Here are three relevant articles from the holiday weekend's local coverage:

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EXCLUSIVE:
Was Jack Shaw 'arrested' by feds the day before the actual arrests?

[from "The Jersey City Reporter," September 5, 2009]

July 23 was a significant day in Hudson County as many local politicians were amongst the 44 individuals swept up in a corruption/money laundering sting.

But what if the significant day was the day before?

At least three sources connected to those arrested say longtime politicial consultant Jack Shaw was allegedly "picked up" by FBI agents on July 22 instead.

Shaw died on July 28 in his apartment in downtown Jersey City but the cause of his death is yet to be determined pending an autopsy. Some believe he committed suicide.

Shaw was charged with allegedly taking $10,000 from the government's cooperating witness, Solomon Dwek, for himself. He also allegedly proposed that Dwek pay $10,000 in campaign contributions for the re-election campaign of Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy. (Healy has not been charged with any wrongdoing.)

While the media saw Shaw walk out of federal court in Newark on the afternoon of July 23, the sources say that Shaw had allegedly been in the custody of federal agents for nearly a day before, who allegedly tried to convince him to become a "cooperating witness" like Dwek to continue the investigation and ensnare other political officials

But Shaw allegedly was not cooperative, apparently angered by federal agents who were insensitive to his medical condition, as Shaw was a diabetic.

The sources say that Shaw allegedly complained about the agents to other arrested people as they all waited to face a judge on July 23.

When asked about the allegations about Shaw being picked up a day earlier, as well as other questions, Michael Drewniak, spokeperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Newark would only comment, "Sorry, I cannot answer those questions for you. I am confined to the public record."

While the early arrest of Shaw may be just spectulation, it is worthy to note that multiple sources familiar with the arrests and with City Hall politics also cite July 22 as the day that federal agents allegedly paid a visit to Mayor Healy at City Hall, although very little information has come out about that supposed meeting.

-- Ricardo Kaulessar

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FBI DROPPED IN
Saw Healy day before sweep

[from "The Jersey Journal," September 5, 2009]

The FBI paid a visit to Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy one day before the July 23 corruption sweep that netted 44 people, the mayor's spokeswoman confirmed yesterday.

Although spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill confirmed the visit with the mayor at his City Hall office, she said the mayor refused to disclose what was discussed, citing the ongoing investigation.

Morrill was responding to an article on the "Jersey City Reporter's" Web site, which first reported the visit.

Michael Drewniak, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, refused to comment.

Among the 44 people arrested in the FBI sting were 23 from Hudson County, including seven Jersey City employees.

Many of the officials are charged with accepting bribes from FBI informant Solomon Dwek, who was pretending to be a developer looking for help with zoning approvals.

Healy has not been charged with any crimes, but he has acknowledged meeting with Dwek at least twice, in rendezvous that included Edward Cheatam, a Hudson County affirmative action officer, political operative Jack Shaw, and Jersey City Deputy Mayor Leona Beldini, who served as his campaign treasurer.

The federal complaints allege that Shaw - who died July 28 - Beldini and Cheatam "arranged for others" to provide checks to the campaign of "JC Official 4" with cash provided by the Dwek. Healy has acknowledged he's "JC Official 4," but says he did nothing wrong.

-- Amy Sara Clark

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Vega will return for City Council meetings

[from "The Jersey City Reporter," September 5, 2009]

Jersey City Council President Mariano Vega, one of the 44 people arrested in the July 23 federal govt. money laundering/public corruption case, said on Friday that he plans to return to preside over the City Council at its caucus on Tuesday and the council meeting on Wednesday in City Hall.

Vega, in a short interview, said he "looks forward" to working again with his council colleagues and "doesn't feel nervous" being back out in the public. Vega did not attend the Aug. 12 council meeting because he was meeting with his attorney, Peter Willis, to discuss his case.

Vega was charged with allegedly accepting $30,000 from federal ?cooperating witness? Solomon Dwek, and has been one of the targets of residents, as well as City Councilman Steven Fulop, at recent council meetings who have called for his resignation. There also been calls for the resignation of Mayor Jerramiah Healy, who was named but not charged in the complaints against the 44 arrested, and of City Councilwoman Nidia Lopez due to her residency issues.

Vega said he is still innocent until proven guilty and looks forward to his day in court.

"I will do whatever it takes to clear my name," Vega said. "I'm just glad this is not Salem, Massachusetts, where they burned the witches=2 0before putting them on trial, as some people want to get me out of office before hearing all the facts."

-- Ricardo Kaulessar

Lopez once fell on a french fry

[from PolitickerNJ.com, September 4, 2009, 10:20 a.m.]

From the transcript of Jersey City Councilwoman Nidia Lopez's deposition with attorney Howard Myerowitz, who is representing her former opponent, Norrice Raymaker, in a lawsuit that charges that Lopez is technically a Florida resident:

Myerowitz: Have you ever been involved in any lawsuits as a plaintiff?

Lopez: Does this mean I am being sued or I am suing?

Myerowitz: That means you are suing somebody else.

Lopez: Yes. I once fell on a French fry in Orlando, Florida in the House of Pancakes.

Myerowitz: When was that?

Lopez: 1990-something, maybe 1995, I don't know, in the nineties. Another lawsuit was in New Jersey with Evelyn Padin with a pair of shoes that I fell.

-- Wally Edge

Healy: No connection between campaign donations and new tax deal

[from "The Jersey Journal," September 7, 2009, 5:26 p.m.]

Officials connected to Crystal Point, a Jersey City waterfront condo tower, donated $7,500 to the campaign of Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy's council slate the same day the condo developer appealed to the council for a better tax abatement deal.

James McCann, the attorney for Crystal Point, located at 2 Second St., made the case for the 42-unit tower receiving a sweeter tax-abatement agreement that originally negotiated with the city at a City Council caucus on June 1 -- the same day "Team Healy" received a $4,000 check from McCann and a $3,500 check from Brian K. Fisher, a managing member of Crystal Point's development company, according to a campaign filing with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission.

McCann said he and Fisher wrote the checks for a May 28 fund-raiser and the donations had nothing to do with the abatement request.

"I guess the timing was a little tough," McCann said. "But we are supporters of Mayor Healy and it doesn't make sense not to support somebody when there is a runoff election. But it (the donation) was not made with the intent of influencing the vote."

He said that although one of the checks had his name on it, it was actually from a political action committee controlled by his law firm, Connell Foley.

"To infer that these contributions had an impact on how the City Council voted is not only completely erroneous, it is irresponsible journalism," Healy said in a statement.

