my column, but Bayonne Councilman Anthony Chiappone resigned from the City Council a day earlier than I expected.

I don't have to tell you that Chiappone sacrificed his city post, effective Thursday, to save his Assembly seat. The deal was brokered by Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy and state Sen. Sandra B. Cunningham.

An aside: I'm sure there are those highly moral and civic-minded readers who are offended that politicians are taking so much time performing "Who's on First?" rather than using every minute on how to make streets safer and lower taxes. In terms of a popular TV show, all I can say, "The island has its reasons."

It is also more noticeable in an election season when win-at-any-cost is magnified to the Nth power, which is appropriately the root of a negative number. Understand now?

Back in Bayonne, Mayor Mark Smith wanted Chiappone out as the city's assemblyman - as well as its councilman. Monday is the filing deadline for Assembly candidates in the June primary.

There was a time when the political unwritten rule among Democrats was that mayors of the biggest burgs in a legislative district would select the Assembly candidates. And then voters would get leftovers. Well, throw out Hoyle's rules for pols and replace it with Jerramiah's Guidelines for Scrabble and Bosses.

Cunningham wanted to protect Chiappone because he was loyal to her and her late husband, Jersey City Mayor Glenn. Healy feels he needs the senator's endorsement for his re-election effort and will agree to most anything to get it - which gives you a clue how serious to take recent mayoral polls.

Those Bayonne faithful should realize that Smith had little say in the matter. At least Chiappone is giving up the city post. Having done so, Chiappone is no longer one of the remaining state legislators grandfathered into state law that prohibits the lawmakers from holding a second elected post.

Can anyone say this ever happened to former Mayor Dennis Collins?

In the past, Collins had a knack for maintaining partnerships with powerful figures outside Jersey City, such as those in North Hudson, including the late Union City Mayor and Sen. William V. Musto, and the still very much living Hoboken Mayor Steve Cappiello. Those mayors often kept Jersey City off balance and from dominating county politics.

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