I know he won't resign, but this is why he needs to. Attendance at council meetings is pretty important stuff. And with president pro-tem Brennan fighting prostate cancer, the council was down to third-stringer Gaughan running the show. Vega cannot effectively function if he is fighting criminal charges. If he resigns and successfully fights the charges against him, he can run for office again as a returning hero of the people.

maybe Vega had a court date in Newark

Quote: thanks for the link to the article, which was quite extensive and informative.

the recent news about a new p2p policy for the city is excellent. as long as the disclosure rules provide transparency, it will be beneficial. my only concern is how tightly the rules are going to be written, as it is quite simple to circumvent federal campaign finance rules, and those rules are pretty tight.

Quote:

So that's how Vega shows he's still effective. By avoiding the city counsil all together. Well, at least by not showing up he won't be the corrupt obstical he was in the past.

Can't wait till they put the legirons on him. He doesn't have a pretty mouth, but I'm sure he'll end up being somebody's luggage in prison.

I saw Vega get on the Grove Street PATH train at 8:30 AM heading west towards Journal Square. White button down shirt and brown pants. Had a huge ring of keys in his back pocket. I assume he was going to work.

From 1010Wins:
--------------------------
Posted: Wednesday, 12 August 2009 12:10PM

Jersey City Council President Absent from Council Meeting

JERSEY CITY (AP/1010 WINS) -- Embattled Jersey City Council President Mariano Vega was absent from Wednesday's council meeting that included two more resignations connected to a corruption scandal.

Vega is charged with accepting $10,000 in bribes from a developer who was an informant for the FBI. He is among 44 people -- more than a dozen connected to Jersey City -- arrested in a July 23 corruption sweep.

Two resignations of officials also arrested were on Wednesday's agenda.

Edward Cheatam resigned Aug. 3 as the commissioner of the city's Housing Authority, and Maher Khalil resigned from the board of trustees of the Jersey City Development Corporation in a letter dated July 31.

An anti-pay-to-play ordinance has been introduced to tighten restrictions on campaign contributions from developers.

http://www.1010wins.com/Embattled-Jer ... sident-Skips-Meet/4991904

Here's one blog's look @ today's meeting
http://blogcityblog.com/

Attendance was sparse at this morning's Council meeting, but I was there. Vega's absence was acknowledged, but not publicly explained. [Or, if it was explained, the poor acoustics in the chamber swallowed the "given reason."] Peter Brennan was also absent, but his non-attendance was explained, due to "medical" reasons, and news that he is now recovering (from successful prostate surgery in Manhattan).

Bill Gaughan presided over today's meeting, in an "acting" capacity.

Steven Fulop spoke well of the "Redevelopment P2P" measure being introduced, and the (recent) collaborative efforts by the Administration (via the Corporation Counsel), Council, and community good government groups to achieve the best language possible for the ordinance. On First Reading, the ordinance was passed unanimously, 7-0, by Council.

Over the next few weeks, the precise wording of the "Revedelopment P2P" reform ordinance might be tweaked, before it is (re)presented to Council for adoption in September, but the framework seems in place, and all the contributing parties are working together to iron out any issues or concerns.

Before Council's vote, it was gratifying to hear Gaughan endorse the measure.

Forward we go...

I just read that Vega was absent from today's meeting. So is anyone that was there today online? Que pasa?

It will be interesting to hear the debate at the council meeting today; wonder if vega will abstain this time.

Fulop's 'pay-to-play' ban on agenda today

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

The Jersey City Council will consider at its meeting this morning a "pay-to-play" ordinance that would bar campaign donations from a developer to municipal officials while the developer is negotiating to be named the "designated" builder for a project.

The ordinance is sponsored by Ward E Councilman Steve Fulop.

Fulop said in a news release last week that the July 23 arrests of City Council President Mariano Vega and eight other Jersey City officials and employees on charges that they accepted bribe money from FBI-informant Solomon Dwek, who was posing as a developer, make the ordinance more relevant.

"It's a hard argument for anybody to say that it's not necessary," Fulop said yesterday.

In February 2007, Fulop sponsored a similar ordinance, which was defeated by the City Council, 7-2, with only Fulop and Ward F Councilwoman Viola Richardson voting for it.

At that meeting, Ward A Councilman Michael Sottolano said: "Jersey City would still be a railroad yard" if it weren't for developers.

"We're from Hudson County . and people bring up the word 'C,' corruption," Councilman Peter Brennan said at the 2007 meeting. "I believe we are all honest and not corrupt politicians."

Also voting against the 2007 proposal were Bill Gaughan, former Councilwoman Mary Spinello, Willie Flood and former Councilman Steve Lipski. Vega abstained.

Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy opposed the 2007 measure on the grounds it would deprive developers of their right to give money to who they want, when they want.

"It's a different climate and I think everybody recognizes that, and hopefully it'll move forward," Fulop said.

AMY SARA CLARK