Most of Healy's slate was re-elected on May 12. But Council members Michael Sottolano and Viola Richardson faced runoff elections on June 9.

Richardson voted against the altering the original abatement deal, along with Councilmen Steve Fulop and Phil Kenny.

Richardson said her vote shows that she can't be bribed with campaign donations. "Anytime I don't think something is good I'm not going to support it. I don't care how much money you give me," she said.

On June 1, McCann asked the council to extend the length of Crystal Point's abatement from 20 to 30 years, and reduce the percentage of annual gross revenue paid to the city from 16 to 10 percent for the first five years, with 12 percent payments for the next five years, and 16 percent payments for the final 20 years.

On June 29, the council approved the ordinance with the development paying 11 percent for the first five years, 13 percent for the next five and 16 percent for the last 20.

Sottolano pushed to make the final ordinance slightly more advantageous to the city than what McCann initially proposed. He said he has often voted against abatements or pushed to get the city better abatement deals.

Downtown Councilman Steven Fulop -- who did not run on Healy's slate and has sponsored a redeveloper anti-pay-to-play ordinance up for adoption at this Wednesday's council meeting -- remarked: "I don't want to point fingers. I think that the most important thing is to fix the system and we have that opportunity."

-- Amy Sara Clark

Lawyer says Jersey City Councilwoman maintains separate identities in N.J. and Florida

[from PolitickerNJ.com, September 3, 2009, 12:05 p.m.]

An attorney for an unsuccessful Jersey City council candidate says that the city's current Ward C Councilwoman has two identities: Nidia Lopez, the Jersey City resident and politician, and Nidia Boehringer, the Florida resident and taxpayer.

"She's gone to great lengths to maintain these different personas and make it look like she lived in both places," said Diana Jeffrey, who represents Norrice Raymaker -- the third place Ward C Council candidate in the May municipal election -- in her lawsuit that charges Lopez is actually a Florida resident.

Jeffrey deposed Lopez on Monday, and while the transcript of the deposition will not be available until tonight, she shared some of her findings.

Among the most startling, according to Jeffrey, was Lopez's disclosure that she files her taxes in Florida, where there is no state income tax, even though she says her business -- Nidia Boehringer Consulting -- is based in New Jersey. Jeffrey said that Lopez has not paid New Jersey income taxes since at least 2006.

"She avoids paying New Jersey income tax by relying on her Florida persona," said Jeffrey. "She maintained under oath that New Jersey is her primary residence, and admitted under oath that Nidia Boehringer Consultants operates exclusively in New Jersey, that she works exclusively in New Jersey, but that she files her tax returns in Florida under the name Boehringer."

Lopez has been under scrutiny since June, when Jimmy King, the second place candidate for her council seat in the May municipal election, filed suit alleging that she was a resident of the Sunshine State. The crux of his case was that Lopez took property exemptions on her Florida home that required her to be a permanent resident of that state. Florida has since charged tens of thousands of dollars in back taxes that state authorities says Lopez owes for incorrectly taking for the exemptions.

After King was arrested on corruption charges less than a month after filing the suit, Raymaker, who ran on the reform "One Jersey City Slate,' took the case over. King technically remains a co-plaintiff, but is expected to withdraw.

Jeffrey said that Lopez refinanced her Orlando home in March, 2008 with the name Nidia Boehringer -- the last name of her ex-husband, Karl -- and claimed it as her primary residence. In a July brief on behalf of Lopez, attorney William Northgrave argued that Lopez -- whose last name comes from her current husband, former Jersey City councilman Ben Lopez -- has been a permanent resident of Jersey City since at least April,2008, and that she was until this year registered to vote there under her maiden name, Rivera.

Lopez told Jeffrey that she typically spends three weeks of every month in Jersey City and one week in Orlando. When Jeffrey asked why Lopez claimed the Orlando home as a primary residence as recently as March,2008, Lopez told her she did not read the mortgage documents.

"Which is really comforting when you think that she's a councilwoman entrusted with making decisions affecting thousands of constituents, that she signs legal documents she doesn't read," said Jeffrey.

Northgrave declined to comment on the specific points Jeffrey raised, preferring to address them in a legal brief that he will file within the next couple weeks.

"I'm outraged that this apparently has nothing to do with legality. She's calling up reporters two days after the deposition instead of trying to litigate her case in court, that's outrageous," he said. (PolitickerNJ.com initially reached out to Jeffrey). "The legal issue is that she needs to be a resident of New Jersey for one year, and there is not a scintilla of evidence that she was not a resident of New Jersey for one year prior to the election."

-- Matt Friedman

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Claims that Jersey City Councilwoman Nidia Lopez lives in Florida grow

[from "The Jersey Journal, September 3, 2009, 1:51 p.m.]

As you know, Norrice Raymaker, who lost her bid for the Ward C City Council seat to Jersey City Councilwoman Nidia Lopez is suing to remove Lopez from the council, claiming that the councilwoman actually maintains her primary residence in Florida.

Raymaker's attorney, Diana Jeffrey, argues that not only does Lopez have a home in Florida, but that she has an entire second identity there. Yesterday, Jeffrey told The Jersey Journal that Lopez pays NO income tax in New Jersey, filing instead in Florida where there is no income tax.

"She avoids paying New Jersey income tax by relying on her Florida persona," Jeffrey told PolitickerNJ.com. "She maintained under oath that New Jersey is her primary residence, and admitted under oath that Nidia Boehringer Consultants operates exclusively in New Jersey, that she works exclusively in New Jersey, but that she files her tax returns in Florida under the name Boehringer."

We are awaiting a return phone call from Lopez, or her attorney, William Northgrave, for comment.

Jimmy King, who came in second in the race, originally filed the suit, but it was taken over by Raymaker after King was arrested in the July 23 FBI corruption sweep.

-- Amy Sara Clark

Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy comments on "not guilty" plea by his deputy mayor

[from "The Jersey Journal," September 1, 2009, 6:24 p.m.]

As you may have heard, earlier today Jersey City Deputy Mayor Leona Beldini pleaded not guilty to charges she accepted bribes on behalf of Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy's re-election campaign from an FBI informer posing as a developer who asked for help securing zoning approvals.

It seems that the mayor is backing off of his earlier support of his longtime friend just a bit, saying today:

"She has pleaded not guilty to these charges and it's now in the hands of the Courts and we'll all have to await the resolution of these charges," Healy said.

Also pleading not guilty today was Edward Cheatam, a former Jersey City Housing Authority commissioner, who was charged along with Beldini in the July 23 FBI corruption sweep.

Healy declined to comment on Cheatam.

