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Friday, October 23, 2009
Back on Bergen: GOP attacks Corzine on Ferriero

After President Obama campaigned there Wednesday to boost Gov. Corzine, Bergen County -- the most populous county in the state -- is back in the news, this time with a piece of good news for Republican Chris Christie.

The Thursday corruption conviction of one time power broker Joseph Ferriero, who ruled Democratic politics in the county, was both a feather in the cap for Christie, who brought the indictment when he was U.S. Attorney, and a weight on Corzine, who, according to Republicans, gave more than $440,000 in political donations to Ferriero and former state Sen. Joseph Coniglio, another convicted member of the county's Democratic machine.

Christie, in a hastily arranged conference call Thursday afternoon, said Corzine, who once decried "the toxic mix" of money and politics, was one of the system's "leading chemists."

"I'm not saying the governor knew he was a crook, what I'm saying is the governor enabled somebody who was a dictator up in Bergen County," Christie said on the call.

The issue came up at a gubernatorial debate Thursday night. Corzine said the money he gave to the county organization Ferriero controlled was part of his support for national Democrats. He also noted that he backed his lieutenant governor candidate, Loretta Weinberg, when she battled Ferriero over the state Senate seat she now holds.

"The idea that I have somehow enabled Joe Ferriero, when I stood up to him first along with Loretta Weinberg when he tried to run her out of the party, is just a joke," Corzine said in the debate.

Republicans continued pressing the issue today. Christie's running mate, Kim Guadagno, said "For Jon Corzine to imply that his considerable and consistent contributions to Ferriero's political operation were simply to elect federal candidates is laughable and isn't fooling anyone."

For at least two days it brought back ethics as an issue, which we all thought would be a key to the race after 44 people were arrested on stunning corruption and bribery charges this summer, but which faded after the Corzine camp raised questions about Christie's ethics.

What impact could it have now? The guru of Bergen politics, Charlie Stile, says not much: "Most polls show property taxes as the top concern in this election — corruption and ethics reform barely register," he wrote.

Meanwhile, his Record colleague Alfred Doblin penned a song for the situation. If you like Jersey politics, or Frank Sinatra, click the link.

Click here for Philly.com's politics page.

Posted by Jonathan Tamari @ 5:56 PM  Permalink | 1 comment
Comments   
Posted 10:41 PM, 10/23/2009
BFlint
Another Democrat NJ politician is going to jail for corruption. From the Philadelphia Enquirer: A federal jury has found former northern New Jersey political boss Joseph Ferriero guilty of fraud conspiracy. The panel returned its verdict Thursday, the third day of deliberations after a 2 1/2-week trial. Ferriero, the former head of the Bergen County Democratic Organization, was convicted on one count of conspiracy to defraud and two counts of mail fraud. You sometimes wonder how our 'political bosses' in New Jersey maintain their hold on power? From this article at the Corner on National Review: Guess how much money Jon Corzine and his family gave to Ferriero over the years? $441,600. Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie held a conference call moments ago. Highlights: I experienced a lot of these days and led the office when this case was indicted . . . Joe Ferriero abused a position of trust and the position of trust of his co-conspirator in order to line his own pockets. His leadership of the Bergen County Democratic Organization was a disgrace . . . This should be a day of great joy in Bergen County. So New Jersey, do you still believe that Christie is the one who throws his weight around? Corzine is concerned when Christie lends a friend money that gets paid back. Yet NJ voters don't care that everyone Corine pays off gets a cool half mil? Sickening. You cannot fix corruption when you are funding it Mr. Corzine. Period. Christie should win in a landslide.
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About Garden State Grapevine
Garden State Grapevine covers politics and government in Trenton and South Jersey.

Cynthia Burton has covered politics and politicians in Philadelphia, Trenton and South Jersey. She wrote about Frank Rizzo's last mayoral race, was Philadelphia City Hall bureau chief, and now covers the New Jersey races for the House and U.S. Senate.

Jonathan Tamari has reported on New Jersey government and politics since 2004, including the 2006 state government shut down. He joined the Inquirer this year.

Adrienne Lu returned to the Inquirer, where she first worked in newspapers, in 2008. She writes about state government and politics in New Jersey. She has also worked at The News & Observer in Raleigh, N.C. and The Record of Bergen County.
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