New Jersey's Culture of Corruption Thrives.

May 19, 2010 at 12:30 P.M. The idea of being concerned for the poor or crime victims, which often includes criminal defendants, is comical to persons posting fake advertisements at this blog, like this bogus notice attributed to "Public Service Ads by Google":

"Microfinance Empowers, Join us in enabling the poorest of the poor to improve their own lives. GrameenFoundation.org Public Service Ads by Google."

These people often identify themselves as N.J. "police officers" and ask for charitable contributions.

May 19, 2010 at 12:13 P.M. Several essays were vandalized last night, including "David Stove and the Intellectual Capacity of Women." I will continue to struggle to make the necessary corrections.

Peter J. Sampson, "Judge Urged to Go Easy on Kaisers," in The Record, May 17, 2010, at p. A1. (Leonard Kaiser stole $28,000 from his mayoralty campaign fund and evaded $5,000 in taxes.)
Michael Gartland, Dave Scheingold, Richard Cowen, "$100,000 Paydays Largely Overlooked: Salaries Fuel Growth in Counties' Tax Bite," in The Record, May 17, 2010, at p. A1. (1 in 5 Bergen and Passaic employees make more than $100,000 a year. Almost all of these individuals are active in Democratic politics, including police officers, none have been fired despite the budget crunch.)
Stephanie Akin, "Isurance Broker Calls in Political Pals: Lobbies Fair Lawn to Keep No-Bid Contract," in The Record, May 17, 2010, at p. A1. (New Jersey's back-scratching, cronyism, pay-to-play culture in politics is blatant and disgusting.)

"An insurance broker trying to protect a no-bid contract has mobilized several influential Democratic and Republican officials to discourage the borough of Fair Lawn from ending the relationship, three borough officials say."

This is how New Jersey's much-vaunted political corruption works: I get something and you get something; written rules and unwritten rules; public money is exploited for the individual gain of political insiders. Everybody takes care of the big bosses -- Bob Menendez, George E. Norcross, III, Richard J. Codey are all doing O.K. I am sure that all of them make more than $100,000 per year by "making use" of their political influence. Political power is traded for favors or cash in Trenton. I have absolutely no respect for the so-called "ethics" judgments of such N.J. persons.

"The phone calls, breakfast meetings and chance encounters on behalf of Woodbridge-based insurance broker Business and Governmental Insurance Agency [Jim McGreevey country] -- which has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to New Jersey political campaigns -- began almost as soon as the Borough Council discussed ending the deal, said Councilman Ed Trawinski, Councilwoman Jeanne Baratta and Mayor Joseph Tedeschi, who initiated the effort to break with the company."

"The deal has provided BGIA with at least $1.25 MILLION in commissions since 2000, the council members said."

" ... Fair Lawn has a strict pay-to-play ordinance that bars companies that do business in the borough from making contributions to local politicians or Bergen County political parties. But the pressure from state- and county-level politicians and political insiders, who can steer grant and aid money to -- or away from -- the borough, promote borough projects [,] or facilitate local officials' rise in their party ranks, shows that municipal restrictions on pay-to-play politics are easily evaded, Fair Lawn councilmembers said."

The same company made $126,178 in commissions from Hudson County; $237,923 from Bergen County; $1,064,280 from Union County. The same company made "contributions" in these respective counties as follows: $10,550 in Hudson; $46,795 in Bergen; $117,750 in Union. I wonder why they have so many friends in New Jersey politics in these counties? Does anyone believe that these "contributions" are unrelated to the public contracts awarded to companies, often on a non-bid basis?

This is to say nothing of the cash in envelopes exchanged for other favors, every day, by many companies and individuals in the Garden State.

The time period of these "commissions" was not listed. I surmise that this money for "commissions" was paid over the same time period or a much shorter period of time. This was public money used to pay these commissions over, roughly, not more than a five-year period which generated political "contributions" for N.J. politicians, like Mr. Kaiser, who "dipped" into his campaign funds. Nice deal for the politicians; not so nice for the tax paying chumps.

"State Senator Bob Gordon, a Democrat and former Fair Lawn mayor, confirmed that he had called Trawinski at the request of BGIA Chief Executive Steve Edwards, a personal acquaintance."

Mr. Edwards is said to be very active in local politics in New Jersey -- no doubt because "good old Steve" is civic minded.

" ... 'I didn't see anything inappropriate about suggesting to my friend Ed Trawinski, who is of the other party, that BGIA seems to do a good job with other communities around the state and seems to do a good job in Fair Lawn,' Gordon said."

"He said the call had nothing to do with the $1,600 BGIA has donated to his campaign since 2007. ..."

No, of course not. This is an example of New Jersey "ethics."

" ... Fair Lawn awarded its no-bid contract to BGIA in 1999. The deal was anounced during a closed meeting and, according to meeting minutes, it was not discussed."

Why should such a decision be discussed with the residents whose money will be "used" for these purposes? No reason.

"The resolution formalizing the appointment said the borough did not have to solicit bids because 'the services are of such a qualitative nature' that they could not be accurately represented in a bid."

"After it was awareded the contract, the company gave $6,350 to Fair Lawn Democrats until the borough passed its pay-to-play ordinance in 2006. Of that [donation,] $5,100 went to former Mayor David Ganz's campaign for his other elected position as a Bergen County freeholder."

Yeah, I'd say he's a freeholder alright. New Jersey is saturated with "freeholders" in politics. Until now, there have also been plenty of ignorant tax paying chumps. Maybe the tax paying chumps are starting to wise up. If so, it would explain the election of Mr. Christie. Don't disappoint the voters, Mr. Christie.

The trouble is that, as employers continue to leave the state and more people associate New Jersey with organized crime and corrupt government as well as bribed judges, the tax base seems to be shrinking. Thievery is not as lucrative as it used to be. Fat Tony says: "What are you gonna do?" ("Jaynee LaVecchia and Conduct Unbecoming to the Judiciary in New Jersey.")