-- Amy Sara Clark

Fulop and Yun lambast Jersey City Mayor Healy in today's Daily News

[from "The Jersey Journal," September 01, 2009, 1:19 p.m.]

It's no surprise to see Jersey City Downtown Councilman Steven Fulop rip Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy in the media. The 32-year-old councilman toyed with running for mayor this year, but got cold feet in the face of Healy's $3 million war chest and popularity. (Healy won 53 percent of the vote in May in a five-way race).

But what was a little different today was to see Jersey City Heights businessman Michael Yun wailing away on Healy in tandem with Fulop in the Daily News. "It's hard to say if he can lead," president of the Central Avenue Improvement District, said about Healy in the wake of the FBI-sting arrests in July, which included nine officials and municipal employees of Jersey City.

"The city government should work hard to regain their credibility," Yun added. "They should understand that they should follow the rules and regulations before they tell the people what to do."

Fulop, who's pushed for pay-to-play reform measures in the city, called Jersey City the "belly of the beast" when it comes to corruption.

Among those arrested in the FBI sting were Deputy Mayor Leona Beldini and City Council President Mariano Vega Jr. They are accused of accepting bribes from an FBI stoolie who was seeking favors for a supposed development project on Garfield Avenue.

Healy has suspended the city employees who were arrested. He himself is not charged with any crimes although he met with the FBI informant twice and agreed to accept campaign donations from the informant, according to federal complaints.

Healy has since directed the city's law department to review campaign reform measures and to meet with local civic groups committed to pay-to-play reform. He has also ordered a review of projects in the pipeline in the redevelopment and planning departments.

Yun, who operates Garden State News on Central Avenue, is apparently not a fan of Democrats.

According to the state Elections Law Enforcement Commission, he contributed a total of $5,150 to the gubernatorial campaigns of Christine Todd Whitman and Bret Schundler.

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FYI: No byline accompanies the "Journal" article. Meanwhile, 15 minutes of poking around the "Daily News" website yielded no leads on the referenced (if un-named and un-linked) article.

Two Jersey City officials plead not guilty in N.J. corruption sting

[from "The Star-Ledger," September 1, 2009, 3:29 p.m.]

NEWARK -- Two Jersey City officials pleaded not guilty in federal court in Newark today to conspiracy to commit extortion in connection to July's sweeping public corruption sting.

Leona Beldini, a Jersey City deputy mayor, and Edward Cheatam, a city housing authority commissioner, were arrested along with 42 others in the bribery and money-laundering scandal. They are accused of promising to secure building approvals in exchange for illicit campaign contributions to Jerramiah T. Healy, the city's mayor.

Healy is not charged in the case, which was the largest federal sting in modern New Jersey history.

Beldini, 74, and Cheatam, 61, were the first -- and so far only -- defendants indicted in the case. U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares scheduled their trial for Oct. 26.

During today's brief hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra L. Moser prosecutors said she planned to file a request to delay the trial, citing its massive scope.

But Beldini's lawyer, Brian J. Neary, said he planned to object to the request.

"My client is 74 years old. She can't wait for the government to get ready to try this case on their schedule," Neary said.

-- Joe Ryan

Jersey City Health Officer Joseph Castagna, under investigation for issuing too many food vendor licenses, puts in retirement papers

[posted by "The Jersey Journal," August 31, 2009, 6:50 p.m.]

Jersey City official Joseph Castagna -- who was charged on July 23rd in the massive FBI corruption sting and is now under investigation by local police -- has put in his retirement papers, city officials confirmed

Castagna, a 53-year-old health officer who is being investigated for possibly issuing more food vendor licenses than the city allows, put in his request to retire Aug. 26, according to Jennifer Morrill, a spokeswoman for Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy.

The next day, police seized additional records from his office, police told "The Jersey Journal" last week.

The retirement, which is not yet approved, is slated to be considered at the Sept. 16 meeting of the City of Jersey City Employees Retirement System board, Morrill said.

Castagna has worked for the city for 29 years and currently earns $105,164. If approved, his pension would be $60,740 a year, Morrill said.

Castagna will also receive a one-time payment for unused vacation and for 80 percent of unused sick time, said Jersey City Business Administrator Brian O'Reilly. Officials have not finished calculating how much this lump sum will be but said they would release the final figure tomorrow, Morrill said.

Castagna was arrested by the FBI July 23 and charged with taking a $5,000 payment from FBI informant Solomon Dwek, who was posing as a developer. The health officer was supposed to pass along the money to the campaign of Michael Manzo, a firefighter running for the City Council in Ward B, according to the complaint.

Jersey City Police Chief Tom Comey refused to say more on their investigation -- which began Aug. 8 -- because it is an ongoing investigation, but a source familiar with the investigation said that records indicate that Castagna gave out more than 100 additional licenses.

-- Amy Sara Clark

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Presumption of innocence duly noted, this story is beginning to produce some strange, unpleasant odors. If earlier news coverage is correct, the pensions of N.J. municipal officials/bureaucrats who are convicted of crimes -- EVEN WHEN RELATING TO THEIR ROLES AS PUBLIC SERVANTS -- are not forfeited, provided they have retired before conviction. Heaven help us...

Jersey City 19-year-old shot multiple times near Liberty State Park

[as reported by "The Jersey Journal," August 31, 2009, 7:30 p.m.]

A Jersey City man who was shot multiple times in the head near Liberty State Park today was listed in critical condition after being rushed to the Jersey City Medical Center by ambulance, officials said.

Police officers dispatched to Pine Street near Johnson Avenue at 1:38 a.m. found the 19-year-old Claremont Avenue man lying on the ground and bleeding from the head, reports said.

He had been shot numerous times in the left side of the head and once in the buttocks, but he still had a pulse and was moving, reports said.

A witness said he heard shots fired and when he looked out his window he saw a small, black, 4-door Ford pickup, with two people inside, reports said.

A third man ran to the truck and they sped away north on Pine Street, reports said.

Police recovered four spent .40 caliber shells near the victim. An update on the victim's condition was not available last night.

-- Michaelangelo Conte

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Apart from the tragedy/public safety aspects of this latest shooting, why does an incident that occurs before 2:00 a.m. only get its first (online) reporting at 7:30 p.m.?

Jersey City man, 27, fatally shot in head early this morning
from "The Jersey Journal," August 30, 2009, 3:35 p.m.

A 27-year-old Jersey City man was fatally shot in the head early this morning, Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio said.

Christopher Felder, of Stegman Street, was shot in the back of his head in the courtyard of Booker T. Washington housing complex at Bright and Fremont streets at around 3 a.m. The bullet exited just over his right eye, DeFazio said.

