Excerpt from that article:

...The shirts have been distributed at the Booker T. Washington Apartments in Jersey City and a few other locations in the downtown section of the city.

When contacted about the t-shirts, Fulop said, "No one on my staff had any involvement with those shirts."

But several sources, including one longtime political source who has worked various on Jersey City political campaigns including Fulop's, alleged that Bertolli is responsible for the shirts.

Last week, Healy would only comment, "I have not heard anything about this t-shirt."

Not my t-shirt

When reached for comment, Bertolli denied he involvement in creating or distributing the shirt, adding, "No; it's not my t-shirt. That's my story and I'm sticking to it." Bertolli said he had, indeed, seen the shirts being worn at the Montgomery Gardens housing projects in Jersey City. He said he chuckled when he saw them.

"I think it is hilarious, but I take no credit," Bertolli said.

Fulop said he understood the "satire" behind the t-shirt, as he himself was subject of an internet prank in which the front page of his official website, www.stevenfulop.com, was appropriated for another website, www.stevefulop.com, with his picture replaced by the image of Mad Magazine icon Alfred E. Neuman.

But he said he did not approve of the t-shirt.

"I think it is childish," Fulop said. "I don't condone it. People find humor making fun of [politicians]."

Wrong timing?

Some political experts are also surprised that the t-shirts are being distributed to the public nearly two years before the next mayoral election.

But one expert said it is part of a plan to embarrass Healy, thus helping Fulop run for mayor in 2009.

The same expert believes this t-shirt stunt will fail and could backfire on Bertolli, or whoever is behind the shirts. Healy has proven surprisingly resilient to political controversy.

It's getting around

"Someone was giving out free t-shirts," said 15-year-old Alyce Miller last week, "and we just took them."

Miller and her three friends live in the Booker T. Washington Apartments in the Bergen-Lafayette section of the city, about a mile from the Jersey City waterfront. The four of them, including Nydeara Cater, Nadirah Harris, and Amanda Greene, were spotted walking in the Pathmark Supermarket on Grand Street in Jersey City last week wearing the t-shirts.

When asked who was giving away the t-shirts, they couldn't identify the person by name, but described the person as having "gray hair."

They were also asked if they knew to whom the t-shirt was referring. They said they had no idea.

When told it was probably about Mayor Healy, one of the young ladies responded in embarrassment: "Wow. We didn't know it was about him."..."