DeFazio said investigators believe he died from the single gunshot wound but said but an autopsy report will determine the the exact cause and manner of death.

The prosecutor said at least two shots were fired at Felder, who was with a large group, and they were fired from some distance.

DeFazio said the motive for the shooting has not been established but it did not appear to be a robbery.

In the courtyard of the complex this afternoon, family members described Felder as an "angel," a beautiful person and a "hard working young man," who just celebrated his birthday on Thursday and had been working for about eight years at Christ Hospital as a maintenance worker.

Felder, who graduated from Ferris High School in 2000, had two brothers.

His grandmother Carrie Walters, 68, said that she last time she saw Felder was 9 p.m. last night when he had carried a bag of groceries to her apartment, and said, "I will see you later."

-- Charles Hack

Apparently, the "public trust" is deemed a non-issue for a growing swath of our elected officials, especially those indicted and/or criminally charged for offenses relating to their elective offices. Yes, the presumption of innocence is a legal right. But holding a public office is not a right -- it is a temporary responsibility, held solely at the consent of the governed. And a criminal indictment cuts to the heart of the "public trust," with the government itself (and a convening of grand jurors) alleging grave misdeeds that have violated the public welfare.

Here's the latest:

Chiappone, back at work, rebuffs Roberts
[from PolitickerNJ.com, August 27, 2009, 5:33 p.m.]

Assemblyman Anthony Chiappone (D-Bayonne) today fired back at Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts (D-Camden), who yesterday called on him to resign after he was indicted for allegedly funneling his aides' state-issued checks into his personal and campaign bank accounts.

?There is a ?presumption of innocence? which is a constitutional right of anyone charged. In your capacity as Speaker, as a fellow lawmaker, you have chosen to ignore that basic democratic philosophy and constitutional right because of an assumption of guilt and not of innocence,? wrote Chiappone.

One day after being indicted -- but not arrested -- Chiappone was back in his legislative.

?Of course working without pay and benefits,? he said in a phone interview. Those were also suspended by Roberts, who took away his committee assignments as well.

Chiappone, who is serving his second non-consecutive term and running for reelection, proclaimed his innocence and said he will not resign

In his letter to Roberts, he went on to say that ?my years of service and dedication to the public that has voted me into office warrants that I receive that basic consideration, yes even in spit of the inconvenience and ?embarrassment? that the ?party? may have to endure? And while I respect you as the Speaker of the House, no one man should determine who should resign. The directive to serve or not to serve should come only from the voters."

Chiappone, who won the Democratic nomination for a second term in June on the Hudson County Democratic Organization?s (HCDO) line, said that aside from Corzine and Roberts, he has not felt pressure to resign from other politicians.

That could change soon. A drum beat for Chiappone?s resignation will likely come from Bayonne, where his rival, Mark Smith, is mayor.

One of Chiappone?s closest allies, Bayonne Councilman Gary La Pelusa, was the aide mentioned in the Attorney General?s complaint against Chiappone, although he has not been charged.

Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy, who chairs the HCDO, issued a brief statement on Chiappone.

?Right now we are in discussions with other members of the Hudson County Democratic delegation and our legal counsel to determine what action, if any, can be taken,? he said.

Although Healy brokered a successful slate in that included Chiappone in 2007, the two have never been close, and Chiappone?s relationship with the party has been rocky. But since Healy has refused to call for the resignation of arrested Jersey City Council President Mariano Vega, he may have a hard time publicly calling for Chiappone to step aside.

State Sen. Sandra Cunningham (D-Jersey City), who is credited with saving Chiappone from being thrown off the party line earlier this year, said she plans to sit down with him to discuss whether he should continue on within the next couple days.

?I think in times like this, as difficult as it is, I basically believe people are innocent until proven guilty. I think people have sort of forgotten that these days,? she said.

Chiappone, for his part, said his prosecution was politically motivated, though he did not want to go into detail.

?All I would say is that certainly the investigation was started through a political opponent?s complaint. But at this time I have to focus on responding to the charges in a court of law,? he said.

-- Matt Friedman

Vega wants to hold on to council presidency
[from PolitickerNJ.com, August 27, 2009, 4:13 p.m.]

Jersey City Council President Mariano Vega, who was arrested on corruption charges last month, said today that he has no plans to relinquish leadership of the council.

?No, I haven?t gotten to that point yet. I think it?s premature. I think that the idea was that I wanted to kind of temporarily step aside so Peter Brennan could chair it as president pro-tem,? said Vega in a phone interview.

Although Brennan was voted council president pro-tem, the position didn?t work out the way Vega, Brennan and most of the council hoped. The legislation, it turned out, only allowed Brennan to take control of the meetings when Vega was absent, instead of giving him control of the body while Vega dealt with the federal case against him.

Jersey City officials have been quietly applying pressure on Vega to give up the council presidency permanently, though Vega preferred not to talk about it.

?I?d rather keep counsel to myself,? he said.

-- by Matt Friedman

N.J. Assemblyman Anthony Chiappone is charged with campaign finance misconduct

from "The Jersey Journal," August 26, 2009, 3:53 p.m.

TRENTON -- Assemblyman Anthony Chiappone and his wife were indicted today for depositing state-issued paychecks for legislative workers into their personal bank accounts and Chiappone's 2005 campaign fund.

At a press conference today announcing the charges, New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram said almost $5,000 was funneled into the Chiappones' personal account, while more than $3,000 was put toward the Hudson County Democrat's election campaign.

"This indictment chronicles a betrayal of the public trust by this elected official," Milgram said.

Thirteen checks totaling $7,532.96 were paid to one aide, while another check for $629.47 was issued to a campaign volunteer who state officials said was not an aide. Neither person was identified or charged.

The seven-count indictment includes charges of conspiracy, official misconduct, theft by deception, tampering with public records, falsifying records and concealment of campaign contributions.

Chiappone, of Bayonne, began his current legislative term in 2008, and previously held an Assembly seat from 2004-2005. Chiappone resigned from his city council seat in April, a position he had held since 2002.

Chiappone represents the 31st legislative district alongside Assemblyman L. Harvey Smith, who was arrested in July's corruption and money laundering sting that netted 44 people.

In April, Chiappone confirmed he was under investigation for allegedly forging signatures of Assembly aides on paychecks and cashing them. Chiappone said five former and one current Assembly aide informed the lawmaker that state investigators visited them to show them copies of canceled checks and ask them to verify their signatures.

Chiappone's lawyer, Tim Howes, said both defendants intend to plead not guilty and "vigorously contest the charges."

"He didn't steal from anyone," Howes said. "He didn't take anything for his own benefit."

He said Chiappone will not resign and intends to win reelection in November.

"People recognize that he serves Bayonne very well," Howes said. "This is a political witch hunt. It's not going to cause him to lose any election."

Prior to today's press conference, Chiappone said he was not expecting good news.

"I am expecting the worst quite honestly," said Chiappone, when reached by the Jersey Journal this afternoon prior to the announcement. "They don't have a press conference for no reason."

-- Chris Megerian, Statehouse Bureau

Jimmy King shuts down his Jersey City civic association
from "The Jersey Journal," August 24, 2009, 8:53 p.m.

There will be no more turkeys for Jersey City Ward C senior citizens during the holidays and if there is a problem with a sewer line, a tree or most anything that people need help with, don't look to the Jimmy King Civic Association. Its standard bearer closed down its operations.

King, who was arrested by the FBI last month along with 43 others in a corruption investigation, sent postcards to members of the association informing them of his decision to end it. He said he and his wife, Cookie, will spend more time with his grandchildren. The civic association does not meet in the summer and usually begins its operations in September.

Known for feeding the homeless and providing turkeys for area residents in the holiday's, King and his wife often assisted people with problems involving municipal services. At the civic group's monthly meetings, King often had guest speakers from government agencies or area politicians who would explain available services or changes in laws that may affect them.

In his post card, King wrote the following:

"This is to inform you that we are retiring. We are looking forward to spending more time with our 5 grandchildren. For the last six years we did more together than any other club. If not for your help we could not accomplish what we did. The club is officially closed as of September 2009. My wife and I will truly miss all of you.

"With all our love, Jimmy and Cookie King"

After the May city election, King had a lawsuit filed challenging the residency of the Ward C winner, Councilwoman Nidia Lopez, who was touted as the first Hispanic woman on the City Council. There was apparently growing evidence that she may be the council's first Floridian. King's arrest forced him out of the litigation over Lopez's residency but it was picked up by the third place finisher in Ward C, Norrice Raymaker.

The FBI arrests took the spotlight away from the Lopez case, but it may be returning. City sources say it may be getting difficult to sit Lopez down for a sworn deposition.

-- Agustin C. Torres

In "Jersey Journal" editorial, Lopez called "a legal headache,"
as posted on August 24, 2009, 12:01 a.m.

EDITORIAL: Parade honor a smug affront to propriety

Chutzpah is not a Spanish word, but apparently the Puerto Rican Parade Committee in Jersey City knows its meaning. It selected Councilwoman Nidia Lopez as yesterday's parade grand marshal.

Lopez is enmeshed in a legal fight over her residency and her right to keep her elected office. Former Ward C candidate Norrice Raymaker is the plaintiff in the action first brought by another candidate, Jimmy King. King was among 44 people arrested last month by the FBI in a massive corruption probe.

The parade committee has a right to select whomever it wants, but the president of the group is Armando Roman, the city fire director. Only the naive would say Roman is not politically influenced.

Bestowing this "honor" is the kind of incident that makes the city a target of ridicule. Should Superior Court Judge Maurice Gallipoli rule that Lopez was a Florida resident when she ran for office, then the situation will become magnified.

The councilwoman should have remained in the background of city activity until her case is resolved. Instead, she has been voting on measures that come before her on the City Council. She has been advised by this newspaper to abstain from voting, but ignores the potential of a legal headache for the city should she be forced off the local governing body.

There is a silver lining. At the writing of this editorial, it does not appear that City Council President Mariano Vega would be honored by the parade committee.

Vega was arrested along with King and others on July 23 on corruption complaints. While two mayors who were caught in the FBI net have stepped down from their offices, Vega stubbornly refuses to quit, although he cannot defend himself and properly serve this city.

His power on the council has already been diminished when his fellow council members made Peter Brennan president pro tem, an excuse to allow Vega to concentrate on his legal problems. It is also convenient that he resist resigning past September, making it impossible to hold a special election to replace him in the November general election.

He is all about buying time. In his defense, Vega obtained a 60-day continuance, a delay, in his case to allow him to determine the strength of the federal prosecutor's case against him. His filed papers also indicate he needs time for the possibility of considering a plea deal.

Vega only reflects the arrogance and ego of this administration and its followers who exert influence over many parts of city life, even a parade.

-- Agustin Torres

as posted by "The Jersey Journal," Sunday, August 24, 5:08 p.m.

Despite Florida controversy, Councilwoman Nidia Lopez is Jersey City Puerto Rican Heritage Parade's grand marshal

Florida officials have told Jersey City Councilwoman Niidia Lopez she owes the state $30,473 in back taxes for taking advantage of a tax rebate between 2002 and 2008 reserved for full-time residents. But Norrice Raymaker, the third-place finisher in the May 12th Ward C race, is still demanding in court that Lopez resign because she was a Florida resident when she assumed her council seat.

In spite of the swirling controversy, committee members of the Puerto Rican Heritage Parade and Festival made Lopez the parade's grand marshal.

"We selected her at the beginning of the year, way before the issue regarding her residency arose," said Armando Roman, the city's fire chief and president of the committee. "She wasn't tainted with anything criminal and we made a decision to honor or word in selecting her."

But the committee wasn't as loyal to City Council President Mariano Vega, Jr., who was arrested last month for allegedly accepting bribes from an FBI informant, one of nearly two dozen employees and officials in Hudson County arrested in the sting.

Each year, Vega coordinates the event's banquet, held this year on Friday at Casino In the Park. Vega wasn't involved this year.

"He (Vega) had some issues, he's innocent until proven guilty," Roman said. "I took responsibility to run the banquet."

-- Charles Hack

as posted on politickernj.com (8/17/09, 5:04 p.m.):

Vega might relinquish council presidency

Jersey City Council President Mariano Vega, who was arrested last month for allegedly taking $30,000 in bribes from a federal informant, will be in charge of the next council meeting -- if he remains council president.

Mayor Jerramiah Healy has put pressure on Vega to resign from his top post, though nobody expects him to quit his at-large seat altogether.

City spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill acknowledged that Healy has met with Vega several times since his arrest, but did not disclose details about their conversations.

?The nature of it is on how to move the city forward governmentally. And that?s really the extent of what we?ll be commenting on,? she said.

The council intended to temporarily remove Vega from the top post by designating Councilman Peter Brennan president pro-tem ? a position that the council had already intended to create but took on new urgency once Vega was arrested. Most council members and government officials were under the impression that Brennan would fill in for Vega while he dealt with his defense.

But in a in a memo to council members, Corporation Counsel Bill Matsikoudis wrote that Vega will maintain control of council meetings as long as he attends them, and that he can not simply delegate the responsibility to Brennan.

The council president makes a slightly higher salary than the rest of the council and temporarily takes over the mayor?s duties in the event of a resignation or death.

Neither Vega nor Brennan, who is recovering from prostate cancer-related surgery, attended this month?s council meeting, over which Councilman Bill Gaughan presided. Both plan to attend the next one on September 9. Multiple City Hall sources say that Vega is considering stepping down as council president on or before then.

Councilman Steve Fulop, who requested the opinion that resulted in the Matsikoudis memo, is the only council member who has called on Vega to resign his seat ? not just his position as president.

?If you are definitive that you did nothing wrong and you don?t want to resign, then why resign from one position and not the other,? he said. ?Maybe Mariano now thinks he did a little something wrong so he will resign a little bit.?

A call to Vega?s cell phone was not returned.

-- Matt Friedman

Just received a link for a recent City Hall protest, now posted to YouTube. This video is b-r-i-l-l-i-a-n-t.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EfxQ-MicX8

Kudos, props, and general applause to whoever (whomever?) dreamed this up.

And the saga "continuances."

Looks like the (expected) impending indictments against the (allegedly) corrupt politicos -- generally speaking, indictments are required within 30 days of the filing of criminal charges -- might have a little more time to materialize, per the Court's sanction. Here's current coverage from "The Record" of Hackensack:

Ex-mayor gets time to weigh plea deal

Former Secaucus Mayor Dennis Elwell and his co-defendant in an alleged bribery scheme have been given a 90-day window to review the evidence against them and explore a possible plea-bargain deal, court documents show.

In a series of orders signed this week, U.S. Magistrate Judge Madeline Cox Arleo approved continuances for most of the 44 defendants arrested last month in one of the largest public corruption sweeps in state history.

The orders effectively extend the time under which federal prosecutors must bring a defendant to trial.

Under federal law, a defendant has a right to have criminal charges presented to a grand jury within 30 days of his arrest, but typically will consent to one or more continuances to assess the strength of the prosecution's case and consider whether it is to his advantage to cut a deal.

Elwell's attorney, Jeffrey G. Garrigan, said the defense team has yet to review any of the government's evidence against his client, who is accused of accepting a $10,000 bribe though alleged middleman Ronald Manzo from an informant posing as a hotel developer.

"There's been no discussion regarding plea negotiations at all," Garrigan said Friday. "At this point, I don't know exactly what it is that the U.S. Attorney's Office is going to be sharing with us."

Elwell, 64, resigned from office within days of his arrest, asserting his innocence.

"We're waiting to see what their evidence is," Garrigan said.

The judge also granted 60-day continuances in the proceedings against Assemblyman L. Harvey Smith of Jersey City, and Daniel M. Van Pelt, who relinquished his Assembly seat after his arrest, allowing them time to examine evidence and "to undertake any plea negotiations."

Similar orders were granted in the cases of Jersey City Council President Mariano Vega Jr. and Edward Cheatam, a former vice president of the Jersey City Board of Education.

Ridgefield Mayor Anthony Suarez and his co-defendant, Vincent Tabbachino, were granted 90 days "to review the numerous recordings generated" during the investigation, but their order makes no mention of plea negotiations.

Hoboken's former mayor, Peter Cammarano III, was given 60 days to examine the government's evidence, but his order also makes no mention of plea negotiations.

During the two-year probe, a cooperating witness hoping to receive leniency in a bank fraud case posed as crooked developer paying tens of thousands of dollars in bribes for favorable treatment and washing millions of dollars through international money-laundering rings allegedly headed by rabbis in New York and New Jersey.

-- Peter J. Sampson

Watchdog group blasts Jersey City for tax abatement 'giveaways'

as posted on "The Jersey Journal,"
Sunday August 16, 2009, 2:18 p.m.

Jersey City's liberal use of tax abatements has robbed the city, county and school district of revenue and has saddled residents not living in tax-abated properties with an unfair financial burden, according to a New Jersey watchdog group.

"We're really concerned about the precedent Jersey City is setting," said Naomi Mueller Bressler, co-author of the report released by the New Jersey Policy Perspective last month.

Initially used to give developers an incentive to build in hard-pressed areas, these "tax giveaways" are now handed to "any or all developers," Bressler added.

City officials have traditionally argued abatements are good for the city since the municipality keeps 95 percent of the money, as opposed to a more even split with the county and schools under the rules of conventional taxation. But this report argues the city is also getting hosed in tax abatement deals.

For example, Sugar House, a 65-unit condominium building located 174 Washington St., received a 20-year tax abatement from Jersey City in 1999. In 2007, the owners of the building paid a total of $695,477 to Jersey City.

But if they had paid conventional taxes, they would have paid more than twice that -- $1,627,108. This city would have collected $746,845, the county $413,741 and the Jersey City School District $455,965, according to the report.

And when county and state officials calculate how much money city residents have to kick in to pay for county services and to support local schools, tax-abated property owners aren't included -- putting an additional burden on conventional taxpayers, the reports argues.

There are currently 134 tax-abated properties in Jersey City and 31 more under construction. But with the economy in the dumps, several developers have re-negotiated even sweeter deals with the city, including the CANCO Lofts on Dey Street and Crystal Point, Downtown on Second Street. The city is also considering changing the terms of its 20-year abatement agreement with the owners of 77 Hudson.

The report argues that politicians become addicted to abatements because "pre-payments" are used to fill budget holes and developers contribute heavily to political campaigns.

The report concedes tax abatements, most of which last 15 to 30 years, can help spur development in parts of the city beyond the waterfront, including Journal Square.

Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy -- who campaigned against tax abatements when he first ran for mayor but has become an ardent supporter -- said the watchdog group has blinders on.

"It is astonishing that this report -- which provides no empirical data or quantitative analysis -- does not recognize Jersey City as a model for the judicious use of tax abatements which have dramatically increased property values, led to the creation of thousands of units of affordable housing and thousands of construction and permanent jobs, as well as increased investment and funds into our city coffers," he said in a statement.

"Indeed, Jersey City has been referred to in national publications as a model for urban redevelopment and advancement," he added.

The report makes several recommendations, including:
* Only grant abatements in truly blighted areas
* Open to process of granting abatements to the public
* Limit the percentage of a municipality's revenue that can come from tax abatements so that municipalities don't overly rely on this money to balance budgets
* Limiting abatements to 10 years
* Bar elected officials from granting abatements to developers who have contributed to their campaigns
* Give county and school districts a greater share of the tax-abatement money.

The council is currently considering a redeveloper pay-to-play ordinance that would bar campaign contributions from a developer to local officials if that developer is negotiating to be designated the builder of a project in the city.

-- Amy Sara Clark

Arrested in last month's sweep, two Jersey City officials still serving on boards
as posted on The Jersey Journal, August 13, 2009, 16:13 p.m.


Two Jersey City officials arrested in the last month's corruption sweep have called it quits on the government boards they served on -- but two others are hanging tough.

Jersey City Deputy Mayor Leona Beldini remains a member of the Jersey City Economic Development Corporation board and Joseph Cardwell is still serving as a second alternate on the Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority board, officials confirmed today.

The city's law department has sent letters to both of them asking them to step down, officials said.

If Beldini doesn't resign, JCEDC officials will take steps to remove her, officials said. The post comes with no pay or benefits. Her term expires in October 2010.

Charged with accepting $20,000 in illegal campaign contributions from an FBI informant, Beldini is suspended without pay from her $66,165-a-year job as deputy mayor.

Appointed by Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy to the MUA board in 2005 and again last year, Cardwell can only be removed through a formal hearing by the City Council, which would need to establish, according to statute, "inefficiency, neglect of duty or misconduct in office" on Cardwell's part, officials said.

Cardwell doesn't receive pay as member of the MUA board, but does receive family health coverage, which costs the agency roughly $10,000 a year, MUA Executive Director Dan Becht.

Cardwell is charged with accepting $20,000 from the FBI informant -- $10,000 for himself and $10,000 for a political campaign.

Today's Jersey Journal reported that Edward Cheatam resigned his post as a commissioner of the Jersey City Housing Authority and Maher Khalil resigned from the board of trustees of the Jersey City Development Corporation.

"I think it is in the best interest of the city and all concerned parties that all individuals who have been charged should voluntarily remove themselves from any and all city boards and we are working on achieving that." Healy said through a spokeswoman.

Jersey City Health Officer Joseph Castagna, who was also arrested July 23 -- and has been suspended without pay from his $105,000 job -- is now off the Hudson Regional Health Commission. He served in that post by virtue of being the city's health officer, officials said.

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...

So, does anyone know conclusively, is this matter scheduled to appear on the Council agenda this coming week, August 12? [Online, it does not seem visible under "First Readings," but one can never be sure.]

Just wondering if -- like for the Crystal Point debate -- now is the time to mobilize interested/concerned citizens to attend. Or has the (all-too likely) rubber-stamp approval process been temporarily put in neutral, since the public (and press) might not respond too favorably to an ultra-sweetened PILOT deal in this ultra-soured political climate.

Enquiring minds...

Judge Grants Raymaker?s Motion to Join Suit Against Lopez
by Shane Smith ? Aug 7th, 2009, "Jersey City Independent"

Community activist Norrice Raymaker, who ran on the One Jersey City ticket against Ward C Councilwoman Nidia Rivera Lopez in this year?s municipal election, recently filed a motion to join a lawsuit seeking that Lopez be disqualified from office based on allegations that her primary residence is in Florida. The suit was originally brought by the second-place finisher in the Ward C race, Jimmy King, who has indicated he will not pursue the case because of his arrest in connection with last month?s broad-ranging federal corruption bust. Reports in JCI and elsewhere have erroneously stated that King has already dropped the suit.

Raymaker?s motion was granted today by Hudson County Superior Court Judge Maurice Gallipoli. During an emergency conference in his courtroom, he agreed with Raymaker?s claim that the motion to intervene carries ?no prejudice? against Lopez; in other words, Raymaker?s name on the suit does not make it any more or less difficult for Lopez to mount a legal defense, because the substance of the case is unchanged. ?If you were gonna win [the case] against Mr. King, you?re gonna win it against [Raymaker],? Gallipoli said to Lopez?s counsel as he granted the motion. He dismissed Lopez?s argument that Raymaker?s motion to intervene was untimely.

Diana Jeffrey, who is representing Raymaker along with Howard Myerowitz, said she was ?pleased? with the judge?s decision. Speaking to JCI outside the courtroom just after the conference, she remarked that ?the citizens of Jersey City ? need to know [that] the people elected to serve them are eligible to hold office.?

Lopez?s attorney William Northgrave did not wish to comment.

Neither Raymaker nor Lopez was present in the courtroom this afternoon; they could not be reached immediately for comment.

Had Raymaker?s motion been denied, anyone wishing to disqualify Lopez would have to submit a new filing, which would now face the likelihood of being disqualified on the grounds that more than 30 days have passed since Lopez assumed office.

UPDATE: In a statement released by One Jersey City this afternoon, Raymaker said she is ?encouraged? by the court?s decision. ?Residents in Ward C need to know who Nidia Lopez really is and if she lives in Ward C,? she said.

There's nothing like Hudson County politics
by Paul Mulshine/ The Star-Ledger
August 06, 2009 5:38AM

In 1927, the great physicist Werner Heisenberg described a set of interactions among subatomic particles that has come to be known as the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle.

The principle itself is quite complicated, but the popular interpretation is simple: The act of measuring an activity can cause a distortion in the activity being measured.

This does not apply to all activities. But it certainly seems to apply to Jersey City politics. The effort by the FBI to gauge the extent of political corruption there may have had an effect on the election at issue.

That was the theory I heard from Bruce Alston Tuesday evening after a lively demonstration outside city hall. The demonstrators were calling for the resignations of politicians caught up in the probe. That includes City Council President Mariano Vega, who was charged with taking $30,000 in bribes and Mayor Jerramiah Healy, who was not charged but who was mentioned prominently in the complaints for his attendance at some of the seances sponsored by the FBI.

Alston is a community activist from a ward with a large African-American population that he says is underserved by the members of the Healy-led ticket that swept to victory in May. That election might have turned out differently if the victors hadn't had access to all of those bags of cash that were exchanged at those meetings with an FBI informant posing as a developer, Alston said.

"The FBI funded their campaign with the sting money," said Alston.

That certainly wasn't what the feds intended, but Alston and his fellow reformers have a point. There's no way of knowing how much of the money that went to a dozen suspects with Jersey City connections ended up in the victors' campaign fund.

This being Jersey City, however, some of the losers are accused of cashing in as well. The most interesting case involves council candidate Jimmy King, who is alleged to have accepted $10,000. King has one of those resumes that defines him as the consummate Hudson County hack. The complaint describes him as the "former executive director of the Jersey City Parking Authority, the former chairman of the Jersey City Incinerator Authority," who "also served as a Hudson County undersheriff." Despite those impressive credentials, King finished second in the race for a Ward C council seat to Nidia Lopez. Lopez was heralded as the first Hispanic woman elected to the Jersey City Council. Unfortunately, she seems to have also been the first Florida resident elected to the Jersey City Council. After the election results were announced, it was revealed that Lopez has been claiming Florida residency for the past 10 years to get a tax break on her home in Orlando.

When King learned of the news, he promptly filed a lawsuit demanding to have her disqualified on the grounds she's not a Jersey City resident. King now has more important matters on his hands, so he dropped the suit. But the third-place finisher in the race is picking the suit up. Norrice Raymaker filed yesterday to continue the suit to have Lopez's victory tossed out.

Raymaker is with the One Jersey City coalition, a reform group that ran five unsuccessful candidates in the elections. The campaign manager for that group, April Kuzas, told me that they were at a severe disadvantage in the May elections because they don't take money from developers -- either real developers or FBI informants posing as developers.

"Our entire campaign fund was only about $17,000," Kuzas said. "Imagine what we could do if we had twice the money." That still wouldn't amount to much by Hudson County standards. Even worse for reformers, Jersey City has a nonpartisan system with elections in the spring instead of the fall. Turnout is low, so those who either have city jobs or want them can have a disproportionate impact at the polls.

The result, say the reformers, is that the city is run for the benefit of the political machine rather than the public. The big developers continue to get tax abatements while the people pay high taxes yet fail to get such essential services as police protection. And now their city has been made a national laughingstock thanks to what looks to be the most corrupt campaign in recent American political history.

So the reformers are right to demand a do-over. Unfortunately there's no provision for that in the law. The best they can hope for at the moment is a special election or two, depending on how the case against Vega and the suit against Lopez proceed.

If those elections occur, they will no doubt be cleaner than the last round. But regardless of who wins, he or she will have to face the Hudson County Certainty Principle: You can predict with certainty that the machine will just keep humming along, fueled by our tax dollars.

In a letter (see link below) received by the Hoboken City Clerk at 9:16 a.m. today, Peter Cammarano III has resigned as Mayor of Hoboken, effective noon today:

http://blog.nj.com/ledgerupdates_impa ... ammaranoresignationletter

Augie Torres writes in The Jersey Journal:

Jersey City activisits to speak about public corruption on City Hall steps

Tuesday July 28, 2009, 2:03 PM

Prior to tomorrow's 10:00 a.m. Jersey City Municipal Council meeting, the activist organization One Jersey City, supported by interested residents from other parts of the city, will gather on the steps of City Hall. They will denounce corruption, call for clean government, and demand the resignation of Mayor Jerramiah Healy, Council President Mariano Vega, and Councilwoman Nidia Lopez.

Daniel Levin, who founded One Jersey City, said the gathering is more "ad hoc than press conference." He said people are reacting to the federal corruption scandal that saw 44 people arrested Thursday on corruption and money laundering scandals.

Vega was among those arrested on a corruption complaint of receiving $30,000 from a government informant posing as a developer seeking fast-track approvals for a building project.

Healy admitted he was the unnamed "JC Official 4" named in a complaint. "JC Official4" met with the FBI plant which meant the official had knowledge of campaign cash being paid to his war chest and that the donor expected favorite treatment for his development.

One Jersey City wants Lopez to resign because of questions about her residency and for trying to take advantage of tax program in Florida for a home she has there. Florida has billed her more than $30,000 because the program should be for permanent residents.

All three elected officials refused to resign saying they did nothing wrong. Vega did step down as the head of the City Council's tax abatement committee.

Levin said a letter seeking signatures calling for resignation of the officials is circulating on the street and online. He said, so far, there are already 50-60 signatures obtained from the Internet and 250 from the street effort.

Besides One Jersey City, among those attending will be a contingent from Ward F, organized by local businessman Bruce Alston. Most of those gathered by Alston are from the city's black community, mostly senior citizens. Levin said it is difficult to get people to attend tomorrow's council meeting because they are working in the the morning, but he expected at least 40 to 50 residents at City Hall.

At the council session, people will demand that the officials in question resign. Members of One Jersey City say they are bouyed by the news that Secaucus Mayor Dennis Elwell announced his resignation. Elwell was one of three mayors arrested on corruption complaints. The others mayors are Peter Cammarano of Hoboken and Anthony Suarez of Ridgefield.

I'll be there. If possible, maybe with several friends who can take a half-day. [What's with these daytime meetings, anyway? Oops, that's for another thread.]

The federal allegations are serious, and -- with them -- the public trust has been broken. Council President Vega should immediately resign from elective office, since the accusation compromises -- borrowing language from the criminal charges, "colors" -- his ability to act as a public servant.

The legal case will continue for some time. Mr. Vega will receive his due process, presumption of innocence, and ultimate day in court to face his accuser(s). Mr. Vega's full-time employer -- Hudson County, where he helms the Parks Dept. -- has suspended him, even though the DOJ's charges relate to his Council (city) job, not his Parks (county) job.

But -- if Mr. Vega does not voluntarily step down soon from Municipal Council, for the sake of the City he professes to love and serve -- Mr. Vega's clouded status will paralyze local governance. His every action will be suspect and tainted. Already, in retrospect, people question so many of the recent pro-developer Council approvals. Going forward, until Vega (and any other like defendants) step away, all decisions will be judged as compromised.

Everything about this mess is sad, especially if the charges prove true (and the tip of the iceberg at 280 Grove Street). Even a hint of honor would demand that Vega resign. With that, the City can attend to its affairs, and he may concentrate on his pending legal matters.

N.J. outright forbids corporations, businesses, etc., from contributing to campaigns. Only contributions from individuals are permitted: $2,600 is the maximum campaign contribution -- aggregate, total, per each election cycle -- per donor, to any given candidate.

So, on the face of the information recounted in the recent criminal complaints, every candidate (and their respective campaign treasurers) who acknowledged that the CW was, had been, or would be contributing more than the $2,600 limit -- each of those slugs purposely subverted N.J. election law. "Give the cash to so-and-so; he'll break up the donations, as if they're from someone else."

Wholly apart from any "quid pro pro" allegations -- something about "under the color of office" -- the quasi-laundering of outsized campaign contributions (by allegedly passing the monies to several compliant straw donors who would then, essentially, split the invoice), that's a transgression. Of course, selling/peddling influence is even worse.

My favorite recent post in this thread: the T-Shirt about "Don't blame me, I voted for Dan Levin." I'll take two.